Foggy Water

[thebbqguy]

After doing some more water testing I am now convinced that I have identified the source of the foggy water. It's phosphates and not "dirty" sand.

Each time I have had the foggy water phosphates have been slightly elevated. Ammonia = 0, Nitrites = 0, Phosphates = .25 to .50 when the water is "foggy". Phosphates = 0 when the water is crystal clear.

[cranialdisturbance]

Well water? There are phosphate removing filter media available if this is a persistent problem.

[thebbqguy]

I am on city water.

I did a 15% water change and water is much clearer now.

I will chalk it up to being a newbie, but I am learning.

[BigJeff]

 filtration....filtration. ...filtration
Finally my tank has been  crystal clear a month or more now. Even with 25 All male peacocks / haps/ frontosas.

[thebbqguy]

I have picked up a phosphate filter pad today and installed it.

I've got an Aquaclear 110 and a Deep Blue Pro Sponge installed.

[thebbqguy]

Maybe I should remove the carbon filter and see if that helps. I have been reading that carbon filtration can add to phosphate issues.

Could eleven 1 - 1 1/2 inch danios and six 2 inch severums be creating enough waster to cause this? The filter is 500 gph pump although after I added the phosphate filter material it pumps quite a bit slower now. Nitrites and ammonia are both at zero. Phosphates are .50. If desired level is .05 as I have been reading, my aquarium is way too high.

I took out two of the rocks, but coincidentally I think it got worse. I guess I need to remove the rest of the rocks and see if that helps. I've been doing 15% water changes every other day now for a week.

I used ClorAm-X to treat the tap water initially. I had some on hand from my aquaponics days in Florida a few years ago. (I used it then because it is the only FDA approved product I could find for edible fish. We had lots of chloramine in the Florida water.)

I get 0 free ammonia readings with Salicylate and Nessler based test kits.

[mibwb]

You need to find out if the phosphate is inorganic or organic. Using ClorAm-X will give false readings using Nessler test and Winkles test. ClorAm-X shouldn't be used with permanganate-based or chlorite based treatments. As far as I know being FDA approved, all I know is the main chemical that constitutes ClorAm-X Sodium Hydroxymethanesuflonate doesn't fall under FDA jurisdiction.

[thebbqguy]

It's had many water changes since the initial ChloramX dose.

[thebbqguy]

It turns out the water changes were making matters worse rather than better. My tap water tests 1.0 for phosphate right out of the faucet.

What a mess. My first purchase for the aquarium should have been a water filter for my sink faucet.

[mibwb]

I had a feeling it might be the water...but you're using city water..so I thought not the water. Now if you lived in Flint, I would have said check the water first. I check it all the time, it changes daily....they put so much junk into it. I'm glad you ended up with a easy fix and had no losses. As you know fish keeping is a fun, relaxing hobby....until something happens. Here's to a relaxing Summer.

[thebbqguy]

The water is now crystal clear. I am guessing that means the cycling process is finally entirely completed.

[mibwb]

Good to hear....