My Home Made Aqua-soil anomaly

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Utar

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20 gallon long dark water.jpg

Setting up my third tank a 20 gallon long for Betta Max I used my homemade aqua-soil which I have used twice before with success. But this time I used the aqua-soil that had already been mixed for a few weeks. I use an old large ice chest for mixing the soil and I had enough leftover that I had mixed three weeks ago for a 29 gallon tank, to use in the 20 gallon long. This is the first time that I didn't use the soil when it was freshly mixed. Looks like something happened in the time the soil set in the ice chest until I used it this time. I can only guess that the peat moss started to rot, maybe but not sure. Because the problem with that idea is that peat moss is used to lower the ph in some circumstances, I tested the ph and it had not dropped from 7.4 which is what my tap water is.

Two days ago the water looked like this so I drained and refilled the tank three times to clear up the water. The picture above was taken just now, so it happened again. I am right now in the process of draining it and refilling it several times to clear up the water for a second time. If I can't clear it up, then I will start all over again.
 
Today I am going to start all over again with a fresh mix of aqua-soil. I have changed 100% of the water twice now and still, after a few days, it turns a dark, dark brown. So time to get rid of it, lesson learned.
 

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