45 replies to this topic

[Trekrider]

I have a 6' x 2' x 18" and no matter what I do I can't get it to clear. The tank has remained virtually unchanged for the last 9 months when it was moved from our last house. During this time it has always remained slightly cloudy - if you look closely at the water you can see swirling clouds of something. I do a 25% water change (and gravel clean) every two weeks and clean the internal filter (103F) at the same time then every 3 months I clean the canister filter (CF1200).

Having read the thread on 'what filter for a 6 x 2 x 2' I added a second CF1200 that I got 'almost new' a week ago. If anything the water is now slightly cloudier

Water parameters remain at KH = 5, ph = 7.0, Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0. The Nitrate level is 5 ppm one week after a water change and 10 ppm after two weeks (just before the next water change).

I did have an air pump running through an undergravel air screen but turned this off a couple of days ago to see if the 'clouds' were just tiny bubbles but this has made no difference.

Anyone have any thoughts on what the problem is and what I can do about it please?

[dazzabozza]

Gday Barry

Have u tried anything like SeaChem Purigen? Absorbs all sorts of things and helps to polish the water also.


Dazza

[Cawdor]

Is it cloudy because of algae or more like a dirt cloud? If you have fine substrate and your fish like digging then you'll always have cloudier water.
If it's algae then a UV unit will clear that up quickly.

[Trekrider]

Is it cloudy because of algae or more like a dirt cloud? If you have fine substrate and your fish like digging then you'll always have cloudier water.
If it's algae then a UV unit will clear that up quickly.

It's more like a dirt cloud (very small particles) but I have gravel as a substrate (nothing fine) so I don't think it's that.

[Trekrider]

Gday Barry

Have u tried anything like SeaChem Purigen? Absorbs all sorts of things and helps to polish the water also.


Dazza

I haven't tried anything specifically. I do have a Bio-Chem Zorb in my original canister - my LFS recommended always having one of these and replacing it every 3 months (which I have). From other threads I now understand that it's not a good idea to continually use carbon in my filter and will remove it at my next filter clean.

[golden_dase]

Try Zeolite... I had a tank that was cloudy like yours for weeks... I added some Zeolite into one of the canisters... 3 days later, crystal clear water!

They're about $15 for approx. 1 litre (morley aquariums)

HTHs!


Cheers
Kevin

By the way, some people might respond to this and say Zeolite is only good for removing ammonia etc... Well, yes its main purpose is that, however in my experience with them, they also help clear water!!!

[kevy73]

I had this and do still have this to a certain extent... because I have removed what fixed the problem - time to add it again... Anyhow, what I did was put in an internal filter - removed all the foam spongy stuff and packed it with cotton wool...

Left it on for a few days - tank be clear... took it out as my tank is planted with discus and they didn't really like the extra water movement, but it cleared all the small particles.

[Trekrider]

I had this and do still have this to a certain extent... because I have removed what fixed the problem - time to add it again... Anyhow, what I did was put in an internal filter - removed all the foam spongy stuff and packed it with cotton wool...

Left it on for a few days - tank be clear... took it out as my tank is planted with discus and they didn't really like the extra water movement, but it cleared all the small particles.

That's interesting, I had considered getting a regular water filter with a 5 micron cartridge (as used for drinking water) and putting that inline with my canisters or getting a power head to drive it. Considerably more expensive than your suggestion though.

[golden_dase]

Honestly mate, try the Zeolite option as well.. it only costs $15? and if it doesnt clear your water.. at least it will help reduce ammonia!

[Trekrider]

Honestly mate, try the Zeolite option as well.. it only costs $15? and if it doesnt clear your water.. at least it will help reduce ammonia!

Is this the stuff?

http://www.aquariump...php?prodID=3512

Thanks

[golden_dase]

Yeah mate!

The one I bought from Morley Aquarium is different brand though... but im sure they'll do the same job. Give it a rinse after you buy it to remove "dust", then put some in your canister... and thats it!

Needs changing/cleaning/rinsing every 6 weeks or so though...


Cheers!
Kevin

[booze]

I had this and do still have this to a certain extent... because I have removed what fixed the problem - time to add it again... Anyhow, what I did was put in an internal filter - removed all the foam spongy stuff and packed it with cotton wool...

Left it on for a few days - tank be clear... took it out as my tank is planted with discus and they didn't really like the extra water movement, but it cleared all the small particles.

i agree, internal filters are quite good at clearing up tanks in my experience. although i dont like to leave them in my tanks cos they clutter it up!

[ml29]

Completely agree with kevy73 and booze. Had the same problem and added an internal filter. Sometimes I think that cannister filters don't have enough mechanical filteration in them, they seem to be really focused on biological filiteration (either that or I don't clean them often enough) . Just my thoughts.

[Trekrider]

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions guys, I'm not convinced about the internal filter (at least with original media) - I've always had one on all of my tanks, this one included. They do certainly keep my other tanks clean but not this one.

Here's what I have just done:

1. 30% water change
2. Removed internal filter
3. Removed pump and all pipework for air stones.
4. Cleaned my original CF1200, removing the Bio-Chem Zorb at the same time plus added another fine sponge (both CF1200's now have the filter media recommended by Aqua One in their latest documentation rather than what they used to recommend and came with).
5. Added a bag of Zeolite to both cannisters
6. Used a gravel cleaner to remove the water for changing and sucked up the gunge that accumulates around the base of the artificial plants (the gravel itself was already quite clean)
7. Cleaned the glass
8. Added water from the kitchen sink with buckets rather than using the garden hose brought back in through the door - my wife wondered if using the hose was a problem since they are known to harbour lots of germs

End result - A much tidier looking tank with the pipework and internal filter gone, water clarity currently worse than before I started but that doesn't surprise me much at the moment.

I will let you know how it goes over the next couple of days - I may still try the cotton wool in the internal filter as kevy73 suggested.

[golden_dase]

If all this fails to clear your water... i can offer to let you borrow a large top-mount filter to trap debris/particles... all you need to do is add filter wool thats suitable for picking up small particles etc..

they're very popular in Asia...coz it works.

[Trekrider]

If all this fails to clear your water... i can offer to let you borrow a large top-mount filter to trap debris/particles... all you need to do is add filter wool thats suitable for picking up small particles etc..

they're very popular in Asia...coz it works.

Hey thanks, I might have to take you up on that.

I decided to go with the suggestion of stuffing the internal filter with cotton wool and running that for a few days as well yesterday.

The tank is currently still slightly cloudy and you can still see the swirling mists, but I would say it is slightly better than before I started 'messing around'. I will give a few more days and see what happens.

[matg]

Hey thanks, I might have to take you up on that.

I decided to go with the suggestion of stuffing the internal filter with cotton wool and running that for a few days as well yesterday.

The tank is currently still slightly cloudy and you can still see the swirling mists, but I would say it is slightly better than before I started 'messing around'. I will give a few more days and see what happens.

trekrider
i had exactly the same problem for months,tried water changes, big/small, all filter bits(new wool,more wool&purigen ,algea cures, etc)and still had the swirl in it(looks like steam swirl after shower) i then bought a 9 watt uv sterilizer from morley aquariums and put it on within 2 days my water was so clear it was like looking through air ,it cost 175 but they are cheaper on the net
best of luck

[Trekrider]

OK - so it has now been 5 days since I made the changes to the tank. I removed the internal filter stuffed with cotton wool today.

The tank is looking a lot clearer than it has in a while (you can see through from one end of the tank to the other) but it still has the swirling white mist plus I noticed it has some form of scum on the surface. Some of the fish (columbian tetras, platies and rainbow fish) seem to be spending a lot of time at the surface. I also get the impression the silver dollars are breathing faster than normal plus they have just ignored the algae wafers I put in - they normally go potty after these. The cotton wool I removed is thick with green slime which to me indicates algae is a possible problem.

I'm thinking of adding a UV filter as matg suggested (particularly given the green slime in the internal filter).

Has anyone any other suggestions particularly regarding the change in behaviour - should I be doing an emergency water change? Should I put the air pump back?

Thanks

[Trekrider]

I just checked the water - Ammonia and Nitrite are zero and Nitrate is 20ppm.

I also put an air stone in the tank and within an hour the breathing problems seem to have resolved - just the clown loaches breathing heavily now so I guess it was an oxygen starvation issue. I'm just glad I spotted it in time and was able to do something about it.

Still have to resolve the cloudiness though.

[golden_dase]

Not sure if you knew this, but the air bubbles that people see does not really relate to oxygen that fish needs. It is actually "dissolved oxygen" that fishes "breathe". Not sure if im making sense here... lol

Anyways, it sounds like you had a bit of a circulation problem.. good to hear your tank is recovering though..