cloudy water getting RIDICULOUS!

irr0001 · 07-01-2009, 01:16 PM

I'm fed up with my 10 gallon planted tank. It has been set up for at least 3 months. For the first few weeks I was good, then the water got cloudy (white cloudy not green). I cleaned my filter, put some accu-clear (not the pregnancy test) in there, and got a denser sponge. Nothing. I did multiple water changes. It still went right back to being cloudy. I then thought it was bacterial so i asked my trusty LFS owner, and he said to try melafix because it kills off bad bacteria. I didn't really think it would work, but he gave me a bottle and said to bring it back if it didn't work. I tried it. It didn't work. It just made my water smell like herbs. So then I thought I'd just let it run its course. It has been a month just letting it sit, and it WONT GO AWAY. Yesterday I tore the entire thing down, rinsed the substrate, cleaned the walls, filled it back up, and today it's cloudy again. I also quit CO2 and ferts with no effect.

PLEASE give any suggestions you have. I can't believe my reef looks amazing and I can't keep a simple 10 gallon fresh tank looking good! I have had other small planted tanks before and never encountered this problem.

Thanks,
Ivan

irr0001 · 07-01-2009, 04:34 PM

nobody? c'mon guys..

jakeh24 · 07-01-2009, 04:47 PM

you got carbon in the filter

JJK · 07-01-2009, 04:48 PM

What is in your tank? What type of substrate? Livestock/plants? What are the tank parameters? Is the only filter a sponge filter?

irr0001 · 07-01-2009, 05:36 PM

I have tried it with/without carbon..currently running it..in my filter is carbon..the little ceramic cylinders..and sponge..

i have eco-complete substrate..not real sure on what the plants are..just standard pecto plants in the little bottles..6 neon tetras..ran out of nitrite/ate tests about a week ago..nitrite has been 0 and nitrate was always below 50..

plants and fish are healthy the water is just cloudy..i think i'm going to start fresh again and use ro/di and see if that helps

shipbear · 07-01-2009, 05:37 PM

I was into freshwater for many,many years.. Never had that problem..??
All the changed you made should have cleared up anything..??

Could it be the tank its self..??

Sorry my friend, Larry

irr0001 · 07-01-2009, 05:39 PM

who knows man..i'm considering taking it all apart and plumbing it up to my reef..that would be kinda cool

Robman · 07-01-2009, 05:40 PM

I had the same problem on my first freshwater tank. I too thought it was a bacterial bloom. But after a week it got no better. Turned out it was phosphates in the tap water. They are too small for your filter to grab. I used Mardel water clarifier 1 time and have never had a cloud again. It stcks the particles together so the filter can grab them. This stuff really worked well on my third tank also.....good luck.

Daniel072 · 07-01-2009, 05:43 PM

and this is why I sold my freshwater tank

irr0001 · 07-01-2009, 05:44 PM

that's the one thing i haven't considered..phosphates..just so happens that i have a canister of rowaphos in my cabinet! I'll try putting some in my mini-canister filter (in a bag of course..). The mardel sounds like accu-clear..just clumps stuff together..and it hasn't worked so far..and i have the finest sponge i can find..I'll give this rowaphos a shot..i'm completely out of other ideas..if it works you get karma every day for a month robman

07-01-2009, 01:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
irr0001 Melanurus Wrasse Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Auburn, Alabama Age: 20 Posts: 1,184 Skin: Dark Karma: 12471	cloudy water getting RIDICULOUS! I'm fed up with my 10 gallon planted tank. It has been set up for at least 3 months. For the first few weeks I was good, then the water got cloudy (white cloudy not green). I cleaned my filter, put some accu-clear (not the pregnancy test) in there, and got a denser sponge. Nothing. I did multiple water changes. It still went right back to being cloudy. I then thought it was bacterial so i asked my trusty LFS owner, and he said to try melafix because it kills off bad bacteria. I didn't really think it would work, but he gave me a bottle and said to bring it back if it didn't work. I tried it. It didn't work. It just made my water smell like herbs. So then I thought I'd just let it run its course. It has been a month just letting it sit, and it WONT GO AWAY. Yesterday I tore the entire thing down, rinsed the substrate, cleaned the walls, filled it back up, and today it's cloudy again. I also quit CO2 and ferts with no effect. PLEASE give any suggestions you have. I can't believe my reef looks amazing and I can't keep a simple 10 gallon fresh tank looking good! I have had other small planted tanks before and never encountered this problem. Thanks, Ivan _________ Reef: 36 Gallon Bowfront, 150W 20k Halide, 10 Gallon Sump/Fuge Mantis Tank: 10 Gallon.

07-01-2009, 04:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
jakeh24 Torch Coral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: reno, NV Age: 14 Posts: 1,183 Skin: Classic Karma: 8441	you got carbon in the filter _________ 20H build ocellaris clownfish pair, strawberry pseudochromis, blue damsel 70w metal halide pendant, 10 gallon sump/fuge don't click this, seriously.

07-01-2009, 04:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
JJK Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Age: 34 Posts: 749 Skin: Mint Karma: 6517	What is in your tank? What type of substrate? Livestock/plants? What are the tank parameters? Is the only filter a sponge filter? _________ Equip: 90G DT, 30G sump, 140 lb liverock, fuge with chaeto and DSB, xtreme 160 skimmer, 3 K4's, Quiet One 6000 pump, 2 phosban reactors Livestock: YTB damsel, 2 ocellaris, yellow tang, hippo tang, mandarin, flame angel, bicolor pseudochromis, purple firefish; Inverts: blood shrimp, blue linckia, clams, red BTA, CUC Coral: Lots - mixed reef

07-01-2009, 05:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
Robman Kole Tang Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Katy, Tx. Age: 43 Posts: 1,760 Skin: Mint Karma: 21719	I had the same problem on my first freshwater tank. I too thought it was a bacterial bloom. But after a week it got no better. Turned out it was phosphates in the tap water. They are too small for your filter to grab. I used Mardel water clarifier 1 time and have never had a cloud again. It stcks the particles together so the filter can grab them. This stuff really worked well on my third tank also.....good luck. _________ You mean everybody doesn't do this ?????? 150g DT, 30g Sump (10g water), 15g Fuge, 2 Koralia #4,2 Koralia #1, 2 Maxi-Jet 600 PH, Coralife SS, 330lbs Fiji, Live Sand in DT & Fuge, T-5 8x54w Lighting, 1/3 hp JBJ Arctica Chiller, H20 Science 4-Stage RO/DI, Dual Inline TDS Meter, Phosban Reactor, Carbon Reactor, Moonlights, Coralife 18w Turbo Twist U.V. JBJ Heater Controller Born on Date---11-03-08

07-01-2009, 05:43 PM	#9 (permalink)
Daniel072 Tang Whisperer=) Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 2,140 Skin: Mint Karma: 16723	and this is why I sold my freshwater tank _________ 150 gallon mixed reef, 2 x 400watt mh lighting. Flow comes from a mixture of koralias and seios. Fish - Purple tang, yellow tang, leutenant tang, flame hawk, purple stripe pseudochromis, pink spot watchman goby and green mandarin. Coral - ORA Red Planet, ORA Purple Cap, ORA Stuber Stag, ORA Joe the Coral, ORA Hawkins Echinata, ORA Orange Cap, ORA Bird of Paradise, Tyree LE Sunset Montipora, Superman Danae, ORA Green Birdsnest, Several Others

07-01-2009, 04:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
irr0001 Melanurus Wrasse Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Auburn, Alabama Age: 20 Posts: 1,184 Skin: Dark Karma: 12471	nobody? c'mon guys..

07-01-2009, 05:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
irr0001 Melanurus Wrasse Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Auburn, Alabama Age: 20 Posts: 1,184 Skin: Dark Karma: 12471	I have tried it with/without carbon..currently running it..in my filter is carbon..the little ceramic cylinders..and sponge.. i have eco-complete substrate..not real sure on what the plants are..just standard pecto plants in the little bottles..6 neon tetras..ran out of nitrite/ate tests about a week ago..nitrite has been 0 and nitrate was always below 50.. plants and fish are healthy the water is just cloudy..i think i'm going to start fresh again and use ro/di and see if that helps

07-01-2009, 05:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
shipbear flying-fish Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Mobile, Alabama Posts: 650 Skin: Mint Karma: 2266	I was into freshwater for many,many years.. Never had that problem..?? All the changed you made should have cleared up anything..?? Could it be the tank its self..?? Sorry my friend, Larry

07-01-2009, 05:39 PM	#7 (permalink)
irr0001 Melanurus Wrasse Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Auburn, Alabama Age: 20 Posts: 1,184 Skin: Dark Karma: 12471	who knows man..i'm considering taking it all apart and plumbing it up to my reef..that would be kinda cool

07-01-2009, 05:44 PM	#10 (permalink)
irr0001 Melanurus Wrasse Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Auburn, Alabama Age: 20 Posts: 1,184 Skin: Dark Karma: 12471	that's the one thing i haven't considered..phosphates..just so happens that i have a canister of rowaphos in my cabinet! I'll try putting some in my mini-canister filter (in a bag of course..). The mardel sounds like accu-clear..just clumps stuff together..and it hasn't worked so far..and i have the finest sponge i can find..I'll give this rowaphos a shot..i'm completely out of other ideas..if it works you get karma every day for a month robman