Sparkling water

[CountryBoy]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get their water to be crystal clear and "sparkling"?

The problem that I'm having is that my water always seems like it is just a slight bit cloudy. I have had this problem every since I replaced my tank. All my levels are good and the fish are doing super. Doing water changes don't even seem to help either. I have done everything that I know to do and cant figure this out.........Any Ideas???

 

[pwrmacG4]

ok.. a few ?'s.. what are you using for filtration? lighting? do you have a background on the tank? alot of times a tank looks cloudy and it really isn't because of the lack of a background. we need some info to help you. how long has this tank been setup? what are you using for substrate? stocking? plants?

 

[CountryBoy]

For filtration I use a Rena Smartfilter 30, And the lighting I got from petsmart that came with a hood.

Substrate is blue rocks with blue sand mixed in with it. I have a few live plants in the tank but not many.As far as fish goes I have 1 Convict, 1 firemouth, 2 rosie barbs, 1 tiger barb, and 1 plecostomus. My tank had cracked about 3 weeks ago and I had to replace it. it was a 29 gallon and since I am planning on getting a 55 gallon next month I opted to go with a 20 gallon to replace the one that cracked. I moved all the parts from the 29 gallon to the 20 gallon since it was already established.

Hope this helps some

 

[CountryBoy]

Ohh yea.....I do have a background on it

 

[TLH]

Is there anywhere in your filter to add some fine filter wool? That would polish your water nicely.

 

[punkrockfish]

why not just get the 55g instead of the 20g? could be bacteria in your tank multiplying, which can give a cloudy appearance, or you said you have sand in there, and it can cloud up a tank if it doesn't have time to settle without any water movement.

 

[CountryBoy]

well there isnt much room in the filter but I might be able to stuff some inside one of the canisters. can you get that at your loal fish store?

I had to get the fish out of the bucket and I didnt have enough money for the 55 gallon at the time.

Besides when I get the bigger tank I told my kids they could build their own tank with this one.

The sand had been in the old tank and it settles on the bottom well.

 

[Cichlid-Man]

You should be able to get filter floss at the LFS.

Moving tanks could of stirred up a small bacteria bloom. First test your water make sure everything is good to go, Ammonia and Nirate/Nitrite wise.

IF everything is good to go param wise i would suggest getting some Hagen Nutrafin "B Clear" (White bottle Red top). It works like a charm and you won't believe how clear the water gets.

 

[CountryBoy]

Matt,

I used some of the API Accu-Clear and it didnt help. Is that Nutrafin "B Clear" work in the same way??

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Possibly, probably most likely. Though i've never not had B Clear work for me. Its always cleared my tanks up even if they arn't even that cloudy...its one of my secrets, well former secrets, to getting a really good full tank shot photo.

 

[Whiskers]

I've used both B Clear and P Clear and they both did what they said they would.

 

[CountryBoy]

well I went and got some filter floss and found a way to put it in my filter. I did a water change and added some Accu clear and it seems to be working...Thanks for all the advice.

When you use your B Clear do you have to clean your filter more often???

 

[Cichlid-Man]

P Clear clumps the stuff it pulls out of the water collum together so it gets sucked up in the filter and such. B Clear doesn't. I've never changed my cleaning schedule after using B Clear.

 

[kay-bee19]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get their water to be crystal clear and "sparkling"?

The use of carbon (in the neighborhood of 1 cup per 40gal) and the use of microfiltration pads (e.g. 100 or 50 micron filter pad), used in conjuction with finding and eliminating the root of the problem causing the cloudiness will work wonders.