Need advice for my new 4ft Tank

[Nicky]

I started a brand new 4ft planted tank 2 weekend ago.

I have the following plants:
- Hair grass
- ET (maybe 10 bunch)
- Java Moss (about 7inches long on driftwood)
- Taiwan moss (about 5 inches long on driftwood)
- Java Fern (1 small one with 5 leaves)
- Difformis (3 groups)

Fish stock (never feed them since 2 weeks ago and they survive ok):
- 25 Yamatos
- 8 SAE

I have a piece of driftwood that takes up 2/3 of the tank length. I did not washed it throughly and now the water still somewhat brownish despite changing..

Used the Dupla copper-color powder fertilizer under the substrate (granite-looking-color). Did not put in any of the Duplaplant and the lone tablet that comes with the pack because read from this forum that no point adding extra fertiliser from the start.

Last week got a UV light and turn on for 4 hrs each night. Filter = 2233. Removed carbon yesterday. Lighting=4x36PL for 10hrs.

Still my water is milky. Difformis are now a little yellow but have tons of roots growing out of nowhere along the stems. ET too a little yellow and leaves are breaking up but have some new offsprings. KH=10 no matter how much I change water every other day (KH is probably due to over-adding soda at the start. Tapwater KH=2, at least the stupid drop tester claimed so). pH remains at 7.5. CO2 using diffuser that produced mist and 2bps. Moss seemed to grow with bright green leaves coming out of the boring dull green patch. Hairgrass seemed to be ok and virtually no algae growth in tank. Tried Dupla24 (1 drop instead of 4 drops according to instruction, per day for 2 days in a row) but thought that water becomes even more milky so stop the cycle (but isn't true that UV destroy trace-element and so need to top-up daily?). Put in Geoliquid and the disaster (milkyness) lasted for days.. Yamatos and SAE seemed ok other than 2 each died on first day of intro..

So pls help me.. Thought I read from vectrapoint that 2-3 weeks things would be ok and here I am, finding myself staring into milky water every waking off-work-hour. Dose the Ocean-free a-z Bacteria everyday near the filter intake but bloody SAE feed like no tomorrow.

People say need fan that I go get the 6 pcs fan. Water pretty cool but still milky. I don't even dream of putting cardinal tetra like what my wife wants me to do..

what have I done to deserve this.. []

[Nicky]

I started a brand new 4ft planted tank 2 weekend ago.

I have the following plants:
- Hair grass
- ET (maybe 10 bunch)
- Java Moss (about 7inches long on driftwood)
- Taiwan moss (about 5 inches long on driftwood)
- Java Fern (1 small one with 5 leaves)
- Difformis (3 groups)

Fish stock (never feed them since 2 weeks ago and they survive ok):
- 25 Yamatos
- 8 SAE

I have a piece of driftwood that takes up 2/3 of the tank length. I did not washed it throughly and now the water still somewhat brownish despite changing..

Used the Dupla copper-color powder fertilizer under the substrate (granite-looking-color). Did not put in any of the Duplaplant and the lone tablet that comes with the pack because read from this forum that no point adding extra fertiliser from the start.

Last week got a UV light and turn on for 4 hrs each night. Filter = 2233. Removed carbon yesterday. Lighting=4x36PL for 10hrs.

Still my water is milky. Difformis are now a little yellow but have tons of roots growing out of nowhere along the stems. ET too a little yellow and leaves are breaking up but have some new offsprings. KH=10 no matter how much I change water every other day (KH is probably due to over-adding soda at the start. Tapwater KH=2, at least the stupid drop tester claimed so). pH remains at 7.5. CO2 using diffuser that produced mist and 2bps. Moss seemed to grow with bright green leaves coming out of the boring dull green patch. Hairgrass seemed to be ok and virtually no algae growth in tank. Tried Dupla24 (1 drop instead of 4 drops according to instruction, per day for 2 days in a row) but thought that water becomes even more milky so stop the cycle (but isn't true that UV destroy trace-element and so need to top-up daily?). Put in Geoliquid and the disaster (milkyness) lasted for days.. Yamatos and SAE seemed ok other than 2 each died on first day of intro..

So pls help me.. Thought I read from vectrapoint that 2-3 weeks things would be ok and here I am, finding myself staring into milky water every waking off-work-hour. Dose the Ocean-free a-z Bacteria everyday near the filter intake but bloody SAE feed like no tomorrow.

People say need fan that I go get the 6 pcs fan. Water pretty cool but still milky. I don't even dream of putting cardinal tetra like what my wife wants me to do..

what have I done to deserve this.. []

[Nicky]

I started a brand new 4ft planted tank 2 weekend ago.

I have the following plants:
- Hair grass
- ET (maybe 10 bunch)
- Java Moss (about 7inches long on driftwood)
- Taiwan moss (about 5 inches long on driftwood)
- Java Fern (1 small one with 5 leaves)
- Difformis (3 groups)

Fish stock (never feed them since 2 weeks ago and they survive ok):
- 25 Yamatos
- 8 SAE

I have a piece of driftwood that takes up 2/3 of the tank length. I did not washed it throughly and now the water still somewhat brownish despite changing..

Used the Dupla copper-color powder fertilizer under the substrate (granite-looking-color). Did not put in any of the Duplaplant and the lone tablet that comes with the pack because read from this forum that no point adding extra fertiliser from the start.

Last week got a UV light and turn on for 4 hrs each night. Filter = 2233. Removed carbon yesterday. Lighting=4x36PL for 10hrs.

Still my water is milky. Difformis are now a little yellow but have tons of roots growing out of nowhere along the stems. ET too a little yellow and leaves are breaking up but have some new offsprings. KH=10 no matter how much I change water every other day (KH is probably due to over-adding soda at the start. Tapwater KH=2, at least the stupid drop tester claimed so). pH remains at 7.5. CO2 using diffuser that produced mist and 2bps. Moss seemed to grow with bright green leaves coming out of the boring dull green patch. Hairgrass seemed to be ok and virtually no algae growth in tank. Tried Dupla24 (1 drop instead of 4 drops according to instruction, per day for 2 days in a row) but thought that water becomes even more milky so stop the cycle (but isn't true that UV destroy trace-element and so need to top-up daily?). Put in Geoliquid and the disaster (milkyness) lasted for days.. Yamatos and SAE seemed ok other than 2 each died on first day of intro..

So pls help me.. Thought I read from vectrapoint that 2-3 weeks things would be ok and here I am, finding myself staring into milky water every waking off-work-hour. Dose the Ocean-free a-z Bacteria everyday near the filter intake but bloody SAE feed like no tomorrow.

People say need fan that I go get the 6 pcs fan. Water pretty cool but still milky. I don't even dream of putting cardinal tetra like what my wife wants me to do..

what have I done to deserve this.. []

[Nicky]

I started a brand new 4ft planted tank 2 weekend ago.

I have the following plants:
- Hair grass
- ET (maybe 10 bunch)
- Java Moss (about 7inches long on driftwood)
- Taiwan moss (about 5 inches long on driftwood)
- Java Fern (1 small one with 5 leaves)
- Difformis (3 groups)

Fish stock (never feed them since 2 weeks ago and they survive ok):
- 25 Yamatos
- 8 SAE

I have a piece of driftwood that takes up 2/3 of the tank length. I did not washed it throughly and now the water still somewhat brownish despite changing..

Used the Dupla copper-color powder fertilizer under the substrate (granite-looking-color). Did not put in any of the Duplaplant and the lone tablet that comes with the pack because read from this forum that no point adding extra fertiliser from the start.

Last week got a UV light and turn on for 4 hrs each night. Filter = 2233. Removed carbon yesterday. Lighting=4x36PL for 10hrs.

Still my water is milky. Difformis are now a little yellow but have tons of roots growing out of nowhere along the stems. ET too a little yellow and leaves are breaking up but have some new offsprings. KH=10 no matter how much I change water every other day (KH is probably due to over-adding soda at the start. Tapwater KH=2, at least the stupid drop tester claimed so). pH remains at 7.5. CO2 using diffuser that produced mist and 2bps. Moss seemed to grow with bright green leaves coming out of the boring dull green patch. Hairgrass seemed to be ok and virtually no algae growth in tank. Tried Dupla24 (1 drop instead of 4 drops according to instruction, per day for 2 days in a row) but thought that water becomes even more milky so stop the cycle (but isn't true that UV destroy trace-element and so need to top-up daily?). Put in Geoliquid and the disaster (milkyness) lasted for days.. Yamatos and SAE seemed ok other than 2 each died on first day of intro..

So pls help me.. Thought I read from vectrapoint that 2-3 weeks things would be ok and here I am, finding myself staring into milky water every waking off-work-hour. Dose the Ocean-free a-z Bacteria everyday near the filter intake but bloody SAE feed like no tomorrow.

People say need fan that I go get the 6 pcs fan. Water pretty cool but still milky. I don't even dream of putting cardinal tetra like what my wife wants me to do..

what have I done to deserve this.. []

[Simon]

nicky, i think yr tank is still undergoing the cycle period, be patient.. u might wanna do water change every 2-3days to help with the cloudiness.. perharps u need to give us more info, parameter info, tank, lights.. and other equipment

[Nicky]

Hi moderator, thanks for replying..

Not too sure if I know of any of the parameter I have not quoted.. the tank is JEBO 4ft 53cm tall tank. I have 4x36W PL light for 10hrs per day.. I have a Eheim 2233 filter.. Have a row of 6 fans turned on every time the lights come out.. CO2 2bps with diffuser that produces mist.. have a UV lights that turns on 4hrs every night..

Should I add the Dupla24 that I already got on a daily basis? I see other's tanks so nice and my like a war-torn tank and feeling very demoralised.. Hope you can shed more lights to my 'plight' before my wife destroys it cos I am staring too hard at it every night..



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[vinz]

Whao... hate to say this, but I think you tried to do too much.

Your base fert is probably ok. IMO, its ok to setup your base fert properly from day 1. Avoid liquid fert for the first few weeks, but it's ok to start with a good substrate.

The milky water is proably due to a bacteria bloom.

You should have allowed the tank to cycle properly before putting in all the fishes and shrimp. It usually takes 1 to 2 months to complete cycling.

The tank needs to cycle so that the bacteria that converts Ammonia/Ammonium to Nitrite to Nitrate can establish themselves. When you add so much bio-load right from the first week, you're dumping a lot of Ammonia/Ammonium when the tank is not ready to handle it. So, instead of colonising the filter media, and surfaces of your tank, gravel and plants, the bacteria is floating around in the water.

Worse, you try to clear it with UV. The tank is already struggling to handle the ammonia/ammonium, and you try to kill the bacteria in the water.

Carbon should be removed from day 1 for a planted tank.

Solution... remove all the fishes and shrimp and put them in another tank with a simple airpump operated box filter with filter floss. Use half tankwater and half tapwater. Change 30% water twice a week.

Next, change 75% of your 4ft tank water. Dose the A-Z bacteria. Reduce light to 8 hrs a day.

For your plants... you could try dosing your liquid fert at half dose. Put whatever you're supposed to put in the base fert.

Your KH high could be from the gravel, cause water change should have dropped the KH, if its a soda overdose. What or where did you get the gravel? Did the LFS say its suitable for planted tank? Granite-looking colour?

Do not add anymore fishes until your tank cycles properly.

Yellowish water from the wood is ok... and you will continue to get yellowish water for a long time.

Keep us updated on your tank conditions.

As for Geo-Liquid, the worst condition your tank, the longer it takes to clear.

Go read the plant section at www.thekrib.com.

Last of all, be patient. We'll try to help you thru this.

[benny]

Can Geo liquid remove the brown water caused by driftwood? It says on the box that it makes water crystal clear.

If not, what can we do to clear the brown water after the driftwood is already in the tank? Changing water too frequently also take away the trace elements right?

[vinz]

No Geo-Liquid does not remove the yellowish water.

[Nicky]

OK. I will do what is suggested here and will update you on the latest when something change. Thanks for the advice.

You know what, I thought I read specifically in some article on the internet that we need to introduce Yamato, SAE and OTO immediately when we setup new tanks. Why then it is considered too early to introduce fish stock especially I am introducing just plain Yamato and SAE?

[David Loh]

I got the same problem also. The water out of a sudden turns cloudy and later becomes worse, turns greenish. I tried the blackout method and added some Interpet Filter Aid. In less than 2 days, my water was crystal clear again.

[vinz]

There's a difference between bacteria bloom and green water.

Both start as whitish cloudy water. Green water becomes green as it gets worse. Someone posted before, that to differentiate at an early stage, collect the water in a white bowl or cup. If it looks greenish, then its green water, whitish is bacteria bloom.

Blackout works for green water, but not bacteria bloom.