Brownish red water.

[tw1n]

Ok, so my wife got this "pretty driftwood" from the petstore the other day, and now my tank is a clowdy brownish red color.

I've read that the drift wood is releasing a good bacteria into the water, so it's safe. And that some filters will remove the color.

So far my filter hasn't removed the color. I had started to change out the water, did about 5 galllons, and was told that I can just get a chemical that will remove the color.

So what's my safest option?

I can replace all the water, and remove all the helpful bacteria in the water.

Add some sort of chemical to clear it up?

Hope my filter eventually does it?

Or just have a horribly ugly fish tank?


Also I read that the piece of wood can either change the water color for about 15 hours, or it could always do it. Any suggestions?

The tank is 55 gallons.

 

[tw1n]

The color has gotten darker, but the visability has gotten better.


I took pictures.

 

[homebunnyj]

The 15 hours or fifteen days thing is a first for me. I never heard that one before. IME it's not true.

The thing about the wood releasing bacteria is also not true. Sorry 'bout that.

Changing the water won't remove many helpful bacteria at all as they colonize on the hard surfaces in the tank.

Whoever's been telling you this stuff, you really need to not listen to them.

Now that's over with, the truth is that some people work hard to get their tanks to have that nice tea-stained look. It's called blackwater and it mimics the condition of Amazon waters. It makes the water soft, perfect for tetras, angels, rams and such. If you aren't aiming for an Amazon biotope, put some carbon in your filter. That's what will pull the tannins out of the water. Also, you can take the wood out and boil it to leach most of the tannins out of it.

I assume the tank is newly set up? What fish do you have in it? What do you know about cycling a tank?

 

[tw1n]

The 15 hours or fifteen days thing is a first for me. I never heard that one before. IME it's not true.

The thing about the wood releasing bacteria is also not true. Sorry 'bout that.

Changing the water won't remove many helpful bacteria at all as they colonize on the hard surfaces in the tank.

Whoever's been telling you this stuff, you really need to not listen to them.

Now that's over with, the truth is that some people work hard to get their tanks to have that nice tea-stained look. It's called blackwater and it mimics the condition of Amazon waters. It makes the water soft, perfect for tetras, angels, rams and such. If you aren't aiming for an Amazon biotope, put some carbon in your filter. That's what will pull the tannins out of the water. Also, you can take the wood out and boil it to leach most of the tannins out of it.

I assume the tank is newly set up? What fish do you have in it? What do you know about cycling a tank?

I read up on the cycling. But apparently that hasn't helped much? lol.


As far as the fish, I made a mistake and trusted the pet store employee, so now I have these little African Chicilids or something, that keep picken off my angel fish. I imagine I'll be taken one of the two back, I just don't know which one I want to keep.

 

[misterking]

As a general rule it's not a good idea to mix african cichlids, who are often aggressive and require hard water of a pH around 8 or highers, with south american cichlids such as angels who are often more delicate require soft water with a pH around 6/6.5. In future it might be safer to ask questions here before buying your fish because, especially in chain stores, the clerk is often more concerned about making a sale than the actual welfare of the fish.

 

[tw1n]

As a general rule it's not a good idea to mix african cichlids, who are often aggressive and require hard water of a pH around 8 or highers, with south american cichlids such as angels who are often more delicate require soft water with a pH around 6/6.5. In future it might be safer to ask questions here before buying your fish because, especially in chain stores, the clerk is often more concerned about making a sale than the actual welfare of the fish.

Honestly I just let my wife pick out "pretty fish" I'm going to be demanding a refund on whichever I decide to return.

 

[Ravenstar]

In my experience, just going and picking out "pretty fish" can wind up in disaster with the greatest of ease. If I'd done that I'd have a tank of male bettas, guppies, tetras, and tiger barbs by now! Even though some fish aren't as flashy as others, it's best to research and ask tons of questions to make sure your fish are compatible personalities, sizes, and thrive in similar water parameters.

 

[homebunnyj]

You know, if you keep the angels and return ALL the Africans, you have the makings of a very nice Amazon tank. A couple sizable schools of colorful tetras, maybe even a pair of rams if there's enough territory for them and the angels too -- better check on that, I don't know if it would work -- some yoyo loaches on the bottom, a bunch of plants.... It could be very nice. The driftwood will keep the water conditions right for them, and everything.

 

[misterking]

You know, if you keep the angels and return ALL the Africans, you have the makings of a very nice Amazon tank. A couple sizable schools of colorful tetras, maybe even a pair of rams if there's enough territory for them and the angels too -- better check on that, I don't know if it would work -- some yoyo loaches on the bottom, a bunch of plants.... It could be very nice. The driftwood will keep the water conditions right for them, and everything.

I second this, you do have the makings of a lovely set-up here, just need to do a bit of reading around, and coming here was the right step

 

[chrispar0323]

sorry didnt read the first reply and basically reposted what they said

 

[tw1n]

By the time I got home from work yesterday I had 3 dead angels, a dead tetra, and a dead Cichlid. I returned the fish the pet store, thanked them for the massacre the created in my fish tank, and requested my money back.


He claimed that angels and cichlids should get along just like any fish, and that fish just sometimes kill fish.

But returned my money anyways.

 

[tw1n]

Any suggestions on getting the plants green? They gave me plant food. I can't imagine it's for every day use. 2 cap fulls out of a thing that's only about 10 caps wouldn't last long.

 

[homebunnyj]

He claimed that angels and cichlids should get along just like any fish, and that fish just sometimes kill fish.

But returned my money anyways.

He's stoopid. Just like any fish? ANY fish? as in, a fish is a fish is a fish? Haha!

Sorry you had to go through that.

 

[jaguar]

220 gallon tank PROBLEM

have a 220 gallon tank i have 4 discus 2 angel fish 3 parroit fish 3 bowa sharks 2 yellow snails a huge bottem feeder one lizard 2 little bass and 3 cora red fish everything seemed fine in the tank i take great care of them and spend alot of time with them i give there about 10 cubes and bloodworms a day plus flakeys about 3 to four time a day i have flow filters spounge at the bottem carbon then the rocks at the the top i dont know but my water is clear but has a brownish redish tint to it only from the side and you can notice it when the lights are off i dont know if it cause i rasied the tem from 27 TO 29c for the discus but i dont know what to do please HELLLP give me some ideas or tips !!!!!!!!!?????/???/i dont have anyy of that dirftwood stuff in my tank im going to upload pic as soon as i get a post back !!

 

[bmoraski]

have a 220 gallon tank i have 4 discus 2 angel fish 3 parroit fish 3 bowa sharks 2 yellow snails a huge bottem feeder one lizard 2 little bass and 3 cora red fish everything seemed fine in the tank i take great care of them and spend alot of time with them i give there about 10 cubes and bloodworms a day plus flakeys about 3 to four time a day i have flow filters spounge at the bottem carbon then the rocks at the the top i dont know but my water is clear but has a brownish redish tint to it only from the side and you can notice it when the lights are off i dont know if it cause i rasied the tem from 27 TO 29c for the discus but i dont know what to do please HELLLP give me some ideas or tips !!!!!!!!!?????/???/i dont have anyy of that dirftwood stuff in my tank im going to upload pic as soon as i get a post back !!

It would be better to start a new thread and post picture first. rather than waiting for a response to this thread.