I want me water even cleaner, any suggestion. Pictures inside!

[Ian086]

Does it take long....few days....?
Week?

Your tank is pretty clear already. It also depends on having a decent filter with good water turnover(gph). Usually after a few hours or overnight you will see a difference. Certainly not days or weeks.
I would suggest turning off the bubbler too....

 

[Cichliddave]

Turn it off for good?

 

[severum mama]

Not sure how much success you will have by adding a product to clear the water, when all the fish visible in your photos are known diggers. I haven't tried Clarity and I've only used Purigen in a reef tank, so I can't comment on how effective they would be... but there's only so much a product can do when all your fish dig and kick up detritus into the water column all the time.

 

[Paul1792]

EDIT 6:21 a.m. CST. Interesting ....... I did not realize how long this thread had become before I chimed in after reading first few posts about Purigen, etc. Rather than deleting this post, here is what I typed BEFORE I saw that Thumper828 and others chimed in saying something similar that I think reinforces what others have said:

Although there are probably many recipes for success with crystal clear polished water, the "sure fire" way to get polished water that is so clear it looks like the fish are "swimming in air" is to use the combination of polishing pads + Seachem Purigen + Pre-Filter (sponge or home-made).

Go here:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f60/aquaclear-70-a-282932.html#post2693871

Thumper828 uses the "blue stuff" for a polishing pad. I use 100 micron cut to fit polishing pads.

Thumper828 and I both use HOB's and get the results of canister filters using customized media. Both my tanks have that same "fish swimming in air" look to them.

Are you sure you are changing your filters in a manner that preserves BB? Removing too much media along with a big water change will cause bacterial bloom.

Though not the best photographer here, My Pics in album:

Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community - Paul1792's Album: Paul1792's 38 gallon - Picture

 

[Ian086]

Turn it off for good?

Just for a few days or at least place it above the substrate. An inch or two should do it. Air stones are only really used for cosmetic purposes.

Not sure how much success you will have by adding a product to clear the water, when all the fish visible in your photos are known diggers. I haven't tried Clarity and I've only used Purigen in a reef tank, so I can't comment on how effective they would be... but there's only so much a product can do when all your fish dig and kick up detritus into the water column all the time.

I agree but having a bubbler buried in the sand, running 24/7 will kick up a lot more detritus than the fish on there own.
Using the micron pads or floss is also a good idea to trap the really fine debris, that can cause cloudiness. I'm pretty certain it's not a bacterial bloom...

 

[Cichliddave]

Thanks everyone for the good advice purigen is working well

5 days and cloudiness has reduced 50%

My tank was really clear to start with , I just knew it could be....see through
I'm hoping another week and it's crystal clear
(I also refused to shutdown my bubbler, so that hinders progress I'm sure)

From the given advice I added 1 bag of 100grams of purigen in one aquaclear110

And big bag of carbon in the other 110

Fish color has doubled which is awesome
So they love the cleaner water as well

Thanks again

 

[Tieberion]

Thumper828 uses the "blue stuff" for a polishing pad. I use 100 micron cut to fit polishing pads.

Thumper828 and I both use HOB's and get the results of canister filters using customized media. Both my tanks have that same "fish swimming in air" look to them.

Are you sure you are changing your filters in a manner that preserves BB? Removing too much media along with a big water change will cause bacterial bloom.

Though not the best photographer here, My Pics in album:

Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community - Paul1792's Album: Paul1792's 38 gallon - Picture

Holy Rock Batman! And I thought my water was clear- My sister in law one visit even said she'd never seen water that clear except in big saltwater tanks, but man yours takes the cake. Bet those are some happy air fish!!

 

[Ian086]

Thanks everyone for the good advice purigen is working well

5 days and cloudiness has reduced 50%

My tank was really clear to start with , I just knew it could be....see through
I'm hoping another week and it's crystal clear
(I also refused to shutdown my bubbler, so that hinders progress I'm sure)

From the given advice I added 1 bag of 100grams of purigen in one aquaclear110

And big bag of carbon in the other 110

Fish color has doubled which is awesome
So they love the cleaner water as well

Thanks again

Glad to see you are getting the results you were after. The carbon isn't really necessary, I would use another bag of Purigen and save the carbon. Try turning the bubbler off for two days, just to see if it makes a difference, I dare you!!

 

[Thumper828]

Holy Rock Batman! And I thought my water was clear- My sister in law one visit even said she'd never seen water that clear except in big saltwater tanks, but man yours takes the cake. Bet those are some happy air fish!!

Paul knows his filtration!

 

[Cichliddave]

Okay, tonight...the air bubbler turns off , off for the first time in over 1500 days......(4 years)

Lets see how clear this water can get
I know I should have used two bags for purigen..but of course big als guys says

" oh you don't have carbon, you need carbon in there also"

Even though my water has zero smell, Of course he would say
That , active carbon has a life span of two months and can't be recharged like purigen

 

[Ian086]

Okay, tonight...the air bubbler turns off , off for the first time in over 1500 days......(4 years)

Lets see how clear this water can get
I know I should have used two bags for purigen..but of course big als guys says

" oh you don't have carbon, you need carbon in there also"

Even though my water has zero smell, Of course he would say
That , active carbon has a life span of two months and can't be recharged like purigen

The carbon won't do any harm of course, it just a bit expensive to run continuously.
I am curious myself to see if having the bubbler off will give you the results you desire. If it does at least you know the cause and can work on a solution to keep both the bubbler and the crystal clear water....

 

[Delapool]

The carbon won't do any harm of course, it just a bit expensive to run continuously.
I am curious myself to see if having the bubbler off will give you the results you desire. If it does at least you know the cause and can work on a solution to keep both the bubbler and the crystal clear water....

Finding this as well, that the carbon (in third filter) does make the water clearer as an experiment and I have a jar of carbon spare. After that it looks a bit expensive.

 

[Dubs1281]

I use api super active carbon, I had the same problem as you, now its hard to see the water. I wouldnt use it if it didn't work.

 

[Ian086]

I use api super active carbon, I had the same problem as you, now its hard to see the water. I wouldnt use it if it didn't work.

Carbon won't do anything for water clarity that floss won't. Floss is a fraction the price to run...

 

[Delapool]

Carbon won't do anything for water clarity that floss won't. Floss is a fraction the price to run...

Thinking of trying that next it's been tricky as this time I think I have too much carbon loaded and have reduced inflow too much.

 

[Cichliddave]

Well, bad new folks

Still green particles floating around
I guess I feed too much, not enough volume of water chucked weekly

I'm going to have to feed less and do more water changes (more volume)

I'm going to do a month of 27% water changes, weekly
= 15 gallons , lot of work in my opinion.....ill feed every other day for the month and we will see the difference

Purigen....no difference
Carbon.....no difference


I am still 100% open to opinion and suggestions

 

[Cichliddave]

Oh...also bubbler has been off for 8 days
Fish are acting the same , no gasping...but it didn't settle green little particles
Again looks perfect from the front......only when looking through 48 inches of water does it look cloudy

 

[Dubs1281]

Whoops. Not carbon. Its bio-chem zorb.

 

[Ian086]

Well, bad new folks

Still green particles floating around
I guess I feed too much, not enough volume of water chucked weekly

I'm going to have to feed less and do more water changes (more volume)

I'm going to do a month of 27% water changes, weekly
= 15 gallons , lot of work in my opinion.....ill feed every other day for the month and we will see the difference

Purigen....no difference
Carbon.....no difference


I am still 100% open to opinion and suggestions

Well i'm stumped. I really thought it would work. I would up those water changes to 50%

 

[Paul1792]

AquaticLife Non-Woven Filter Pad 100 Micron

This stuff works miracles: It is available from Amazon

Amazon.com: Aquatic Life Media Non-Woven White Pad for Aquarium Filter, 100-Micron: Pet Supplies

but it is one of the few things I buy at my local Petland. I hope you can get it or at least something similar in Canada.

[They even make it in 50 micron size but I think you'd have to change it out almost daily !!!!!!]

Important note: The sponge on an aquaclear is NOT a polishing pad. Thumper828 who does weekly 50% water changes uses the blue bonded stuff from Drs foster & smith for polishing his water:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=25534

I switched out the standard polishing pad on my Fluval C3 on my 29 gallon with a combination of Acurel Waste & Debris reducing pad + AquaticLife 100 micron polishing pad.

I take all kinds of flack for only doing twice a month water changes but both my tanks are absolutely crystal clear with the "fish swimming in air" look. The only things both thanks have in common is the 100 micron filtering pad and Purigen. [Different filters, different fish, different substrate, different brands of fake plants and rocks]

I use Seachem Matrix + aqua-tech bio-media for BB in my 38 gallon with

"Factory installed" bio-media in the Fluval on the 29 gallon.

38 gallon pre-filter is floss in a biobag.

29 gallon pre-filter is a fluval sponge.