Dull Water

[blackers92]

My water has a brownish tinge to it, when I put it in a jar or do a waterchange it is only has a very slight brown hue to it, but in the tank it looks quite brown.

Its not really the biggest problem because it looks very natural, but I would like to clear it up somehow. Like my Yoyo Loaches look golden rather than white/silver, same with my keyholes.

My stats are fine ammonia0 pH 7, KH 6 etc...

I do about a 30% waterchange every week, my plants also grow quite fast but have some minor algae on them, I have tried cutting back the lighting from 11 hours to about 9.

My tank is 37 Gallons, I have 3 different types of live plants. dont know the names , a large piece of bogwood (I thought it may have been tannins but I doubt it, i know they can leech out for months though) I also have a natural brown gravel which may be reflecting? im not sure

any help would be appreciated

adam

 

[roadmaster]

My water has a brownish tinge to it, when I put it in a jar or do a waterchange it is only has a very slight brown hue to it, but in the tank it looks quite brown.

Its not really the biggest problem because it looks very natural, but I would like to clear it up somehow. Like my Yoyo Loaches look golden rather than white/silver, same with my keyholes.

My stats are fine ammonia0 pH 7, KH 6 etc...

I do about a 30% waterchange every week, my plants also grow quite fast but have some minor algae on them, I have tried cutting back the lighting from 11 hours to about 9.

My tank is 37 Gallons, I have 3 different types of live plants. dont know the names , a large piece of bogwood (I thought it may have been tannins but I doubt it, i know they can leech out for months though) I also have a natural brown gravel which may be reflecting? im not sure

any help would be appreciated

adam

I believe it is possible that the bogwood is still leaching tannins into the water thus giving it the tea stained color. Running some activated carbon in the filter for a few days can improve the clarity.
I am currently keeeping three YoYo loaches and a couple juvenile Keyholes and their colors are indeed gold colored unless under bright light, which they don't seem to care for. They then do appear silver to white.

 

[Assaye]

It could be the tannins from the bogwood - as you said, they can keep leeching for months.

You do good water changes so I doubt it's "dirty" water. How often do you clean the gravel?

Have you cleaned the glass recently? A fine layer of algae could tint the water.

 

[blackers92]

I do partial weekly water changes weekly and gravel vac's every two weeks so I keep it clean. Whenever any algae appears on my glass I usually get it with my magnet.

The water colour is not really that much of a problem, I just wanted to make sure it was nothing serious, I dont really want to buy activated carbon because it wont last very long and doesnt seem worthwhile. i guess my piece of bogwood must still be leaking tannins. I pre-soaked it pretty well and it has been about 4 months :\

just out of curiosity roadmaster, how fast have your yoyos grown? I have had mine for about 3 months and have noticed about a 2cm increase on two and literally nothing with the others. Do yours come to the surface when you feed them (mine dont show any interest, which i presumed was normal as they are "scavengers")I am starting to get a bit worried

thanks

adam

 

[roadmaster]

I do partial weekly water changes weekly and gravel vac's every two weeks so I keep it clean. Whenever any algae appears on my glass I usually get it with my magnet.

The water colour is not really that much of a problem, I just wanted to make sure it was nothing serious, I dont really want to buy activated carbon because it wont last very long and doesnt seem worthwhile. i guess my piece of bogwood must still be leaking tannins. I pre-soaked it pretty well and it has been about 4 months :\

just out of curiosity roadmaster, how fast have your yoyos grown? I have had mine for about 3 months and have noticed about a 2cm increase on two and literally nothing with the others. Do yours come to the surface when you feed them (mine dont show any interest, which i presumed was normal as they are "scavengers")I am starting to get a bit worried

thanks

adam

Carbon is highly affective for approx a week to two weeks depending on amount used.
As for my YoYo loaches,, I bought them at around two inches in november last year. They are now close to four inches with the exception of one who is a little bit smaller. I believe the females are a bit larger than the males if they are like clown loaches that I also have. Both are quite difficult to sex properly.
The loaches are all over the tank but seldom feed from the surface. Have seen them nibble at bits of food that get drawn to the filter intakes.
Are much more active at night and early morning and I feed them at this time for that reason.
I keep three Yo Yo loaches and three Clown loaches that are all under five inches,in an 80 gal tank with Two Emperor 400 filters moving approx 600 GPH and a Aquaclear 402 powerhead attached to prefilter.They very much seem to enjoy the water movement.
I feed them along with some columbian tetras, and spotted raphael catfish ,with Ocean Nutrition flake,Frozen blood worms,frozen krill,spirulina pellets,algae wafers,Freezedried ,plankton,freezedried brine shrimp,carnivore pellets,and chopped earthworms.
Am trying to lay my hands on 125 gal for the Clown loaches who will grow (hopefully),much larger than the YoYo loaches.

 

[blackers92]

Yeh mine really enjoy hanging around the filter kind of going up and down against the flow.

Well I had only been feeding them tetra granules, tropical flake, shrimp pellets and algae wafers. I had seen them eat the algae wafers but nothing else :\

on friday I went to my LFS to get either some freeze dried worms or live worms only to find they had none.

so I looked through some forums and found earthworms can be feed and .. just wow

I have never seen them come to the surface. I actually saw one of them chasing a danio who had a worm hanging out of its mouth

but they LOVE them so much I am just so amazed, they came out mid day aswell

they all get so aggressive around worms, I just hope that the worms from my compost bin are alright as I have a virtually unlimited supply

 

[roadmaster]

Yeh mine really enjoy hanging around the filter kind of going up and down against the flow.

Well I had only been feeding them tetra granules, tropical flake, shrimp pellets and algae wafers. I had seen them eat the algae wafers but nothing else :\

on friday I went to my LFS to get either some freeze dried worms or live worms only to find they had none.

so I looked through some forums and found earthworms can be feed and .. just wow

I have never seen them come to the surface. I actually saw one of them chasing a danio who had a worm hanging out of its mouth

but they LOVE them so much I am just so amazed, they came out mid day aswell

they all get so aggressive around worms, I just hope that the worms from my compost bin are alright as I have a virtually unlimited supply

Earthworms are good source of protein but I would not want to feed them worms but once or twice a week.I chop mine up(worms),up with razor blade to make pieces small enough and usually offer them on days I am going to perform water changes (twice weekly) lest any bits that are left begin to foul the water.