Adding carbon to an Eheim 2026

[Rewd]

I have a two month old 75 gallon that's fully cycled (at least I think so!) and has VERy cloudy water! Its been that way for the past few days and it's starting to drive me nuts. I know cloudyness can be caused by over feeding, which I am def. not doing or overstocking. This tank has a few guppies and a small school of black neons. Would hardly call that overstocked!

It got cloudy once before and it went away on it's own but I was wondering if I added carbon to my Eheim Pro2 2026 canister filter would it speed up the water clearing?

My main question is: how can you add carbon to a canister filter? I know eheim sells carbon pad inserts but it's much cheaper to just buy a container of activated carbon at wal-mart. Can I just dump this stuff into one of the media baskets.... or is it necessary to buy eheim's pad?

thanks!

EDIT: Sorry, forgot some important info:

Recent test readings have my amonia levels at 0, nitrites at 0, pH at 7.6 and I have no nitrAte test kit at the moment.

Also, the tank is moderately planted which also concerns me cause my plants at the bottom might not be getting as much light due to the cloudiness. and I do 20% water changes every thursday religiously.

 

[styxx1]

Well it sounds as if you are having one of the following problems:
bacterial bloom, algea bloom or suspended particulate

If you have had this problem in the past then I would suggest that if the problem is one of the first you, then you're doing about as much as possible. As to the other potential culprit I had a similar problem that drove me absolutely nuts! Fluorite. Yes, it is excellent as a plant substrate, but it was a nightmare...my water was cloudy for a month.

I fixed it by borrowing a Magnum HOT filter, which cleared it up immediately. Of course, if you don't have one or can borrow one, it is very expensive, look around because they really are invaluable about clearing your water no matter WHAT the problem. Simply changing the carbon is insufficient. Carbon does not affect water clarity, its use is only for chemical impurity absorbtion (I never use it as I am afraid of it re-toxifying my tank)

I would of course suggest using the Eheim pad, although it is expensive, they are the best canister filter maker IMHO and I have a friend who has used the Professional II and he changes his filter media one ever 3 months! (I don't know if he has a carbon pad or not in his)

If $$ is a problem, try using filter floss in your filter? Maybe you could slowly try replacing with RO water? Sorry not much help, need more info on why the H2O is cloudy...

 

[rb6161]

I had the same problem in my 65 gallon it wuld never clear.i have a Eheim Pro2 2026 canister filter one day i just did a 50% water change put some two cap fulls of cycle in the filter two caps in the water three days later it was clear been that way over a year now.

i put my carbon filter under the fine pad on the top.. hope that helps

 

[Rewd]

I've been doing lots of water changes on this tank since I posted my first message and so far it's working. I cut the light down about an hour or two less a day. Still feed the same since I was never over feeding to begin with. Doing about a 20% water change a day since I first posted this thread is doing the trick.

I can actually see the back of my tank now!! And my plants are doing great which is a big surprise.