My water is driving me nuts!!

[Jack sort]

I've posted about this before but so far nothing is working. Two weeks ago I added an Aquaclear filter to my 29gal tank because I wanted to double my filtering. I had a bag of activated carbon in my original filter to help control the tannins that were still leaching out of my wood but removed it because the Aquaclear filter came with a bag of carbon. The next morning I woke up to water that was tea colored water and was very cloudy. I swapped the Aquaclear carbon out with the API carbon, this removed most of the color but not the cloudiness. I've tested the water over and over and it's always perfect. It's been two weeks and my water is still cloudy. I've tried all of the following:

Added a sump pump with a bottle of filter floss on the inlet of the pump. The floss turns brown and then I change it out

Constant water changes. My max change has been 30%

Added Purigen

Can someone please help!!!

 

[Jack sort]

Anyone??

 

[brennae]

Its brown cloudy but not green? My tank turned green and cloudy and I was advised to get a UV sterilizer.

 

[lbirath001]

Do you have driftwood?

 

[brennae]

Yes I sure do and I but Indian Almond leaves in the water to add to the tannins but my water is definitely green. I guess its caused by an ammonia spike, one that may not even be noticed and then you are stuck with it until you get a UV sterilizer. You can do a search on green water on this forum to see pics if you think this might be the issue with your tank.

Some fish like tannins. Just keep that in mind.

 

[Jack sort]

Mine is mostly white, very little brown. Like I said the chemistry is great so I have no clue.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

How many water changes have you done so far? Maybe try doing more than 30% and see if that helps. I usually do very large water changes weekly of about 50% sometimes more if the tank is dirtier than usual.

 

[Cybertech]

How many water changes have you done so far? Maybe try doing more than 30% and see if that helps. I usually do very large water changes weekly of about 50% sometimes more if the tank is dirtier than usual.

hi guys check gh and kh had this problem with daughters tank if kh is low you may be going through a mini cycle . Keep a close eye on tank parameters ph, ammonia , nitrite, nitrate,. Use seachem prime to resolve any issues with these an no more than 20% water changes every 3 days otherwise you will be disposing of beneficial bacteria. I hope this helps regards Cybertech (Craig)

 

[Scouser]

an no more than 20% water changes every 3 days otherwise you will be disposing of beneficial bacteria.

Are you suggesting that the frequency and scale of water changes will affect the colonies of bacteria in the tank?

Bacteria levels in the water itself are quite low, most can be found in the filter material, attached to decor and in the substrate.

I've performed large water changes 50%-60%-70% hours apart to being levels down to safe zones.

I've even seen people preform large scale changes twice a day and not have any adverse reactions due to removing BB from the water.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Jack...

Had the same problem with the water in my tank. I used the Hagen HOBs, 2 AC50s on opposites sides of my 55G. Tannins eventually cleared up with 50 percent water changes weekly. Took several weeks, though. The chemical medium (carbon) is overrated. It doesn't work as well as a standard water change and loses it's little bit of effectiveness in a week or two.

I had the best results with a dense poly fiber, cut to fit filter medium from two places: HBH and Acurel. The fiber is thick and attracts and holds all the floating particles that cloud the tank water. The water cleared, but it doesn't happen overnight.

B

 

[flitabout]

You could also switch out the carbon which has a limited life for purigen which if you take care of it right will last you for years and years.

 

[Jack sort]

Brunette- I have done probably 6 water changes since it started. I have increased the amount on the last 2 and it clears up for a little while but the next day it's cloudy again.

Bradbury- The tannins are very faint the main problem is the cloudiness. As far as the fiber goes I've been running a sump pump that pumps 400 gallons per hour and on the inlet I have a bottle full of filter floss. It's been running for about a week now and I have changed the floss 3 times. The last few days it has stayed pretty clean.

Flitabout- I added Purigen last week.

The cloudiness has gotten a little better since I've started all these things but it's far from clear. I have noticed the last two mornings that the water has been pretty clear. The lights were still off but it was still easy to see, however by the time I get home from work it's cloudy again. My thoughts are that the lights are adding to the problem I'm having. I decided to try a 24 hour period with no lights to see if that works. I only run them 8 hrs a day and have been for months, but maybe a little time out will help.

Thanks for everyone's input so far.

 

[flitabout]

What are you using for a water conditioner. Some water conditioners aren't good for use with the purigen.

 

[Fishfur]

Any chance this is bacterial bloom ? if so, read this article, it explains it better than I ever could.. let me go find it.

http://www.oscarfish.com/article-home/water/72-heterotrophic-bacteria.html

Bit technical, but a topic we all should understand better.

 

[Jack sort]

What are you using for a water conditioner. Some water conditioners aren't good for use with the purigen.

Tetra Aqua Safe

 

[Jack sort]

Any chance this is bacterial bloom ? if so, read this article, it explains it better than I ever could.. let me go find it. http://www.oscarfish.com/article-home/water/72-heterotrophic-bacteria.html Bit technical, but a topic we all should understand better.

I will take a look at the article and see, thanks.

 

[Jmunroe]

How much bio media was in the first filter? I'm guessing not enough. When you added the second filter and got rid of the carbon from the first, you may have lost a bit of beneficial bacteria that was housed on the carbon. And are now experiencing a bacterial bloom. Do large water changes until your filters can catch back up. And then continue to do large water changes forever because your fish will appreciate it. The more and bigger water changes you do... The closer your tank becomes to your tap and the less your fish notice it. If your fish become stressed from large water changes ie.. 50% or so, you haven't been doing enough water changes. The beneficial bacteria is in your filter media not the water column. Oh and watch your ammonia and nitrite levels if this is a possibility in case you are experiencing a mini cycle. Don't want your fish to suffer unknowingly and then all of a sudden you have fish dying.

 

[ashleynicole]

Who is feeding the fish? You may be feeding too often and/or too much. Try not feeding for 3 days. Make sure no one else in your house is feeding the "hungry" fish.

Also try stop switching around the media so much. Once a week is plenty to gently rinse the filter media in dechlorinated water.

Trust me, don't feed or touch anything for 3 days. Then when you see how clear the wawater can get... fed sparingly.

 

[Brad M]

Who is feeding the fish? You may be feeding too often and/or too much. Try not feeding for 3 days. Make sure no one else in your house is feeding the "hungry" fish.

Also try stop switching around the media so much. Once a week is plenty to gently rinse the filter media in dechlorinated water.

Trust me, don't feed or touch anything for 3 days. Then when you see how clear the wawater can get... fed sparingly.

I agree I think to much is being done to offend. Shutting the pumps off dumping in new water changing filter stuff around. I would just sit back and let it be for a bit you have all the right tools in place they just need time to go to work.

 

[Jack sort]

Who is feeding the fish? You may be feeding too often and/or too much. Try not feeding for 3 days. Make sure no one else in your house is feeding the "hungry" fish. Also try stop switching around the media so much. Once a week is plenty to gently rinse the filter media in dechlorinated water. Trust me, don't feed or touch anything for 3 days. Then when you see how clear the wawater can get... fed sparingly.

Nothing has changed as far as the feeding goes, I only feed once a day and all the food gets eaten. As far as the media goes I only rinse it in tank water when it gets dirty. I agree that maybe not touching things may help, it's just hard because I'll losing plants because of the lack of light penetration and the tank looks horrible.