Green water and mosquitos

[Minos90]

How can I get the water run my outdoor 500 gallon stock tank from turning green?
And how can I keep the mosquitos away?
Anything I can add to the water?

 

[Markw84]

How can I get the water run my outdoor 500 gallon stock tank from turning green?
And how can I keep the mosquitos away?
Anything I can add to the water?

More information needed, please. What are you keeping in it? Do you have any filtration? Any water plants? Direct sun or shade?

The green water is an algae bloom of single cell algae. You will get it when you have a raised nitrate level and sun exposure. It is still healthy water at this stage, but not attractive. Water plants will compete for the food source (nitrates) and can help control, but you must be in very low nitrate levels for that to work entirely or the algae will still have plenty to thrive. Ultraviolet Clarifiers also will work quite well if installed inline with you filter pump. The UVC kills the algae cells and also many possible bacteria and viruses in the water if sized correctly. Of course, a complete water change works if no filtration, but it will turn green again in a week or so.

For the mosquito larva - mosquito fish work wonders. They thrive on mosquito larva and also can be a food source for your turtles. If provided with just some cover, they will multiply and do an amazing job. Most areas of California have mosquito abatement facilities that raise millions of mosquito fish. If you call them, they will bring over some to put in your stock tank - and it is a free service. No cost. The fish they bring are also more cold hardy for winter survival than the guppies you would but at a fish store. Baby turtles also love to eat mosquito larva if you have several in the tank - they will keep that in check. Smaller goldfish will also help.

 

[dmmj]

the water turns green because of the Sun.I kept red ear sliders in an outdoor pond for 30 I kept red ear sliders in an outdoor pond for 30 years. ovon numerous on numerous occasions I witness them eating all the mosquitoes that landed on the water to lay her eggs I never had a problem with any mosquitoes or larvae and after a couple of years the mosquito population seemed to drop drastically

 

[Minos90]

It's a 500 gallon stock tank that I keep outside. I keep 5 red ear sliders in there. I have filters, and it's in an area where there is sun, but does have shade as well.

 

[Five-sprout]

How can I get the water run my outdoor 500 gallon stock tank from turning green?
And how can I keep the mosquitos away?
Anything I can add to the water?

Look into obtaining some daphnia or "water fleas". you only need to drop a cup or two in there and they will multiply like CRAZY. They thrive off of green water and will provide a more than staple food source for fish if you end up going that route too. But if you want to keep the daphnia out of the main area, you can build a small floating boxed area out of a frame wrapped in cheese cloth that allows green water to come in but doesn't let the daphnia out. Then you can control and contain their population and get rid of them whenever you need. Local aquarists will pay you for whatever you cull out as they really are an excellent live food for fishes. If you go that route you will have a steady hand of side cash coming your way. I did it a few summers ago and was not disappointed.

 

[Five-sprout]

Look into obtaining some daphnia or "water fleas". you only need to drop a cup or two in there and they will multiply like CRAZY. They thrive off of green water and will provide a more than staple food source for fish if you end up going that route too. But if you want to keep the daphnia out of the main area, you can build a small floating boxed area out of a frame wrapped in cheese cloth that allows green water to come in but doesn't let the daphnia out. Then you can control and contain their population and get rid of them whenever you need. Local aquarists will pay you for whatever you cull out as they really are an excellent live food for fishes. If you go that route you will have a steady hand of side cash coming your way. I did it a few summers ago and was not disappointed. They do an EXCELLENT job at making the water turn clear without the hassle of expensive UV sterilizers.