Hazy water - please help

[Cichlid_Man]

I have listened to reptileguy in regards to the % of water changed each week. I was doing 10 gallons every other day, now I do the more traditional weekly changes at 50%. Much better, but my water is not right.
I am not quite ready to do 75% and I don't think it will help my situation.
Here's what's going on.

Listed below in my signature is the filtering system I use for my 75 gallon.
I am thinking it is not enough because my tank is never crystal clear.
I have increased my water changes to 50% weekly. The tank is super clear for a day, then there is this slight haze. There are 13 cichlids in the tank, all about 2 inches each.
Could it be the buffer I use for PH increase? I use a product called proper PH. I like it because you can never “overdose” your tank. It always puts your PH at exactly 8.2

The Fluval 405 is good up to 100 gallons, and with the substrate and rocks, etc., I doubt my tank has 65 gallons in it?

Could it be the tuffa rocks? The crushed coral?
Any input will be appreciated

I use cichlid pellets for food and they consume them immediately so I don’t think it is the food.

Thanks!

[Fishguy2727]

Actually, the one time I used Proper pH it made my discus tank cloudy for almost a week. I haven't used it since because we only have one at work so I have to wait for more to come in. What I used was just an old bottle we had around for who knows how long. If the rockwork or somethign was not cleaned right that may contribute to it, but I doubt that would actually cause a whoel cloudy tank, it would just settle. The only other thing is that it may actually still be balancing out. I have yet to start to do water changes on my 150 because I want to make sure it has balanced out. How do you have the Fluval setup? I would have the bottom one or two trays crammed with as much filter floss as you can fit, this will serve as a very good, very fine mechanical media. The rest I would fill with Biomax. I don't use carbon anymore so I wouldn't use it, but if you want to, use it between the floss and Biomax.

[Cichlid_Man]

Actually, the one time I used Proper pH it made my discus tank cloudy for almost a week. I haven't used it since because we only have one at work so I have to wait for more to come in. What I used was just an old bottle we had around for who knows how long. If the rockwork or somethign was not cleaned right that may contribute to it, but I doubt that would actually cause a whoel cloudy tank, it would just settle. The only other thing is that it may actually still be balancing out. I have yet to start to do water changes on my 150 because I want to make sure it has balanced out. How do you have the Fluval setup? I would have the bottom one or two trays crammed with as much filter floss as you can fit, this will serve as a very good, very fine mechanical media. The rest I would fill with Biomax. I don't use carbon anymore so I wouldn't use it, but if you want to, use it between the floss and Biomax.

If you say the proper PH clouded your water, then that must be it.
I know when I premix it in a mason jar, the water looks like milk.

I soaked the rock work for 48 hours before I filled the tank, and the same with the crushed coral.

I set up my Fluval as you once told me to do it...well almost :-)
I have Bio-Max in all 4 chambers, and I really pack up the bottom 3 chambers with floss.

My next question would be, if it is the proper PH, can I use the home recipe for a buffer?
Ingredients: Epsom Salt, Marine Salt, Baking Soda....For every 5 US Gallons of water, add 1-tablespoon Epsom salt, 1-teaspoon baking soda, and 1-teaspoon marine salt.
Is marine salt the same as regular aquarium salt?

Thanks for your help...I like crystal water!

[Fishguy2727]

It is up to you if you want to try the homemade buffer. The proper pH thing may just be a coincidence, hopefully, because I haven't heard of it before and it is popular enough that if it was doing that, you would probably hear about it more often. I'm guessing by chamber you mean half of a tray. I would fill both sides of a tray with the same stuff. I skip out on carbon now and one tray of floss should be enough fine mechanical. So I would do 3 trays of Biomax and the bottom one of floss. Do you have more Proper pH?

[Cichlid_Man]

It is up to you if you want to try the homemade buffer. The proper pH thing may just be a coincidence, hopefully, because I haven't heard of it before and it is popular enough that if it was doing that, you would probably hear about it more often. I'm guessing by chamber you mean half of a tray. I would fill both sides of a tray with the same stuff. I skip out on carbon now and one tray of floss should be enough fine mechanical. So I would do 3 trays of Biomax and the bottom one of floss. Do you have more Proper pH?

Actually I meant the entire tray when I said chamber, sorry..
So, I have biomax in all trays and floss in the bottom 3.
Maybe I'll move the boimax into the upper trays and really pack the bottom with floss? That sounds like a plan.

I still have more proper PH. I will use that up, switch the filter media around as you suggest, and I will get back to you on the results.
My next filter maintenance is Thursday so look for my post soon after that.

Don't get me wrong. My tank is really clear, just not crystal. It's not up to my standards and I never had this problem until I switched to a cannister filter. Maybe I need to get used to setting the filter up better as you say.

Thanks once again!

[Fishguy2727]

There are 4 trays in a Fluval 405, each is divided in half. So how do you have it setup? You have a Fluval right?

[Cichlid_Man]

There are 4 trays in a Fluval 405, each is divided in half. So how do you have it setup? You have a Fluval right?

Yes I have the Fluval 405...

Every tray has bio max, and the botton 2 have floss on top of the bio max.

I guess I should move the bio max out of the bottom tray and fill that with much more floss than I have now?

As long as I am careful moving things around I don't think I would mess up the cycle at all??

[Lady Hobbs]

I wonder if you could be doing little mini-cycles. Are you cleaning the gravel maybe just a bit too much? I was having that problem until my tank was about 3 months old. My water didn't look that good, either, when it first had cycled until I added another filter. That also cleared it right up.

[Fishguy2727]

The floss should come before the biomax because it is supposed to trap very fine particulates. If the biomax comes first those particulates can get caught in the biomax over time and choke out the good bacteria. So yes, definitely move the biomax to the top 3 trays only (filling them) and do the bottom one as just floss. I agree that it sounds like a small re-cycle, for who knows what reason. Just give it some time.

[Cichlid_Man]

I made the change in the filter so we'll see what happens.

I really packed up the bottom tray with floss and all the bio max is in the upper 3.

I checked water perameters and everything is perfect, so no need to worry for the fish.

I'll post back after a day or two and let you know if things cleared up.