Problem with ADA subtrate - cloudy water

[equidorz]

i have been using ada subtrate for some time and the subtrate seemed to have broken down and my water has never been cleared always full of particles in the tank. and when the debris settle down they will land on the leaves of my plants. making it unslighty. i try to do wc more ofetn but water never seen to clear up. any one has suggestions to help my problem? any one faced the same problem as me? do i really need to change my entire subtrate?

[sheng]

What sort of filter are you using?

[equidorz]

i am using a ehim and jaebo cannister. the model i not too sure.. btw how to improve water circulation in my tank? any suggestions?

[Shadow]

How old is your setup and what fish do you have?

[equidorz]

i just rescape like 1 week ago but the subtrate i have been using it for one year. i got some cherry barbs , cardinals, endler, 4 cory. less than 30 fishes in a 4 feet tank.

[Shadow]

remove the cory, it will stir the substrate, make the water cloudy

[genes]

Its probably due to the unproper up-rooting of plants during your rescape that stirred up those soil that has broken down. I had the same problem before with my 2 year old ammazonia during my rescape.

What you need to do now is do a major water change (70% or more). Remove up as much mulk as possible during your water change. Add an additional mechanical filter (cannistor filter) with a packet of charcoal to clear the yellow water, and stuff the rest of the filter with as much fine filter wool as you can pack into the filter. Let the filter run for a few weeks and you should get clear water again.

[equidorz]

hi genes thanks for the informative feedback. got questions for you. what do you mean by a mechincal cannister? i currently have 2 cannister with different media in them. The mechincal cannister you refering to is a temporaily cannister just to get my water clear? or do i leave it there permantely? By the way i do not have extra room for another cannister. is it possible that i just leave a packet of charcoal in the tank?

[genes]

I use the spare cannistor filter temporary. Of course if you have space to spare. You can leave the filter running. But look out for chokes by monitoring the flow rate because that filter with all the wool you stuff in will be trapping fine particles in your tank. Regarding the charcoal, i don't think leaving it in the tank is more effective then leaving it in your filter. Also, will be quite an eye-sore...

[equidorz]

ok. thanks genes. will try the method. will see how it goes. which type of charocal do i use? and charcoal first or the wool at the top? any other things i can add to the cannister in order to make my water clearER?

[genes]

I am using the oceanfree brand of charcoal. I placed mine at the bottom of the cannistor. Top of bottom does not really matter. I do not know of any other additives that can make water clearer. Remember to find those fine filter wool. Rough ones won't be able to trap fine particles. The 2 brands of fine wool i recommend is Lapis and JBJ wool. I got them from Aquastar in Yishun. More expensive then those conventional wool.

[Justikanz]

I think this thread might do better in the Equipment forum... Here you do...

[zQ.]

Maybe that a fake ADA aquasoil,i've used above 200kg of ADA for many of my tank,but never have cloudy water before,just got it when i rescape the tank,when i dig it up.But it clear up in just some hours.