Q: I Have six month old 35 gal freshwater tank with less than recommend max inches per gal of fish. Two live plants and more than adequate natural light in addition to tank light. The Water has turned green and cloudy. Diatmatious earth in the filter cleared it up for three weeks. Now it's returning to green and cloudy. Can you suggest causes and remedy?

A: It sounds like your tank is going through an algae bloom and I would bet it caused by your amount of natural sunlight. With only a couple of live plants there is still plenty of nutrients available and the algae is growing in response to the great light you have available. Here's a couple of things to try; get more live plants, the higher plants are more effective at removing nutrients and in time will out compete the algae for them and it will go away. Try reducing the amount of natural sunlight and the photoperiod of your tank lights. It sounds to me you have what most people yearn for --more light--so you have to reduce it or increase your plants. Are you doing your water changes?--nitrates are a fertilizer and if you have high levels its just more food for the algae, check them and if high do a series of water changes to bring the levels down, less food less algae--hope this gives you some ideas-

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