Cloudy water and 600 posts

[morfin]

Hi all, so i worked through 600 posts looking for all the info about cloudy water. It isn't cloudy so much as just at the bottom round the driftwood it looks a little murkier. Recently cycled tank - ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 5-10. fish population, 7 lemon tetras, 2 dwarf gourami, 3 bristlenose, 4 pandas. Panda's and bristlenose were in from start, lemons two weeks ago, gouramis this last two days. It doesn't seem like much, params not affected, fish look great and feeding well. Lights on for 12 hours per day and planted tank, has JBL slow release fert balls in substrate. so should I do anything about it, or leave it to see what happens? I'm a little or no chemical girl if poss. Tank still looks great - just a little murkier in the middle. 50 gallon, temp 27C, about four weeks old.

[gm72]

I'd say drop your lights to 8-10 hours/day. What lights? Substrate? Plants?

[morfin]

Lights - 2x T5, substrate white gravel, plants, multitude mostly tall growing - most have only been in the tank about four days. the rest in the tank about four weeks.

[CAF]

Do you have driftwood in the tank? I have observed the occasional murkiness when a new piece of driftwood is placed into a tank as tanins are released.

[morfin]

yep,three pieces of driftwood have been in there since the start.

[CAF]

How much current do you have in the tank? Specifically near the murkiness... Is the driftwood near the murkiness or in another area entireley?

[morfin]

there is a good current in the tank, fluval 205 filter, the murkiness is kind of right through the middle of the tank at the bottom, it doesn't seem to be related to that as it doesn't seem to move.

[CAF]

Drop a lead weight with a streamer attached into the murky zone. I am wondering if it is a dead zone with no current. It would explain the murkiness as tanins leaching into the water and sitting there because the current is not moving it around.

[freshwaterfishlover]

Some stores in my area will not sell Drifwood since over time it makes the water Brown.

[morfin]

You might be right, it does look better when we have done a water change, it looks alot clearer, so would I be alright to just leave it and see what happens?

[CAF]

You might be right, it does look better when we have done a water change, it looks alot clearer, so would I be alright to just leave it and see what happens?
It will lower the pH of the tank, but other than that, the tannins do hurt the tank. I have plenty of driftwood in my tanks with no problems.

[gm72]

Agreed, it is most likely just tannin release. pH will be lower but it will remain stable and so is not an issue with most fish.

Some stores in my area will not sell Drifwood since over time it makes the water Brown.

It does, but eventually the tannins are released and you are back to having nice clear water! You can boil the water for a while and the tannins are released and you won't have the discoloration in the water. That's what I do with mine.

[Lady Hobbs]

Some stores in my area will not sell Drifwood since over time it makes the water Brown.

That makes no sense. All new wood release tannins. It is harmless and goes away after several water changes.

[morfin]

Well got to the bottom of it, JBL fert balls in the substrate. Supposed to last one year, didn't last three days. When we got home tonight the water was brown, turned out that was the problem. Did a huge water change and and took them out, looking much much better already

[gm72]

Good job. Note to self: Don't use JBL fert balls!

[CAF]

Good job. Note to self: Don't use JBL fert balls!
Ditto on that!!!! I'm glad you figured out what the cause was....

[MeganL3985]

Some stores in my area will not sell Drifwood since over time it makes the water Brown.

My coconut will turn water brown overtime also....I think all new, woods that release tannins will...like Hobbs said. But your water shouldn't get too brown, especially with regular water changes. Assuming you boil or soak it before you stick it in your tank...