Tinted Water Help/Advice

[Nate21xl]

I have a 10g tank that's been up and running now for about a week and a half and I am having trouble with yellow/brownish tinted water.

I don't have any wood in my tank so it's not tannins.
I also believed it may be diatoms but I have nothing growing on the tank or gravel or plants etc.
I have been doing frequent 35-50% water changes which has helped because in the beginning it was much darker and cloudy(cloudyness i think due to the tank cycling and just being set up) and had brown/orange bubbles all along the top of the tank and around the filter. And when I cleaned the top it turned the towel brown

The bubbles are gone and when I wipe the top I no longer get brown but the water is still visibly tinted.
My filter however I changed out because it was all orange/brown and now this 2nd one looks the same way and I am afraid to keep switching them since I am still cycling and am nervous about losing the BB.
Any one have any thoughts on what this might be?
Pictures posted.

 

[Nate21xl]

The last picture is my first filter when the water first changed on me.
Top picture is the filter I've had in for a few days now.

 

[PNWaquarist]

Did you rinse your substrate and rocks before adding to your tank?

 

[Nate21xl]

Did you rinse your substrate and rocks before adding to your tank?

Yes I vigorously washed both so im not sure what it could be.
It doesnt seem to be harmful as my fish are doing fine and my plants are still sprouting.
Just noticed though that there isa film at the top of the water like an oil slick.

 

[lovecatfish]

I have similar symptoms with you too... Tell us what did you put in the aquarium. I put mung beans in there once, their sprouts grew into plants but the shells rooted and made the water a little yellow and the oil slick. It also could be your plants decaying...

Sent from my HM NOTE 1W using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Autumnsky]

Fish food? I used New Life Spectrum Thera-A Formula for awhile, and my water was always colored a little yellow/brown.

What are you using to feed the fish?

 

[Nate21xl]

I have similar symptoms with you too... Tell us what did you put in the aquarium. I put mung beans in there once, their sprouts grew into plants but the shells rooted and made the water a little yellow and the oil slick. It also could be your plants decaying...

Sent from my HM NOTE 1W using Aquarium Advice mobile app

When I set it up just the gravel, a few fake plants, and the plant bulbs.
I also put in API root tabs and API leaf zone.

I then added a few fish a banana plant and the pebbles. But the water was already tinted at this time.
Has lightened with water changes but the filter is also tinted but not as bad as the first filter.

 

[Nate21xl]

Fish food? I used New Life Spectrum Thera-A Formula for awhile, and my water was always colored a little yellow/brown.

What are you using to feed the fish?

Im using Tetra Flakes.
Never thought that might be it but noticed though that when I put in the flakes it cause the "oil streak" before ot floated down.
And TBH they are a few months old.

 

[MonkeyMonk86]

I used API root tabs once. They totally clouded my water. They are terrible!!! I threw the rest of mine in the garbage. I think the color is coming from the bulbs and the cloudiness from those bad tabs

You can get good root tabs here:

Spectrum Thera + is good food. Shouldn't be part of any problem.

The oil slick is prolly just biofilm and the water needs more agitation.

(Friend of Bill W., One day at a time)

 

[Shadowraven]

If the water is a slightly green color, then I think this looks like a protist bloom. As long as it doesn't get any worse, it shouldn't be a problem. The organisms involved are just taking advantage of the excess nutrients in the water from the cycling and is normal. The only time it is a problem is if it starts getting thicker. Then action may need to be taken.

 

[Nate21xl]

I used API root tabs once. They totally clouded my water. They are terrible!!! I threw the rest of mine in the garbage. I think the color is coming from the bulbs and the cloudiness from those bad tabs

You can get good root tabs here:View attachment 249521

Spectrum Thera + is good food. Shouldn't be part of any problem.

The oil slick is prolly just biofilm and the water needs more agitation.

(Friend of Bill W., One day at a time)

That sounds like it could be it. When I put the the tabs in they softened and completely broke apart right away bit wasn't sure if that was normal.