How does a tank turn green overnight?

[daQueefa]

My 46g bow front has been completely stable for the past year and I've had nothing but growth. But getting up this morning, the tank is a cloudy green. The water has NEVER been anything but crystal clear and I'm concerned, because in a few days I'll be dismantling the tank and moving it.

Any suggestions as to the cause? It literally happened overnight. I haven't been adding anything to the water except RO/DI replacement for what evaporates and a little bit of phyto every few days.


Thanks,

Paul

 

[sally1]

Did you have any caulerpa in the tank??? I have two tanks and both had caulerpa that went sexual (died) and it made the water a cloudy green color. I did a small water change and ran carbon and it was fine. If you have any macroalgae (caulerpa)look and see if it is white and looks dead.

 

[daQueefa]

THANK YOU.

Looks like that's what happened. I have a little patch in the corner that I garden, and when I poked it I saw the inside was dead.

All better now.


Paul

 

[Nathan1]

It's not ALL bad when that happens. Think of it as having DT's phytoplankton dumped in your tank. Too much is bad but a little could be beneficial.

Also, remove the white dead stuff since you don't want this rotting in the water and giving off phosphate and nitrate.

-Nathan

 

[daQueefa]

Yeah, thanks... I've been 'weeding' throughout the day. I let it get a little overgrown 'cause I didn't want to disturb the tank too much before the move, but I guess I let it go too far!

My skimmer is cleaning up the water nicely. Thanks for your help guys.


Paul