water clarity problem

[si_sphinx]

OK... i have a problem with keeping my tank water clear.

I have a 150ltr tank with built in wet/dry filter and lights in hood. this tank is similar to the Aqua one AR 850.

It has 7x electric yellow cichlids ranging from 3cm to 6cm + 1x 5cm pleco.

Filter media: bio balls, filter wool, carbon, ceramic noodles.

Flat gravel substrate (higher at the back), with a few broken terracotta pots in the middle. I have taken all my plants and rocks out to allow for more water circulation but the water still doesn't seem to stay clear.

I have also reduced the amount of food feed each morning and night as well.

Weekly water changes of 30-40% every Sunday but water goes murky within 4-5 days

this tank has been running for a few months now.

Tank temp: 25deg, pH: 8.2

I have another tank the same but only 80ltrs and loaded with plants and fish and has crystal clear water for weeks

Is it the filter that isn't working or am i missing something here...? :-?

[Romeo]

Depends what the colour of the water is?

[whetu]

What do you mean about keeping the water 'clear'? Do you see particles floating in the water, or is the water just generally cloudy? Also (like Romeo said) is the water milky-cloudy or green-cloudy? The problems are caused by different things.

[si_sphinx]

Sorry, the water is a cloudy milky white.

possibly colour is because substrate is white and lighting is white

[HaNs]

when did the prob start?

[si_sphinx]

after 2-3 weeks after setting up the tank i supose, im not exactly sure. it just slowly went like that. tank was brand new and was cleaned out thoroughly before use.

[phoenix44]

bacterial bloom possibly?

[JarrenB]

My tank is like that but that is because I've just added sand, I would put your plants and stuff back in and wait it may still be cycling in which case the murky water is normal, How long have you had fish in the tank?

Also see what others say but if the tank is still cycling then I would take out any expensive fish! good luck.

[JarrenB]

... also maybe posting a photo would help out with finding an answer? :-?

[LYNDYLOO]

I had the same problem after installing 2 x CF1200 External Filters, on 2 different Tanks, one was a AR980 and a AR620T, even though I used the Filter Media that was running on the previous Filters.

The Tanks looked as though somebody had poured Milk into them

I assume it's doing a mini cycle or something to that effect, I continued doing my water changes twice a week, haven't cleaned the External Filters since they were installed.

Your Tank is still a Fairly New Setup, I had mine running for at least 6 months before I added the External Filters and still had a problem with Milkyness.

Tanks are all nice and clear now, so all I can suggest is patience and lots of water changes, leave the filter you have running in for awhile before you clean it, so it can slowly build up the bacteria that is needs to run efficiently.

Always remember to clean your Filter Media in Tank Water never Tap Water

Hope this helps, I know just how frustrating it can be :evil:

Good Luck

Lynda

[suphew]

after 2-3 weeks after setting up the tank i supose, im not exactly sure. it just slowly went like that. tank was brand new and was cleaned out thoroughly before use.

How long has the tank been setup?? Sounds like a bacterial bloom to me, maybe you need a bit more filtration.

Another option is micro bubbles, some of those wet dry filters have an air feed into the pump, could it be tiny air bubbles making there way back into the tank?

[diver21]

how do you get rid of micro bubbles?

[suphew]

First you need to work out if you have micro bubbles. Turning any pumps off for 30 minutes should be enough time for the bubbles to dissipate. If you do have micro bubbles you need to either stop them at the source, ie stop the air going into the pump. Or trap them before they go back into the tank, filter wool can work well for this. In a tank with a sump you would use baffles to force the micro bubbles to the surface before the return pump.

[si_sphinx]

The tank has been running for a few months now.

I dont think there are any micro bubbles in there.

Im going to do an 80% water change and add more beneficial bacteria to the filter media.

and see how that works

[LYNDYLOO]

Might be a good idea to do a Water Change for a few weeks without doing a Gravel Vac

This might speed up the process, I found it did with mine

[suphew]

What are the 'beneficial bacteria'? What else have you been doing to your filter? Do you clean it, add anything to it?

Also that is a very large water change, how much to you normally change and how do you do it? Straight from the tap, water conditioners, etc?

[si_sphinx]

The bacteria you can buy in a bottle from LFS when setting up a new tank. Stress Zyme i believe its called.

I usually to a 30-40% water change.

I siphon out through hose and replace with water from plastic drum i keep outside. Water is combination of tap water and rain water that has been sitting for a week or so.

I add the required buffers to get to correct pH and slowly siphon through smaller pipe back to tank as not to get water temp change of more than 2deg

[phoenix44]

if you do use that stuff, don't do a WC for 2 days. (it works better). then do about 30% every week.

heavily stocked tanks may need more than that.

cycle and stress zyme DO NOT cycle your tank immediately. And if the helpful person in the lfs said it does, shake your head from left to right, (shake the attendant too) and say No. It does not cycle the tank immediately :lol:

it just speeds up the process and makes it well.. easier for the bacteria to establish in your filter, as it is nothing but a bacterial solution.

I do think that you are taking too technical an approach to keeping your water quality in top notch conditions. You need not add the "required buffers" to the water everytime you do a WC. A buffer should have formed in your tank water, and this will resist pH change. if you must do a pH test and add some shells in either your gravel, or your filter. (shells available in the bird section of pet shops for a couple of bucks; or your local beach).

HTH

[suphew]

Do you have any water tests? I'm mostly interested in your kH if you are adding buffer every water change your balance of calcium, carbonic hardness, and magnesium, might be right out. This can cause the calcium to preticipate out of the water causing white cloudiness.

As has been said you are better to buffer the water using shell grit or similar, measuring the pH and using this as a way to judge how much buffer to add is pretty hit and miss because the pH in a tank will change a lot during the day anyway. You would also be better to measure the pH of the tank if anything and adjust this rather than the change water, the tank should be far more stable and give you a better idea of how much needs to be added. I good tip is to measure the tank pH at the same time of day every time.

[si_sphinx]

I only have high range pH test kits.

OK i will find some shells, i think i got some around here somewhere, and add them to the tank.

I find i need to raise the pH after every water change so will add those shells and see what happens.

will keep you posted.

[Southerrrngirrl]

How do you know you need to raise the pH of your water? You said you only have a high range pH test..

[si_sphinx]

Because the test can test down to 7.2 and i like to keep the water at 8.2 so when it goes below 7.8 or 7.5 i adjust to suit.

[phoenix44]

right. If you have that much of a pH change, Id put some coral or limestone etc in the filter, and that should help.

[si_sphinx]

the rain/tap water is quite low in pH down here soooo im gona find those shells after work.

[si_sphinx]

Any type of shell in particular that works best?