# Which food does not cloud water?



## Dragonetti (Mar 16, 2009)

It seems I am having no luck with food. First tried New Life Spectrum which clouded water and made all filter media red. Ordered Dainichi FX thinking high dollar food would be better but it is 10x worse, just not red. Colors of the fish seem to be great but this cloudly water half the day after feeding is driving me crazy. Need some suggestions on a good stable food that I can feed these haps and peacocks.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

If your food has time to cloud the water, you are feeding way too much. I've used both of those pellets for years with no cloudiness.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Agree, food does not cloud the water. The filters could be red from uneaten food getting sucked in (over feeding) or because their poop is red from the food, which is how they are supposed to work.


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## Dragonetti (Mar 16, 2009)

The food does not sit in the water and I do not over feed, it clouds the water as soon as it hits the water. I will let the water clear then make a video.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Dragonetti said:


> I will let the water clear then make a video.


 :thumb: :thumb:


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## smitty (May 7, 2004)

I use HBH.


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## Dragonetti (Mar 16, 2009)

Sorry put this was the best I could do with the camera I have and you have to watch in at least 720p. I realize fish will make a mess when they eat (particals) but the water shouldn't cloud up. You can't really tell from the video but the right side of the tank is still clear for a bit before the cloud makes it over there.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I use NLS and have not experienced this. Sorry you are having issues. Have you tried more than one container? Maybe you got a bad batch? (That has not happened to me either, NLS for 7 years now.)


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

*1. You have an amazing and beautiful tank with gorgeous fish.* =D>

2. Your video clearly showed the water getting cloudy- now I'm going to go feed my fish and see what happens when I watch that closely....

3. I first fed NLS in a 4ft tank with hungry tropheus... similarly to how you did- a pinch at a time, a moment apart. And even though my glass is dirty and my lighting poor, for the first time I noticed that cloud effect you demonstrated. However, it was very short lived, and did not make it to the opposite end of the tank. My set up has a lot of surface agitation, and my fish are extremely motivated to eat as quickly as possible.

4. I next fed a very high quality flake in a different 4ft tank with various Lake Tang cichlids. The small particulates were much more visibly messy than the pellets, but my filtering cyps and smaller fish will take care of it shortly. I also noticed a cloudy effect.

I'm out of dianichi... so no test here, but you've admirably demonstrated that. I think we've worked through some of the highest quality foods (I swear by NLS), and all make a bit of a mess. So, what other options are there? First- I recommend ignoring the cloudiness. It's temporary effect is barely noticeable. If that isn't what you want to hear, then let's take a look at your filtration- what filters, how many GPH, what filter media are you using, and how often do you clean them?

My overabundant use of filter floss and Poret foam in my HOBS and canisters keep me from noticing the cloudiness for much longer than 30 seconds or so... perhaps we can optimize your filtration instead of searching for an impermeable food?


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## reflexhunter (Jul 25, 2009)

Nice tank! Never tried it myself but have your tried repashy? It's a gel food.


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## Dragonetti (Mar 16, 2009)

triscuit said:


> *1. You have an amazing and beautiful tank with gorgeous fish.* =D>
> 
> If that isn't what you want to hear, then let's take a look at your filtration- what filters, how many GPH, what filter media are you using, and how often do you clean them?
> 
> My overabundant use of filter floss and Poret foam in my HOBS and canisters keep me from noticing the cloudiness for much longer than 30 seconds or so... perhaps we can optimize your filtration instead of searching for an impermeable food?


Thanks for the compliment, still have a good bit of wood work left to do on the stand. I know said in my first post the cloudiness was for half the day but after the test and really keeping an eye on it today it is more like a couple of hours. I would be happy with 30seconds or even five minutes of cloudiness. The more I feed them of the worse it is. I tried feeding less at a time and more times a day but my smaller less aggressive eaters don't even get any. lol, Don't know why they where slow to eat in the video, things get so crazy at feeding time, they jump out the tank sometimes, and water on the walls and floor.

I have two Tidepool II filter sumps plumbed together to equalize. If you are not famillar with them they have three trays with a large bio-wheel in each. In the top tray I keep 1 1/2" blue/ white foam filter pads and they get changed every time I do a water change (never goes over week and a half). Second tray I keep a 50 micron polishing pad which gets swopped out every couple of days because it gets plugged and no water can pass. Used to keep chemi-pure in the third but no longer do. I'll try another 50 in the third tray and see what happens.

Return pump is a waterblaster 7000 and is rated at 1800gph. should be around 1100 to 1400 after head loss. Also two Koralia style power heads rated at 1300gph pushing water around dead spots.

My only other theory is that everyone's tank does this at feeding time but the more lighting intensifies it more so? Can't recall any of my other setups doing this though


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Well, you might go over to the equipment/supplies folder and ask the experts, but I'm wondering if that 50 micron filter is part of the problem. You're probably getting some bypass on that, and it's going to really slow down your flow rate unless you have a really effective prefilter. The particles you can see causing the cloudiness are mostly larger than 50 μm... And, that pore size limits the biological filtration bonus in that layer. Plus, if you're replacing filter media, you're losing your bacteria each time.

I think instead of trying to polish your water with your sump, I think you might like the results of using it to feed beneficial bacteria. You can test my theory pretty easily and cheaply. I'd stack your trays with much difference media, except for the foam filter pads which can stay as your "prefilter" in the top tray. In the second tray, I'd add some biomedia like Seachem Matrix (there are several good brands), then use filter floss in the third drawer. Rinse your filter pads and floss and only replace one or the other every couple weeks.

As far as why it's happening, I'm sure all food gives off some particulates- that's what causes the cloudiness. I've read some reviews of Repashy, and it gives a bit of cloudiness too. I'm positive that your lighting amplifies the effect... but that perhaps your filtration can be improved. It's worth a shot...


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