# How do you keep water crystal clear?



## Ali1 (Apr 7, 2005)

I never had this issue in my previous tanks, but this issue seems to be buggin me, perhaps others who share the same concern as well. I have a 90G tank with a pair of 350 penguin HOB filters for mechanical filtration and a 30G sump for biological filtration. As for stock, I have 9 JDs(1" in size) and a 7" pleco. I found out the issue and it's coming from my HOB filters. If i unplug them, the mist of tiny bubbles don't appear anymore. I figured my HOB filters aren't doing a good job at mechanical filtration, so I inserted some floss infront of the filter cartidges. It made no difference. Anyone else having this issue with these HOB filters? I thoroughly cleaned out the filters too. I hate looking at this tank with mist floating in the water that eventually rise to the top.

Anyone else know what I'm talking about?

Cheap sugesstions to keeping water crystal clear?

thanks in advance!


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## fishEH (Sep 15, 2008)

Ali1 said:


> I found out the issue and it's coming from my HOB filters. If i unplug them, the mist of tiny bubbles don't appear anymore.


Sounds like your tank isn't dirty so much as it might have micro bubbles? How far is the drop from the HOB to the water? Have you tried running the tank on just the sump?


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## Ali1 (Apr 7, 2005)

Yes, i turned off the HOB filters and the microbubbles do not appear anymore. The filter sits 1/4" deep into the water, so the filter is well into the water.


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## planenut007 (Mar 21, 2009)

Toss the HOB, they are over rated, only thing they are good for is water movement, and fish room tanks(grow out, fry, hospital...ect...ect)


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Have you tried the hob with no media, bio wheels?
Wonder if you started them up empty, if they would make bubbles :-?


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## greg curtis (May 4, 2006)

Purigen does it everytime!


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Purigen removes air ?


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## gmoney1585 (Apr 13, 2009)

I have a 55 with a magnum 250 canister filter and i get the "micro bubbles" as well. The diffuser at the end of my return is the main reason. it allows alot more oxygen in the water. I removed it once, but my fish seem to love it. They sit in the current and facing the bubbles. So i just leave it there. but i can see why someone would not like it. After a while, you'll just get used to it. They even swim back and forth through the current. It might just be the current they love, but they didn't do it as much without the splitter diffuser thingy.


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Fish do like oxygen. 

-Ryan


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## csnake (Feb 22, 2009)

I had the same issue with my HOT magnum. I'm running an XP3 with it and just using my HOT as a bio/water polisher. Is your output above the water agitating the surface? That was my issue.

Now, everyday I reach in and point my output below the surface so it does not agitate the top of the water and it gets rid of the micro bubbles that make the water look cloudy. At night, I angle the output up so it splashes the surface and helps with oxygenation. Just a suggestion.


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## venustus19 (Aug 30, 2007)

i have the same problem with my mag HOB 250... i was told to silicone all the moving parts of the intake and output, and to use vasoline on the rubber gaskets... i did that, and the micro bubbles seemed to stop for awhile... they are back now, but i haven't used vasoline in a while, so if i remember, i'll shut it down, and vasoline the gasket and see what happens...

but siliconing and vasoline DID work for a bit... coincedence??? maybe, i don't know...
HTH


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## edouthirt (Jan 22, 2008)

My experience has been that it doesn't matter what you do with HOB filters... they will still creat bubbles, perhaps not a lcoud of microbubbles but the sloshing around in the back of the filter always seems to trap some air under the water's surface and then it is sent right into your tank.

Here's my suggestion...

I would ditch the HOB's completely. If your sump is not up to the task to handle mechanical filtration very well, you can surly customize it to change that, and in most cases for super cheap with use of filter socks or otherwise. The sump should be doing plenty inregards to oxygenation as well... After that if you are worried about water movement, a powerhead should do the trick.


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## John7429 (Apr 12, 2009)

+1 for canister or sump > HOB

I only use HOB filters temporarily: cycle/seed a new tank, quarantine, or hasty setup... etc


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

I think "clear" water has a lot to do with the tank and everything inside it aging a bit: once everything leaches out what it's going to, and all of the initial chemical reactions take their course. This can take a year in some cases.

A UV Sterilizer helps... as well as as not overfeeding and overstocking.

I'm definitely not buying the HOB/Canister argument: We have a Magnum 350 with biowheels, and Emperor 400, and a power head with the venturi set to bubbles, and our water is pretty crystal... though we do have a UV on the tank.

-Ryan


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## Ali1 (Apr 7, 2005)

Getting a canister is out the question as of now. Fluval canisters were more trouble than my Rena XP3s. If i go back to canisters, it will either be the fluval fx5 or going back to a pair of XP3s. I can't afford them at this point, maybe sometime down the future. Do you guys stick some floss in the HOB filters right before the cartidges? I did this and it seems to capture alot of mess that the standard cartidges couldnt. Still get the microbubbles..


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## redfish (Nov 30, 2002)

Add some java moss (floating plant) in the water current it will grab any trash and you will have a crystal clear tank ne a 8 dollar plant light from walmart.


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## bimmer88 (May 17, 2009)

I run two fluval 405's in my 128gal and i could never get the water crystal clear... it had a slightly milky look to it and even more so when i look from the side.. it's been months and i've tried feeding less, activated carbon, frequent water changes and even having the light on less but none of it worked... then i tried filter floss in both of them and two days later my water is crystal clear even from the side... i'm going to be sticking to filter floss from now on


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## Raider93 (Jul 16, 2009)

sorry to jack this thread... but how does one go about using "filter Floss" ?


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Raider93 said:


> sorry to jack this thread... but how does one go about using "filter Floss" ?


That depends on the model filter you are using... but basically... ya cram it in there...

The denser you pack it the better it works, but there is a tipping point where packing it too tightly excessively reduces flow considerable and in some models (HOBs) causes bypass...

Since it has no structure to it, it does not make a good last barrier of filtrationâ€¦ for example, you would not want to place it on top of the sponge on an Aqua Clear HOB, as it will likely slip over the lip on the overflow and end up in your tankâ€¦ instead you would want to place it under the sponge so the sponge can hold it down.

In a canister you will want something keeping it from getting tangled in the impellor. There are a variety of simple filter pads that can serve this purposeâ€¦


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