Well I thought my water looked dull due to my poor t8 lighting, but

[piao liang yu]

I did today's water change by dipping out water into a white bucket and see how the water actually looks. It has a slight brown haze to it. Is this from the driftwood I have heard so much about? Tannins or whatever? I do have a lot of driftwood in my 60 gallon 48"x13" and two feet deep top to bottom. I have read that carbon helps with this and it just so happens I took out the carbon a couple of weeks ago. I reckon I will get some new carbon and replace it.

After the water change it looks much better, but I have noticed it before get a slight rusty color just a few days after a water change. I have an AquaClear 110 and an AquaClear 70 HOB filters on my tank. I am heavily stocked though, but based on what I read as long as my filtration is ahead of capacity and I am diligent with maintenance i.e. pwc's and testing etc then I would be fine to go slightly over the recommended stocking levels. My current stock now and this is my permanent stock level. It will not go any higher than this is as follows.

15 neon tetras
13 cherry barbs
10 guppies (all males)
4 otocinclus
4 red wag platies
4 red cherry shrimp (I have had the shrimp and loaches together now for several weeks and my shrimp are still with us) When I got the loaches I did not know they could be a threat to the shrimp. Cannot catch the shrimp to relocate them.
3 Angelicus Botia aka Kubotai Botia aka Burmese Botia aka Polka dot loach
1 Male Dwarf Gourami

Do any of you think my stocking level is a problem? There are tons of hiding places. I am moderately planted and plan to become somewhat heavily planted when I acquire better lighting.

Any suggestions and recommendations are appreciated. Will the carbon help solve the tannin issue or is it possible I am over stocked and would overstocking cause the water to seem rusty/brownish? I check my parameters every three days and Ammo is almost always 0 with the occassional .25 or between 0 and .25, nitrites are 0 and nitrate are between 10-20 on occassion.

I do anywhere from a 30% to a 50% pwc weekly. Every Friday like clock work.

 

[piao liang yu]

Any comments or sharing of similar experiences along with remedies are encouraged please.

 

[Sambo7475]

The brownish color is probably tannins being released by the driftwood, it's not harmful to the fish, but if it bothers you, get some purigen by seachem. It takes the tannins out, and is rechargeable. I use it in both of my tanks, and the water has never been clearer.

 

[piao liang yu]

The brownish color is probably tannins being released by the driftwood, it's not harmful to the fish, but if it bothers you, get some purigen by seachem. It takes the tannins out, and is rechargeable. I use it in both of my tanks, and the water has never been clearer.

Is this purigen a water treatment chemical or hard component installed to the tank?

edit: I guess I will just google purigen, duh.

 

[Sambo7475]

Here's a link:
Seachem. Purigen

It absorbs the tannins and impurities better than carbon. Unlike carbon, it is rechargeable and will last for years.

 

[piao liang yu]

Is this purigen a water treatment chemical or hard component installed to the tank?

edit: I guess I will just google purigen, duh.

This is what I found on it.

Seachem. Purigen

So does it go into a bag like carbon does and just placed into the HOB?

 

[Sambo7475]

yep, I have it between my large sponge, and the polyfil.
Certain sizes of the purigen comes with a bag with it, others don't. I can't remember which size does, but most LFS will carry little mesh pouches that work very well with it.

 

[piao liang yu]

yep, I have it between my large sponge, and the polyfil.
Certain sizes of the purigen comes with a bag with it, others don't. I can't remember which size does, but most LFS will carry little mesh pouches that work very well with it.

Well I kept the mesh bag that my carbon came in. That will work right? Problem is I checked the Petsmart site and that stuff is nearly $50. Only had one option available which was the one liter size. Is it not available in a more affordable quantity?

Edit: I am finding more affordable Purigen options, but all require ordering from an online store. PetSmart only has the one liter option for nearly $50 and Petco according to their website does not even carry it.

 

[Lucas82]

I have Rainbow Fish tanks and their environment enourages driftwood. I had some Danios in my tank to cycle it and put the driftwood in after only rinsing it off. Bad idea! I didn't realize after much research I was supposed to boil the driftwood and leach the color out of it. My tank took about a week to recover and get back on track. I just stay away from Driftwood now.