What on earth? Foaming, green fish tank!

I hadn't looked at the 55 gal freshwater tank for about a day in a half and this morning I looked and something weird was going on! I don't know, but there was a lot of foam with a white and reddish brown color to it. The water was also a dingy green color... This seemed to happen somewhat suddenly.


So I decided time for a massive Water Change!!!! 60% of my tank later I go to clean off the alien foam and my paper towel turned reddish brown. I decided to buy a new filter (one of my two on my 55 gallon quit this morning (maybe cause of the alien foam?)) and decided to go with the Emperor 400. I had to modify it to fit my tank (cut the intake tube in half-- it was waaaaay too long!) and now the water has been replace and the emperor is cleaning up for me!

My water has been turning slightly greenish a couple days after water changes (so I do another water change... turns green, another water change... endless cycle!) and I don't know why... am I feeding my pleco too many algae wafers? Could that cause it? In the tank I have 2 red tail sharks, 2 giant danios, 5 painted platies, 1 plecostomus (about 5 inches long), and one pictus catfish & two black mystery snails... I've had two filters, rated for 70 gallon tanks on it almost from the get go. None of the fish are full size yet. The tank has been running for about 3-4 months and has had fish for all but about 2 weeks (I initially stocked 3 giant danios). I gravel vac out the water once a week, at least. All I've added was Microbe-Lift Special Blend beneficial bacteria.

What happened? Did what I did (new filter, 60% water change) maybe fix the issue? I'm about to do a water test, but wanted to wait to do one until after I changed the water. Oh yeah, and in the emperor 400 I put rinsed zeolite crystals in the media boxes, is that a good idea?

Nitrates= about 10
Nitrites=0
Ammonia=0
Hardness= about 25ppm
Total Alkalinity= 120
pH= 7.9

Results after 60% water change

How's the water after the last water change??????????

Water looks infinetly clearer. I think the emperor 400 is helping a lot! I talked to a friend of mine and I'm going to try to feed less algae wafers to see if maybe that caused the green. But I'm still baffled about the foaming!

Here are pics of the water: 1st is before the water change- with foam, 2nd is immediately after a 60% water change, 3rd is after the emperor was on for 5 hours.

Ok I've had the same issue in my 75G. You have an over abundance of micro organisms. NOT HARMFUL its just bio foam and wont hurt a thing. Get some live plants in there and it will clear up faster. It sounds like your doing what needs to be done It will just take some time to clear up. I agree with cutting back on the food and cleaning your gravel extra well.
The green water may be an algae bloom and that isn't harmful either. Live plants will help clear that up as well. Shortening your lights on time will too.

The live plants will help use up what the bio foam and algae are using to live and it will help starve them both sooner. Get 4-5 quick growing plants and you will be back in business in no time.

Thanks Fern!

Oh another thing I did (not sure if it helped) I took a clean plastic butter tub and used it to skim off some of the foam.
Don't be surprised if after you get it cleared up it comes back a few more times.... It has in my tank.But like I said its not harmful so the last time it popped up in my tank I just let it run its course. I think it took 2ish weeks to clear on its own.