Bio Filtration Green Water

I've been doing a little experiment on green water with bio-filtration.

WHY?

1. My mini-tub holds 20 litres of water and houses two 2.5 inches Ranchu. It's over-stocked.

2. I'm using a 2 feet 55 watts PL lamp as light source for the algae. It's bright (2.75 watts per litre) but lacks the intensity to penetrate deep into the tub (which is only 8 cm deep.)

SO WHAT?

Ammonium level has been high since the day I started cultivating green water a month ago due to the above two reasons. Although my fishes did not suffer poor health immediately, sometimes they are inactive and refuse to eat. Last week I spotted blood streaks on the tails.

SO HOW?

The proper solution is a bigger tub, and a strong Metal Halide lamp. But I want my tub to fit on my desk. I also can't find a MH lamp small enough to fit too, plus I don't need a tan to look handsome.

I put a small Resun internal filter in the tub. It has 6 pieces of BioHome from my canister filter. I assumed there is bb in it. Later I added an Eheim AquaBall internal filter. It's a matured bio-filter that was in my main tank. It has the original sponge and some ehfisubstrat.

As you can see from my records, the Ammonia level is now at zero, Nitrite peaked at greater than 3.30 before falling down to a relative safe 0.3 mg/l. The presence of nitrite shows there is indeed BB in the tub. No bullshit.

What you don't see in the record is the intensity of the green water. I seeded 10% of old green water, and day-by-day the green got more and more intense. Funny thing is... the speed and intensity is no difference compare to when I did not have bio-filtration!

SO YOU SONG LEOW LAH?

Kekekek. Today is the first time since I started cultivating green water to achieve an ammonium level of zero. I'll wait one month to see if this bio-green water setup actually works in the long run. I also regret I cannot tell you if my green is the correct green, unless you can point me to a test kit that can do that scientifically. But I suspect it's a good green.

CAN I TRY ALSO?

Of course! But I would get a slightly bigger tub, or keep less fish. The PL lamp is okay and actually preferred because it's more energy efficient and operates cool. MH lamp does not heat up the water significantly but your room will be warm. Further, a bio-filter that does not generate so much current is preferred if you keep Ranchus. I think I'll either find a rainbar that fit the AquaBall or spring for a small canister (Atman 3335).

HOW OFTEN TO CHANGE WATER LEH?

I kind of want to change today since it's 7 days old but... just in case someone wants me to test or verify something... I'll postpone the change for a couple of day. I think that's okay since my water parameters are GREAT - everything zero (pH high sevens) plus got millions and millions of algae ah!

WHAT NOW?



The implication of this setup is many bros too can enjoy raising their goldfish in green water with low-cost PL lamp in an over-stock tub, in land-scarce Singapore.

[Fire87]

Cool.

Talk about never stop learning.

The next time they have the elderly award thing i'll nominate you k?

just kiddin'

seriously, the water looks good...

Hey, thanks for sharing your R & D with us! Does filtering green water cause your filter to clog up quickly? How often do you clean this green water filter medium, compared to your clear water tank one?

Thanks for sharing this wonderful info.

Bro Buddha .... Are You Ready ?

WHY?
Based on the equipments you have and also over-stock fish load, is this experiment a good representative of having green water with high ammonia and work on a solution using another equipment to remove the ammonia ? Would green water become redundant if it is not performing the actual job ?

SO WHAT?
Since you have spotted fish with red steak and would likely be the effect of the high ammonia, other than adding filtration system, are there any other ways or means to minimize or eliminate such undesireable problem ?

SO HOW?
If you have detected nitrite, which means that your filtration is working perfectly ( good work ), what is the nitrite and nitrate level before and after the introduction of filtration ? If nitrite raise and fall significantly, we should by-right seeing increasing nitrate day by day.

CAN I TRY ALSO?


sian ... dun think i want to write anymore. anyway, keep working on the experiment. Hope you have all the fun and get something out of it. I think this is going to be significant to the knowledge of everyone here.

Bro,
sounds good and looks good too. In future may need your help in my setup.

Bro handsome,

This one is for free, I shall start your first round of defense against bro demekin so that you can concentrate on your experiment.


>>...Would green water become redundant if it is not performing the actual job ?

The importance of asking question is to ask the right question. It seems that bro demekin is assuming that green water would become redundant with added filteration? Now, this is not important becos everyone is into green water for the nutritional benefits, that is green water as a food source...

>>...are there any other ways or means to minimize or eliminate such undesireable problem ?

Of course, water change, zeolite, etc, you could probably name a few more, next!

>>... we should by-right seeing increasing nitrate day by day.

this is a moot point. Btw, are you assuming that nitrate will not be consumed by microalgae?

Okay, have fun and a great working week ahead...

Good effort so far bro Handsome, at least you are keeping a proper record, with chart even! Looking at your chart, is your nh4 reading adjusted for ph and temperature? I do keep a chart that you can use to adjust the nh4 readings by ph and temp, pm me if you are interested.

Cheers!

Originally posted by Kawai
Bro handsome,

This one is for free, I shall start your first round of defense against bro demekin so that you can concentrate on your experiment.


>>...Would green water become redundant if it is not performing the actual job ?

The importance of asking question is to ask the right question. It seems that bro demekin is assuming that green water would become redundant with added filteration? Now, this is not important becos everyone is into green water for the nutritional benefits, that is green water as a food source...

>>...are there any other ways or means to minimize or eliminate such undesireable problem ?

Of course, water change, zeolite, etc, you could probably name a few more, next!

>>... we should by-right seeing increasing nitrate day by day.

this is a moot point. Btw, are you assuming that nitrate will not be consumed by microalgae?

Okay, have fun and a great working week ahead...

Good effort so far bro Handsome, at least you are keeping a proper record, with chart even! Looking at your chart, is your nh4 reading adjusted for ph and temperature? I do keep a chart that you can use to adjust the nh4 readings by ph and temp, pm me if you are interested.

Cheers!

just a thought...
because of the insufficient sunlight/water/algae etc.. to remove ammonia effectively..
filtration is another means to "aid" the BB?
so in that case, the surface area provided for the BB to colonize has to be controlled and balanced in such a way that there issn't too much BB so that it doesn't finish the algae's favourite food, ammonia.. but does helps finish up ammonia like a sucker fish.. and the by product nitrate as snacks for the algae.. which shouldn't be very high due to frequent water changes..

handsome.. better try to have one filter enough liaoz.. then slowly increase it's capacity.. rather then so much at one time, its only 2 little babies

i'm not trying to say its better than green water.. but just an experiment for the fun of it

Originally posted by Kawai
Bro handsome,

This one is for free, I shall start your first round of defense against bro demekin so that you can concentrate on your experiment.

Yo highly educated friend. U still think I trying to bomb bro happybuddha har ? I where got so bad one ? I only squad at drainage to smoke nia, maybe got time still can drink a mug of tiger with the great old man here. Need to defense what lah. Both of us can throw nicotine bomb around. At least I suggested that Bro buddha continue to do the experiment wor, sure to learn more from him than other who have had done without much information release.

I did not assume, but questioning the a small portion of the "would" and the "what". I have yet to go into the "why", the "how" and of course, the "who" is bro buddha lah.

That time I asked so much, u say I not yr professor leh. Now u provided some suggestions, thank you the very the much hor. u very helpful leh. Maybe tomorrow go buy some zeolite as u suggested. what does zeolite do anyway ? what is it ? how it works ?

erh ... about nitrate being consumed by algae, i not sure. I not biochemist or in the field of studying ancient life form leh. Anyway, i did not assume again here. So algae take in ammonia and nitrate for food ? what other nutrients ? No wonder my filtered tank got algae. nahbey, tomorrow pour green water into my 4ft tank. u are good leh bro kawai. where u learn all these har ? not a single websites tells me what algae need. must be a hidden info for bio grads.

See hor, at least bro buddha very helpful. can spend effort to get data and provide us lots of info. At least my green water i know more liao.

Anyway, the suggestion of "assuming" my questions seems not proper and much of personal perception. Would suggest that you made necessary alteration to your sentences and statments for improper assumption of intention.

aiya I N level student hor force to sign some contract in some sector only hor. dun bully me hor.

Bro Buddha, go for it !!! Go Go Go ... Real Madrid won again ... got more than enough to buy another MH lamp and blue tub liao. oops ... hahahaha

Originally posted by Kawai

Of course, water change, zeolite, etc, you could probably name a few more, next!

Zeolite? Bro Kawai, looks like your experiment result is not verified.