HELP Dirted Tank PROBLEM

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Aquarium Advice Newbie
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Aug 25, 2020
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I had my tank set with white fine gravel and decided to put potting soil underneath to help my plants grow healthy. Once I put the soil and the gravel and filled with water it started turning brown. It looks like a Blackwater tank. I have been doing water changes for over a week and the water becomes darker by the day. Any advice?
 
I had my tank set with white fine gravel and decided to put potting soil underneath to help my plants grow healthy. Once I put the soil and the gravel and filled with water it started turning brown. It looks like a Blackwater tank. I have been doing water changes for over a week and the water becomes darker by the day. Any advice?


Probably tannins from the soil or bits of bark etc. There are a few steps you can and probably should go through before dirtying a tank. Did you sieve the soil first or example?

You will need to continue with water changes until the tannins subside which is a good thing really as the soil will also be releasing a lot of ammonia right now. Oxygen will most likely be on the low side too.
 
Fine filter pads will help a bunch, you can use them sitting on top of a HOB filter and just rinse out daily or more often if needed.

Activated Carbon can help, will be useful for about a week and you can replace it stops doing it's job pretty quickly, but works well.

There are flocculant products like Accu-Clear and CaribSea Bio-Magnet Clarifier works very well, and pretty quickly. Seachem Clarity works as wekk but in my tanks it took several days and a few doses.

There are some less expensive ones but I only get the first 2 mentioned when possible, because when I want the tank clear of something like that, I appreciate it happening quickly.

The poly cotton fluff is cheap and also works. I am not sure about any additives which might be an issue in the fluff /fill from the sewing department - so I would do some checking on what people are using and rinse it before adding.

The last time, I bought this one made FOR aquariums and it works very well (still using as it is a big bag)
https://www.acurel.com/product/polyester-filter-fiber/
 
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