[AGA-Member] Green Water Problem

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

new subscriber having trouble posting, not sure why, but here's the 
original post:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2005 19:31:01 -0500
From: stephane jousset <sjousset@hotmail.com>

Is it Diana Walstadt who believes most aquatic gardeners give up because of 
algae trouble?
Bingo, as far as I?m concerned. I?ve been battling a bad green water problem 
for weeks and tried everything by the book (water changes, no food or 
fertilizer addition, water fleas, duckweed, keeping tank in complete darkness 
for 4-days and then some, phosphate/nitrate removal pads in the filter, 
clarifying chemical (TetraAqua)).
Dazed and confused by my repeated failures, I?ve finally resorted to a complete 
water change a few days ago (didn't clean the filter) after netting out my 
fishes. Alas ? a suspicious, faint green halo is slowly rising like a ghost. In 
one word: HELP! before I drive a sledgehammer through some amorphous 
crystalline material.

My tank stats are:
55-gal
potting soil topped with Flourite
tap water/RO water mix
T=22oC
PowerCompact lighting 2 x 55W
CO2 injection
pH=6.6
KH=8 degrees
Plenty of plants
Haven?t fertilized in weeks

I believe Indianapolis uses some phosphate salt in its tap water for corrosion 
control ?  could I just be caught in a vicious cycle? Ah, I almost forgot ? 
green water appeared when I started mixing RO water into my tank to drive down 
the hardness. RO water is from a trustable reef store.

Folks, I?ll appreciate any insight you feel like sharing.

Stéphane Jousset
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