I’m pretty minimal with my skittles tank feed them every few days and just top off water. Just not sure how to make the water less opaque.
Water changes, not just topping off.
I did a 25% recently which didn’t make a difference otherwise the ammonia, nitrates and nitrites have been 0.
25% isn't gunna do shit. 50% is your best bet. Along with more water changes.
Nitrates shouldn't be zero since you aren't heavily planted. Nitrates being zero makes me wonder if the tank isn't cycled and its bacteria bloom. Especially if a WC didn't make a difference.
I’ve had the tank cycled about a year, it’s a 5 gallon if that makes any difference also have a massive ball of Java moss that’s sort of hidden in the picture. I check levels often and everything has been 0 for a while with my API kit
5 gallons have a tendency to fluctuate and potentially crash a cycle. If you have any other tanks you could try introducing some cycled media from another tank. Otherwise Seachem Purigen could probably clear it up but it will also remove the tanins if you want them in there.
0 nitrates isn't possible in a cycled tank, especially one that isn't getting many water changes, unless there's next to no livestock or anything else producing ammonia.
0 nitrates is possible with a ton of plants and no overstocking
Yeah, and there aren't a ton of plants in there, and clearly they aren't doing many water changes.
Water polishing filter pad. Blackwater doesn't have to be cloudy and you don't have to use carbon to defeat cloudiness. You can keep your tannins and clarity at the sane time
It's the tannins in the wood but I can still tell the water looks pretty dirty, do a 50 percent water change maybe or get some drops to put in to help clear it up.
Buy one of those cheap hob or internal filters and throw some filter floss in there, probably gonna have to change it out a few times before your wood is completely done leaching tannins.
Seachem Purigen will get it out if you're running a mechanical filter.
I have a sponge filter would it be possible to add it in somehow?
Rinse it off and just hang it in the tank, or throw it it, it will passively absorb some tannins in, just won't do it as efficiently. It'll be a bit unsightly, but you can just take it out when you're happy, until you need to clear tannins again.
After 3 months in I've taken mine out and my water has stayed clear for the past month. Eventually your driftwood will stop leaching as many tannins.
I added a polishing pad and hung the Purigen pouch over the bubbles of my sponge filter and it cleared everything from the tank within 24 hours. I think the remaining cloudiness is the glass
Outstanding, wasn't expecting a report back, or for it to be so fast. Glad it cleared up for you!
I posted a before and after just now if you see it know you are the savior! Lol
Just paying it forward. Word of mouth is so helpful in these little communities.
Rubber band it to the sponge, won't work too fast but will slowly clean the tank. Purigen is amazing stuff, just be very careful on recharging it.
Purigen by Seachem, its comparable to using a Mr. Clean magic eraser. It’s magic. Won’t disrupt fertilizers to the best of my knowledge and gets your water crystal clear.
If it’s your wood boil it for 30minutes. Gets a lot of the tannins out
That doesn’t always work unfortunately,I boiled mine for 24 hours, and then I let it soak(with often Water changes) in a plastic tub for a month. Guess what, it’s still leaching tannins like the day I got it.
seachem purigen for your filter. mine was like this, within 24 hours of putting it in my water was crystal clear:)
I have an 8L vase tank with bloody mary shrimp.. there is big ol bit of drift wood that gives off tannins making it quite dark.. I got some activated charcoal, put in a little mesh bag next to a small usb sponge filter. Made a huge difference after a few weeks.
ETA: I never do water changes, only top up. I also have a nice thick mass of floating crystalwort. I suggest more plants on top of the tank. If you stuff more plants in there you should not have to change the water. I also never use any other chemicals, just some prime in my tap water for top ups, I have 4 tanks doing the same method and they seem look pretty good.
the water level looks off, the filter could be working incorrectly if the water isn’t level
I’m in an RV so it’s not 100% level. Would it happen with a sponge filter too?
That's cool you got an aquarium in your RV!!
you may need to find a more level surface to keep your tank
Take the wood out boil it, drain the water and boil again then repeat until the water is clear then reinstall wood
More live plants
Use a pump/filter that handles more volume then your actual tank. Like if you have a 5 gal., use a filter that's rated for 20-30 gallons, so you can filter the water several times over a day.
I think it’s the tannins leeching out of the wood.