# Cloudy Water?



## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

A few days after I initially put water in my tank (before the cycle started) I noticed that the water from the front looked crystal clear, but if you're looking through the side of the tank (side to side) it looks Hazy/Cloudy, and it hasn't changed over the past month. I've done water changes probably 15 times, and even did a 90% WC about a week ago before introducing fish to the tank.

Here are a few pictures, I've never been overly concerned about this but I'm just curious if there is something going wrong or if this is normal. Thanks!


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## DarkestCloud (Mar 21, 2013)

Maybe it's the glass?


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

I cleaned the glass before putting anything in it, so I'm certain it's not the glass. It looks perfect from the front, but cloudy from both sides. I'm not sure if this is something to worry about or not, but I figured I'd ask.


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## pineappleswordies (Apr 13, 2013)

Have you cleaned the glass after you put stuff in? I have this white "slime" on the side of my tank since it started and when I wipe it off it looks crystal clear. Wipe your finger over the glass and see if there is anything on it. Or maybe the water is cloudy but the density of the cloudiness isn't noticeable from the front because it is a short depth of water from front to back. Then when you look from the side it is noticeable because the length is 2+ times the depth. Kinda like visibility distance when it is foggy.


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

pineappleswordies said:


> Have you cleaned the glass after you put stuff in? I have this white "slime" on the side of my tank since it started and when I wipe it off it looks crystal clear. Wipe your finger over the glass and see if there is anything on it. Or maybe the water is cloudy but the density of the cloudiness isn't noticeable from the front because it is a short depth of water from front to back. Then when you look from the side it is noticeable because the length is 2+ times the depth. Kinda like visibility distance when it is foggy.


Yeah, it's not the glass. I just ran my finger over the glass on the inside and there's nothing on it. It's definitely the water, or something causing the cloudiness. Do you guys think this is something to worry about?


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

I have been using Purigen in 2 of my cartridges, and removed carbon from the other two. I am going to add carbon back to the other two cartridges so that I'll have two with 100ml bags of purigen and two with carbon. I also added Tetra Water Clarifier to see if it helps at all. I'll let you guys know tonight if it looks any better, but within the next few days I'll know the full results of the carbon and clarifier.


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

DeJay126 said:


> A few days after I initially put water in my tank (before the cycle started) I noticed that the water from the front looked crystal clear, but if you're looking through the side of the tank (side to side) it looks Hazy/Cloudy, and it hasn't changed over the past month. I've done water changes probably 15 times, and even did a 90% WC about a week ago before introducing fish to the tank.
> 
> Here are a few pictures, I've never been overly concerned about this but I'm just curious if there is something going wrong or if this is normal. Thanks!


There will always be at least some free floating particles in your water column. Those particles will be less noticeable from the front than from the side. And while I realize water is not typically measured by square inch, for the sake of argument let's use the measurements of a 55 gallon tank...approximately 48" x 13". Let's say the water in that 55 gallon tank has 10 free floating particles per square inch of water. From front-to-back you are looking through 130 particles (so to speak). From sided-to-side you are looking through 480 particles. This is more apparent after the substrate has been disturbed and after water changes etc, because both actions increase the density of free floating particles. As the particles settle, the water clears. 

With regards to algae and bacterial blooms...it's the same phenomenon but with a different cause. During blooms, free floating microorganisms are so numerous that water appears cloudy from the front and the side...yet still, it appears less cloudy from the front. 

As long as your ammonia is zero, I wouldn't worry about it. And the longer your water remains stable, the clearer your water will be when viewing from the side..


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

DeJay126 said:


> I have been using Purigen in 2 of my cartridges, and removed carbon from the other two. I am going to add carbon back to the other two cartridges so that I'll have two with 100ml bags of purigen and two with carbon. I also added Tetra Water Clarifier to see if it helps at all. I'll let you guys know tonight if it looks any better, but within the next few days I'll know the full results of the carbon and clarifier.


Okay...but just keep in mind that the cloudiness may not be a biological filtration issue. it may just be silt...common in new set ups.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

How about adding live plants to help clear it up?


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

That makes sense. I'll let the carbon run in the filter for the next month, then take it out and go back to strictly purigen (as i've heard that carbon leeches back phosphates after a while). By then, everything should be settled if it's simply an issue of the tank being newly set up.


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

This is my first setup, and I'd rather wait until I'm more experienced to start with live plants. I plan on getting a 55 gallon in the future, and using live plants then.


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## Sebastian (Dec 27, 2012)

There are some really easy to take care of live plants that thrive well in low light settings. You really don't need to have any experience for them or use any fertilizers or additives (aside from fish food and poop). Things that come to mind are Java fern, Java moss, _Anubias_, _Vallisneria_, etc. They are even easier to take care of than your fish, and I am not even talking about GBRs.


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

For gobs of reasons plants are a great idea, IMO, a priority. 

Also, with regards to silt...have you considered prefiltering your water through some polyester batting? You can get a whole bag of it at Wal-Mart for under $5. It's by the sewing supplies. It's weighted...the heavier the better. I'd personally use a prefilter such as polyester batting before I'd use a chemical water clarifier. I don't think chemical clarifiers will cause harm if used properly, I've simply found mechanical prefilteration to be more effective.


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

DeJay126 said:


> That makes sense. I'll let the carbon run in the filter for the next month, then take it out and go back to strictly purigen (as i've heard that carbon leeches back phosphates after a while). By then, everything should be settled if it's simply an issue of the tank being newly set up.


If carbons the cure, you'll know it in a matter of days...it won't take a month. What do you suspect is in the water? Have you dosed medications lately?


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

Goby said:


> If carbons the cure, you'll know it in a matter of days...it won't take a month. What do you suspect is in the water? Have you dosed medications lately?


No medications, I haven't dosed anything. I just figured it couldn't hurt to use carbon as well to help clear things up.


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

How hard are the plants you mentioned to maintain? I'm considering getting them, but want to make sure that it's not too labor intensive. I just don't want to be overwhelmed with my first tank.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Wistera is a fabulously easy plant. Just put it in the tank and give it a little light and the plant will grow nice and bushy. The higher the light the faster it grows. Java ferns, anubias, some mosses. all very easy to grow plants that only require you to have them in water and give some light.


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

I have a marineland LED hood, is this sufficient for lighting or do i need fluorescent light?


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## Sebastian (Dec 27, 2012)

Not sure about the LEDs, do you have a link to the hood? If it is manufactured for aquariums I can't imagine that it won't support at least the low light plants we mentioned. From your pictures it looks like there is more light towards the middle of the tank, so it probably also depends on where you put the plants.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

The marineland hoods are ok for the lower light plants listed above. I know several people who use them. Are they the single bright or the double bright?


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

I'm not sure. There is one strip in the middle of the hood that the light clips onto. There are 20 some white leds and 4 blue leds for night lights ( I don't use the blue ones though they aren't very bright).


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

DeJay126 said:


> How hard are the plants you mentioned to maintain? I'm considering getting them, but want to make sure that it's not too labor intensive. I just don't want to be overwhelmed with my first tank.


The plants are being suggested as a way to ease the burden of tank maintenance, not add to it. Plants are natural filters.


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

Goby said:


> The plants are being suggested as a way to ease the burden of tank maintenance, not add to it. Plants are natural filters.


I am probably going to pick some up when I go to LFS to get the Bolivian Rams. I like the look of the wistera and the fern, they would go good with the "beachy" theme that is in my aquarium.


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

DeJay126 said:


> I am probably going to pick some up when I go to LFS to get the Bolivian Rams. I like the look of the wistera and the fern, they would go good with the "beachy" theme that is in my aquarium.


They'd look great in there. Your tank looks very cozy btw.


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

Goby said:


> They'd look great in there. Your tank looks very cozy btw.


Yeah, I like the look of it! When I get a 55+ (when we move into a house), I'm going to go for a more "natural" theme.


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

I'm shocked you have hazy water with Purigen in your filters. 

I had the same issue in my 75 for the first couple of months. Looked pretty good from the front but was hazy when looking through from side to side. 

Placed about 200 MG of Purigen in one of my HOBs, within 48 hours the water was crystal clear from all angles. 

Now I have about 75 MG in each of the two HOBs and the water remains crystal clear except for the 30 minutes or so after I do water changes/vacuum. Clears up very quickly.


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

I cut the top of the cartridges and removed the carbon, then slid the 100ml bags in each cartridge. Maybe it's not working properly?


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

Maybe I should put both 100ml bags in one cartridge to make sure water is flowing through and not around the purigen?


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

DeJay126 said:


> Maybe I should put both 100ml bags in one cartridge to make sure water is flowing through and not around the purigen?


Filter media must be packed loosely to promote water flow around each particle of media...surface area surface area surface area.

Did you rinse the Purigen well? That stuff is dusty. Are you rinsing the carbon?

I still suspect silt / particulates etc.


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

Yes, I rinsed the carbon in a little bucket of tank water. Then disposed of the tank water and added new stuff. Also, I put both 100ml bags in one cartridge. So now I have 1 empty cartridge, 2 with carbon, and 1 with 200ml purigen. I'll let you guys know if it clears up in the next few days. Im thinking that it'll be alot more effective having both of them in one cartridge.


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

DeJay126 said:


> Yes, I rinsed the carbon in a little bucket of tank water. Then disposed of the tank water and added new stuff. Also, I put both 100ml bags in one cartridge. So now I have 1 empty cartridge, 2 with carbon, and 1 with 200ml purigen. I'll let you guys know if it clears up in the next few days. Im thinking that it'll be alot more effective having both of them in one cartridge.


Can the Purigen move around in the cartridge as the water flows through? Don't pack it too tightly. Just an FYI...

Also, the media bags used for Purigen are very tightly woven. Those media bags can easily get clogged with silt etc.


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

Goby said:


> Can the Purgien move around in the cartridge as the water flows through? Don't pack it too tightly. Just an FYI...



The bags aren't moving, but the beads inside the bags are moving around as water passes through.


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## lonedove55 (Jan 25, 2012)

Maybe the decorations? I was thinking maybe it might be the substrate, but I've used that same gravel (or very similar) with no problems with cloudiness (after going back and looking at your pics). You might try lifting out one of the decorations, i.e. the Tiki hut looking thing and rubbing your fingers across it..if the white comes off, that might be the answer. I've heard of some decorations "paint" coming off.


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## Fps (Jun 8, 2013)

I have had the same problem with water haze since I added a Fluval 206 to my 29 gal setup (about a month ago). I thought I had rinsed my carbon well before operating the unit, but yesterday I opened the canister to check the media. I swished the carbon bag in treated tap water and was surprised to see the water cloud up and turn gray. The size and disbursement of the particulate appeared to be consistent with that in my tank water. I repeated the rinsing process three times before the water stayed clear. I returned the carbon bag and placed a new polishing pad on top of the basket. It will be interesting to see if this clears up the problem.


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## Nave (May 28, 2013)

Hope you figured it out and got your tank crystal clear again. Give some updates let us know what was wrong that way someone in the future may benefit from this experience


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

I am on vacation now, I will update the thread when i get home.


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## Fps (Jun 8, 2013)

Nave said:


> Hope you figured it out and got your tank crystal clear again. Give some updates let us know what was wrong that way someone in the future may benefit from this experience


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Well, I think I'm getting closer to a solution. I put a polishing pad in the bottom of the charcoal basket and another on top. The pads were not long enough to cover the width of the basket, so I cut additional lengths from extra pads to provide full coverage. That seems to be reducing the introduction of more particulate. I also added bacteria to the media stack and added more plants.

Today, the water is not as cloudy and my chemical tests were good Amonia = 0; Nitrites = 0; Nitrates = 40 (high end of the acceptable range according to the test kit instructions). However, the pH is around 7.6 and I need it closer to 6.8. I have adjusted it to about 7.2 today, but I don't want to alter it too quickly, so I'll wait a day before further adjustments.

That's the latest update. I have more to do, but I am getting there. When the tank is clear and balanced, I'll provide more details. I do hope I can discover strategies that work for others who have the same problem.


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## DeJay126 (Apr 22, 2013)

So, here's the deal. I came home from vacation last night and looked at the tank, CRYSTAL CLEAR water! WOOHOO!! I am convinced that the 100ml bags of purigen were too cramped the way I had them originally and no water passed through. Since buying "the bag" from Seachem and breaking the 100ml bags apart, I can see a huge difference. I am going to be breaking apart my other 100ml bag and buying another DIY Marineland Cartridge. Thanks for all the help everybody!


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