Cloudy Water

[jocelynmeyer]

Hey folks!

I have a 46 gallon community cichlid tank that’s well established and has been up and running for a year. Everything is great and fish are healthy!

That said, my water is always always always cloudy. I do regular 20-30% water changes weekly. I maintain the filter (HOB and sponge) regularly too. I clean the gravel and sand thoroughly.

What is going on? I’ve seen many suggestions for products like Seachem Purigen and API Accuclear, but want to get to the root problem if I can.

Is my filtration not up to par? I’m not going to lie, I’m always torn on this because information online is so divided! There’s many folks running tanks this size, and larger, on sponge filters alone and their tanks are always crystal clear.

What am I missing?

[Aiken Drum]

Is it cloudy like coloured water or cloudy with micro particles? If coloured water, is it a weak tea like colour?

From the photo it looks tea like, so tannins from the driftwood. Does your filter contain activated carbon? If not, carbon or the purigen you mention will clear that up if put in the filter. Carbon will need replacing every 2 to 4 weeks and purigen needs "recharging".

[fishwonder]

Here is some information to help with cloudy water.
http://aquariumscience.org/index.php...terial-blooms/

[jocelynmeyer]

Originally Posted by Aiken Drum

Is it cloudy like coloured water or cloudy with micro particles? If coloured water, is it a weak tea like colour?

From the photo it looks tea like, so tannins from the driftwood. Does your filter contain activated carbon? If not, carbon or the purigen you mention will clear that up if put in the filter. Carbon will need replacing every 2 to 4 weeks and purigen needs "recharging".

Well, it’s both. There are tannins from the wood for sure. But there are visible particles in the water too. I don’t have carbon in my filter, no.

[jocelynmeyer]

Originally Posted by fishwonder

Here is some information to help with cloudy water.
http://aquariumscience.org/index.php...terial-blooms/

Thank you!

Would a bacterial bloom present as visible particles in the water?

[fishwonder]

Originally Posted by jocelynmeyer

Thank you!

Would a bacterial bloom present as visible particles in the water?

Hard to say for 'particles'. If you do see large particles, has to be from something. Fine filter floss in your filter should be able to remove most of that. I only run foam and pot scrubbies in my filters with crystal clear water. Never any floss because it clogs in like 10 days and has to be replaced. I do have a method that will remove particles in the tank that does work.

[jocelynmeyer]

Originally Posted by fishwonder

Hard to say for 'particles'. If you do see large particles, has to be from something. Fine filter floss in your filter should be able to remove most of that. I only run foam and pot scrubbies in my filters with crystal clear water. Never any floss because it clogs in like 10 days and has to be replaced. I do have a method that will remove particles in the tank that does work.

I haven’t been running floss in my filter either, just because it requires so much maintenance.

Can you explain your method?

[fishwonder]

Sure. Build a DIY Water Polisher here. I built this and it works great in large tanks:

pump mentioned in the video

.

The secret is the use of Acurel F on Amazon. Acurel F web site detailed information.

Use only 1 drop per gallon, not the recommended 2-4 drops. Water will clear in about a hour.

What HOB are you using and what media are you using. That makes a big difference.

[jocelynmeyer]

Originally Posted by fishwonder

Sure. Build a DIY Water Polisher here. I built this and it works great in large tanks:

.

The secret is the use of Acurel F on Amazon. Acurel F web site detailed information.

Use only 1 drop per gallon, not the recommended 2-4 drops. Water will clear in about a hour.

What HOB are you using and what media are you using. That makes a big difference.

I currently just have a crap Tetra HOB, which isn’t doing me any favours I’m sure. I’m using a mix of ceramic rings and foam.

I’m pretty well set on upgrading my filtration to a canister after doing some more reading! Thanks for that info on the polishing though, that’s super helpful and I love Joey’s channel!

[fishwonder]

Originally Posted by jocelynmeyer

I currently just have a crap Tetra HOB, which isn’t doing me any favours I’m sure. I’m using a mix of ceramic rings and foam.

I’m pretty well set on upgrading my filtration to a canister after doing some more reading! Thanks for that info on the polishing though, that’s super helpful and I love Joey’s channel!

OK a better HOB is the Seachem Tidal 75 at 350gph for you, or maybe a Sunsun 370 gph canister for the price. Fill both with just simple plastic pot scrubbies and you can't beat that media. Will run for months without a simple rinse under water every 4-6 months.

[jocelynmeyer]

Originally Posted by fishwonder

OK a better HOB is the Seachem Tidal 75 at 350gph for you, or maybe a Sunsun 370 gph canister for the price. Fill both with just simple plastic pot scrubbies and you can't beat that media. Will run for months without a simple rinse under water every 4-6 months.

I purchased the SunSun on Amazon last night

[fishwonder]

Originally Posted by jocelynmeyer

I purchased the SunSun on Amazon last night

Wow, imagine that! Now get those plastic pot scrubbies and jam and many as you can in all three media trays. You should be able to get 15-16 in each tray.

[jocelynmeyer]

Originally Posted by fishwonder

Wow, imagine that! Now get those plastic pot scrubbies and jam and many as you can in all three media trays. You should be able to get 15-16 in each tray.

Will do! Thanks so much!

[Jumanjii1]

Back in the day I had a Vortex Diatom Filter, and that filter would clear up a cloudy aquarium in just a few hours. It worked great and was easy to use once it was charged up with Diatomaceous Earth. I can't remember what I did with it but I'm sure I sold it along with my salt water setup. Now my tanks stay crystal clear cause I stopped over feeding my fish. There's one Diatom filter currently being auctioned off on Ebay, $60 so far if anyone is interested. Would be nice if it had the recharge valve for easy charging.