# Crystal Clear Water?



## smilepak (Aug 9, 2004)

I am in a bit of puzzle...

Tank 85 gallon acrylic standard 48" length

Fishes
* 10 German Gold Ram
* 3 YoYo Loaches
* 1 Pleco (this thing **** a lot!!)
* 1 Yelllow Lab
* 10 Otocinclus Algae Eater
* 10 Fancy Tail Guppies
* 5 Medium Size Clown Loaches
* 6 Red Rainbow

Seems like a lot of fishes ahahah

Filters:
* Ehiem 2075 (Pro 3-160) w/Turbo Twist 6x 18W
* Magnum 350 Canister
* AC110

Airflow: Hydor Koralia Evolution 1400

Substrate: Crush Corals

Plants: NONE

Been running this setup for 2 days now. The water is clear and clean, but a tad on the cloudy side, not crystal clear.

Any suggestion?


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

2 days after cycling?what are your water parameters?


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## smilepak (Aug 9, 2004)

I wonder if it make sense for me to remove what I have in the AC110 and use it purely for Purigen?

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... rigen.html


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## liquid134 (Feb 22, 2010)

newforestrob said:


> 2 days after cycling?what are your water parameters?


x2


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## smilepak (Aug 9, 2004)

Hmm, not really cycle. It was an existing tank I had for awhile. Did 50% water change a 2 weeks prior.

Originally had the FilStar XP4, replaced with Ehiem 2075 and add TurboTwist UV.

Water should be fairly stable, haven't had any dead fish in months.


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## roke28 (Oct 26, 2008)

I wonder if it's the crushed coral? I used that stuff for awhile and my water was never clear until I switched to sand. Do you vacuum it often?


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## smilepak (Aug 9, 2004)

Hmm i wonder the same..or the pleco and it's 10 feet string of waste...


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

so if I got this right, you replaced your filter(s)with brand new,I would test the water for amonia,nitrite and nitrates
what happened a few months ago that caused the deaths?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I don't know so please don't take offense but this sounds like a case of new tank syndrome comming around. Are you up on the nitrogen cycle and how it is needed? May be a major heartache coming if the tank is not cycled..

Or it may just need to settle a bit. Two days is not a long time.


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## smilepak (Aug 9, 2004)

Good point. I'll have to pick up a kit this weekend and test out the water.

Not sure, but a few months ago two yellow lab died. It looked sick, the stomach was sunken in, eye was cloud white.

So I added the Turbo Twist 6x to clean out the bacteria and parasite I hope.


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

until you get the test kit,I would suggest api master ,what is your water change schedule(how often and how much)


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## smilepak (Aug 9, 2004)

Originally before the ehiem, once a month or so approx 50% water change

recently every two weeks 10% water change


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## jrf (Nov 10, 2009)

If at all possible, donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t wait until the weekend to get the test kit. And, until you know for certain what the status of the tank cycle is, IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢d assume itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s not cycled and do daily water changes along with dosing the tank daily with some Prime or AmmoLock. In an un-cycled tank, the ammonia and nitrite may be building up and that could kill off your fish fairly quickly.


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

I would also look at your water change schedule,it may be enough,but I doubt it,the only way is to test for nitrates before a water change,I have found that changing less water more often,works for me,better yet my fish


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## Norm66 (Mar 3, 2005)

I would say that there are a heck of a lot of fish in your tank for 10% changes every two weeks. If it is cycled I bet nitrates are way high.


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## dinuma (Jul 21, 2011)

i'd change water at least 30% every week in your type of set up.

have you washed the new media in the filter?

are there any new additions to the tank that have not been washed?

what is the time between the old set up and the new one? looks like the bacterial colonies have died out and you need to cycle the tank again... :roll:

do a WC every 2-3 days about 20% and see what happens during that time. remove and thoroughly wash any new substrate, media, etc. you have added to the tank. monitor the fish for signs of listlessness. if this happens do a WC and try to temporarily add an air stone for a while to keep the surface agitated. you can remove this after a few hours if you like when the fish settle down.


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## smilepak (Aug 9, 2004)

I bought the Stress Enzyme, taht suppose to help with rebuild bacteria?

I was thinking of getting rid of AC110 or maybe making it a full time bio filter. Remove all of the filters and replace it with bags of Ehiem Bio?


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

I wouldn't touch the filters until you get the test kit,one of the best things you can do for your fish is to replace old with new fresh water-with prime or equivalent
are you somehow opposed to testing your water-most LFS will test for free


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## smilepak (Aug 9, 2004)

nope, haven't had time to pick up the kit. Will try to do it tonight


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## dillon0990 (Jun 11, 2011)

I hope you get your test kit soon. if ammonia or nitrite is too high every day you wait your putting your fish at risk. like everyone said you need to do a water change daily if any readings are too high. Your water change schedule is also not good. do at least 25% weekly.


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## littlejoenc (Jan 11, 2005)

opcorn:


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## smilepak (Aug 9, 2004)

Sorry for the delay, did the test over the weekend, but did get a chance to post

Ammonia = 0
Nitrate = 0
Nitrite = 0
PH 8.0
Hardness is 180

using the 5-1 strip test kit and the Ammonia Strip Test Kit

The water cleared up a bit, but I wouldn't call it Crystal Clear. Wierd a friend of mine had a tank with plants and sand. He using 1 Ehiem and AC110. Plus a CO2 tank. The water is crystal clear, it was awesome eheh


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

your results,pose more questions than answers,
I am assuming you are up on the nitrogen cycle?
Are there plants(live)in the tank?
did you get test strips for nitrates?

without plants,and if you havent done a massive water change recently,your tanks nitrates should not be zero,unless youre in early stages of cycle?


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## smilepak (Aug 9, 2004)

newforestrob said:


> your results,pose more questions than answers,
> I am assuming you are up on the nitrogen cycle?
> Are there plants(live)in the tank?
> did you get test strips for nitrates?
> ...


Ur right. I did the test again with 2 additional sticks...

NO3 = 40
NO2 = 0


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

thats good news,I think the best thing to keep the water clear would be to increase the amount of water you are changing,like I said earlier ,I like to change less more often,for me 25-30% every three to four days,but you can figure out your own schedule,if my nitrates get over 15,I either increase amount or frequency


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## smilepak (Aug 9, 2004)

Cool, thanks...

I think part of the clarity might be because my tank if Acylic and my buddy is glass? oh well..goog enough I guess


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