Help needed to clear cloudy water!

**n707jt** · 9th Jul 2007, 10:59

Hi guys!

My first post here at AQ! Ok anyways, I meant to ask how do you reduce cloudy waters?

Last week, I filled up my 2 feet tank with ADA Amazonia soil. It got pretty cloudy but it settled down after about a week. The water did not become totally clear as it still looked pretty hazy.

Just over the weekend, I did some planting and unfortunately, it kinda stirred up quite abit of dust. I just changed half a tank of water earlier this morning but it looks like it is still very cloudy.

I am currently using the Ehiem ECCO 2232 filter.

Please advise because the clooudy water is really getting quite

Thanks!

**crystalreds** · 9th Jul 2007, 11:34

A warm welcome to AQ n707jt.

Could your query be the same as found in; http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=30709

Enjoy your stay...

**Shadow** · 9th Jul 2007, 20:52

how long is it after planting? did you use filter wool in your canister? the filter wool will trap the ADA particle. Wash or change it weekly.

I assume you don't have fish yet inside.

**n707jt** · 9th Jul 2007, 20:55

Hi, theres no fish yet. Sorry but are you refering to the fine sponge that came with the Ecco filte or is this a seperate filter wool you are refering to?

**Shadow** · 9th Jul 2007, 22:38

not sure about how fine the sponge that came with ecco. Anyway you can buy any filter wool from LFS and cut it to fit your filter. The idea is to trap ADA particle.

**grey_fox** · 9th Jul 2007, 22:42

Welcome to AQ n707jt,

What I would suggest for you to do is to be a bit more patient. Your tank is new, the cloudy water is likely due to the following.

1. Beneficial bacteria colony bloom
2. You stirring up the ADA soil.

Just leave things alone and I'm very sure your tank will clear up soon enough.

This hobby is about patience too

**dcwk** · 9th Jul 2007, 22:53

gre_fox is correct. Give it more time especially for ADA soil.

**n707jt** · 9th Jul 2007, 23:58

Hmm.. thanks for the advise so far. I guess i will wait for it to settle completely.

**uklau** · 11th Jul 2007, 12:01

I have not tried this before but if you want to clear it quick, why not using activated carbon or Seachem Purigen?

**n707jt** · 11th Jul 2007, 16:24

Hmm I am actually using Seachem Prime. I read it off somewhere in this board that Prime is able to group those suspensions in the water together.

**koon** · 11th Jul 2007, 20:43

I have experience the same thing exactly same as your scenario one month back after I add in ADA soil.

Solution is reduce your lighting hours to 4 hrs (I also shut off my MH, only turn on the T5), reduce your CO2 bubbling, and lastly, don't do anything or add anything. It will clear up in one week.

I made a mistake initially, when I always change the water to clear up the cloudiness. i also put in a lot of water clear up solution. It will come back again within two days.

During my second try, I do not change the water, but the cloudiness turn into green water. I suspect due to the strong light and CO2.

For my third try, I light off my tank for 3 days, cloudiness reduce ~ 75% but plant in very bad shape.

So for my fourth try, I change out the water, put in bacteria solution, lower the light hours and CO2. Leave it for 1 week without changing water.

Bingo !!!

Now my tank is crystal clear, even after I turn on my MH for 8 hours and with a lot of CO2 bubbling.

The point is when cloudiness happen, it is caused by the bacteria bloom. If you continue to turn on the light and CO2 for long hours, the cloudiness of the water instead will cause a growth in algae. But if you shut off the light, your plant will not grow. Bottomline, the balancing of the ecosystem will not matured.

Hope my experiences above can help you out.

rgds

**Quixotic** · 11th Jul 2007, 21:06

Originally Posted by n707jt

Hmm I am actually using Seachem Prime. I read it off somewhere in this board that Prime is able to group those suspensions in the water together.

Products that lump those suspensions are called flocculants. Seachem Prime is a de-chlorinator, not a flocculant. The equivalent product from Seachem is Clarity. When using flocculants, best to use fine wool filter media as well.

**n707jt** · 11th Jul 2007, 21:20

Quixotic, thanks for the clarification. I will get Seachem Clarity then.

Koon, looks like I will reduce the lighting hours and CO2 to see if it works in my tank.

**PeterGwee** · 11th Jul 2007, 23:09

Add carbon material to your filter to polish things up coupled with frequent large water changes and you should on the way. By the way, you have some non-aquatic plants in your tank and you planted a "tree" in your small tank.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

**n707jt** · 12th Jul 2007, 01:14

Hi PeterGwee

Thanks for the advice. I believe you saw my other post. Please do point out to me which is the non aquatic plant because I am still trying to get a hang of all the plants latin names haha.

**Aquaculture** · 12th Jul 2007, 14:17

Originally Posted by koon

Solution is reduce your lighting hours to 4 hrs (I also shut off my MH, only turn on the T5), reduce your CO2 bubbling, and lastly, don't do anything or add anything. It will clear up in one week.

Bro, do you on your light 4hrs a day? I too am facing the same problem but upon recommendations, I'm currently trying out on 4hrs, off 4hrs then on 4hrs again.

**koon** · 12th Jul 2007, 21:41

Just 4 hrs a day with almost no CO2 for 1 week.
But before that change out almost 75% water, put in bacteria solution.

After my water become crystal clear, my discus start to spawn last week, yesterday saw the fries already in my planted tank.