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Thread: water cloudy

  1. #1
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    water cloudy

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    Hi

    Recently put in a bogwood(after soaked about 10 days) & my tank water turns cloudy after a few days. The water was clear before this bogwood been placed in my tank. Therefore i suspect the cloudy water is caused by the bogwood(but i though it should be brownish)?

    Is it water change is the only way if i don't want to remove the bogwood(as it was already attached with mosses)?

    Or what could be the cause of this couldy water?

    My tank specifications :
    -2x1.5x1.5
    -2 x 55watt PL (illum 10hours excludes 3 hours lights OFF in between)
    -External filter
    -canister co2 with reactor at 20-30ppm
    -40 neon tetra, 4 otos
    -10ml of liquid fert by dr mallick(as my tank is ard 100L)

    thank you
    adrian

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    Dear Adrian,

    If it is bogwood/driftwood, then it should not cause cloudiness. However, for the first few weeks of placing wood in the tank (if the wood is relatively large), it is a good practice to change the water weekly (about 35%). This would dilute any new elements coming from the wood.

    Cloudiness can be caused by the water flow (filter inlet/outlet position). Consider reducing the flow and reposition the outlet.

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    hi freddy & all

    Thank you for your infomation.

    But my tank was clear before adding in this brand-like bogwood so i suspect it is the cause of it.

    As you mentioned the inlet/outlet flow, mine is arranged in the usual way that is at each corner of the tank so the flow is good. I am using a dolpin 500 canister filter which i think is good enough for my tank size. What do you think?

    i had soaked it in a pail with tap water & boiling hot water for about 2 weeks with constant water change before putting in the tank. Now it is in my 100Litres tank for 12 days already. It is not a big piece & may i know usually how long it will take for the cloudiness to go away?

    BTW, if i change my tank water at 50% every 3-4 days, will it have any negative effect on the plants & fishes(mainly cardinal tetra)?
    After water change, do i need to add in liquid fert as recommended dosage?


    regards
    adrian

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    Quote Originally Posted by adrian
    As you mentioned the inlet/outlet flow, mine is arranged in the usual way that is at each corner of the tank so the flow is good. I am using a dolpin 500 canister filter which i think is good enough for my tank size. What do you think?

    BTW, if i change my tank water at 50% every 3-4 days, will it have any negative effect on the plants & fishes(mainly cardinal tetra)?
    After water change, do i need to add in liquid fert as recommended dosage?
    Adrian,
    Try placing both inlet/oulet in one corner with the oulet flowing toward the other back corner of the tank, along the back wall. This will create a stiring effect.
    You have a 100 litre tank, the filter's flow rate should be around 300 litre/hours. Check it.

    You can change water as often as you like, so long the amount change is not large. If you do it twice a week, try reduce the amount to 25~35%. Yes, you have to top up the fertilizer - the amount to add is realative to the water change volume.

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    Quote Originally Posted by adrian
    But my tank was clear before adding in this brand-like bogwood so i suspect it is the cause of it.
    Adrian, a 10-day soak for brand-new driftwood is likely to turn the water tannic, not cloudy.

    Another possibility is bacteria boom coming from decaying bits in the wood, obvious in infusoria cultures, which will go away with subsequent water changes.
    I'm back & keeping 'em fingers wet,
    Ronnie Lee

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    Adrian,

    I've not been following the discussions in this thread but a friend of mine did. He's not a member of this forum but he works for a company that sells filters. He has some advice for you. This is what he wrote:

    Hi Kwek Leong,

    Good day.
    I was browsing through your forum pages, and come across one of your moderator advising about flow rate.

    Generally, water in the aquarium should be circulated about 1.5 to 2 times per hour. As for me, I usually stick to 1.8 times as stipulated by our biologist as the most effective. Water circulations of 3- 4 times per hour are usually for Marine set up.

    Water quality is determined by:
    1) Contact time between bacteria & water
    2) Volume of filter media
    3) Type of filter media
    4) Flow rate

    Adrian is using a 500 lit filter for a 127 lit tank, this is way overkill, he should be using a filter volume output of around 230-250 lit. It will be better to advise him to slow his water flow to a more appropriate level.


    Loh K L

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    The filter retailer is right when it comes to actual flow rate. However, the filter flow rate stated on paper (which is the only figure user can refer to)is always refering to the pump's flow rate. That's a flow rate that has no (distriction from) piping and filter media. With the filter in actual working state, the flow rate typically reduce by 15~30% depending on the pump quality, pipe length, tank height and filter media. That's 300 litre per hr is effectively about 210~250 litre per hour after those losses.

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    Thanks to ronnie, freddy, mr Loh & your friend

    A little update on the condition:

    This is how the problem started:

    I did a 50% water change on 3june after putting in the bogwood tied to nanas & erect moss. Since then, the water turns cloudy after a few days.

    I did a 50% water change on 6june again. Still couldy after 1-2 days

    I did a water change 50% on sat12/6 & Sun13/6 respectively without adding any liquid fertilizers. The water is still cloudy.

    But to my surprise, the water started to turns clear since last night(16/6, thurs) & this morning17/6 it get better although it's not "crystal" clear yet.

    I did not do anything to it except water change. All the while my filter output is ard 250-300Litre per hour by adjusting the out flow rate although it maximum capability is 500litre per hour. I am only using the normal cotton wool in the filter.The filter input & output pipe is still at each corner of the tank.

    What could be the prossible causes of this problem?

    I think the problem does not lies on the bogwood that i added right?

    regards
    adrian

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    Adrian,

    I guess the bogwood has foreign deposit on it that has caused the cloudiness. As suggested, keep changing water to dilute them for the first few weeks. However, change at 35% or less each time.

    At this stage you have, the water should clear up in a week's time. You just need to create and maintain condition for the filter's media's bacteria to grow. 50% water change is too much for the bacteria to handle the chlorine/chloramide content.

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