How to get crystal clear water

[Shawnreef]

I’m new to the hobby and I’m just very curious how those people get their water so clear it looks invisible. I always seem to have a slight cloudiness.

 

[allof fish]

I’m new to the hobby and I’m just very curious how those people get their water so clear it looks invisible. I always seem to have a slight cloudiness.

Good filtration is probably number 1, carbon can help too. Also depends on what glass you have. Low iron glass is much more clear. I noticed that when I switched from standard glass to low iron and made a huge difference

 

[MichaelReefer]

Carbon, UV sterilizer and good filtration.

 

[Fish Fan]

To get really crystal clear water you need to use ozone.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Carbon, and keeping generally clean water and a generally clean tank

 

[tzabor10]

I agree with all of the above. However, this won’t necessarily help corals, fish or invertebrates. Chasing clear water could backfire. Tread carefully. Go slow. Good luck

 

[Privateye]

Some mechanical filtration, a protein skimmer, and a UV sterilizer should do the job. You can have clear water without these too, but they're the main contributors to our clarity (beyond the chemistry). Mechanical filtration and skimming can remove particles before they become "nutrients" for unwanted microbes. Skimming and UV are great ways to reduce planktonic microbes in the water.

With mechanical filtration, usually 100 microns is sufficient for most systems.

Carbon is extremely good at improving water color, and to some degree clarity. I'm just not a fan of running it 24/7. It has been demonstrated to cause head and lateral line erosion (HLLE), which affects tangs and angelfish. That discovery came out about 10 years ago. We still know little about how the carbon dust affects other organisms or tissues (e.g. gills).

Ozone is a super powerful tool, which can improve water clarity and color, and reduce the dissolved organics. I generally steer hobbyists away from it due to safety concerns, but I've heard there are some small units for aquariums that are supposedly safer. I've even heard of people using specific wavelengths of UV to produce low-level ozone in their tanks. If it is well-designed, well-sized, and has a proper method of destroying and/or venting the unused ozone then I wouldn't have a problem with it. I'm just not willing to accept any liability since I don't know these aquarium-rated generators. I've had a lungful of ozone before....it "took my breath away".

 

[BryanM]

Carbon, Mechanical (filter socks, 100 micron), and UV. This is what I do. And I noticed a difference with each. So its a combo effort.

I do not run a skimmer at all.

 

[mmorrison55]

I thought my water was fairly clear after I started up my uv, and had some carbon in the return chamber, but if you want that “floating in space” super clear look, I had to add ozone. I was amazed how quickly the water went super clear.

I run my ozone through an avast marine ozone reactor and only run it about 3 hours over night. I don’t notice any sign (smell) of ozone escaping into the air.

I bought the ozotech Poseidon.it happens to be on sale at BRS.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/ozot...v6fyOM7AproPIpRHVWf-KXJqFnMLVXQfn9x2uUFPUlray
FYI…if yiu do go with ozone, many say to use an air dryer. Avast recommended not using an air dryer if using their generator. The avast generator was pricey,but since I didn’t have to buy the ozotech air dryer, it helped offset the cost somewhat, it still was not a cheap investment to use ozone more safely.

 

[BloopFish]

To get really crystal clear water you need to use ozone.

Not necessarily, you can get other oxidizers in there besides ozone to achieve the same effect.

 

[Fish Fan]

Now you're just finding my posts to try to disagree with me.

Please show me another oxidizer that's safe and will give the crystal clear water that you can get with ozone?

 

[BloopFish]

Now you're just finding my posts to try to disagree with me.

Please show me another oxidizer that's safe and will give the crystal clear water that you can get with ozone?

The premise of this question is that ozone is not without potential harm... the dosage is the poison Fish Fan.

 

[backbayreef]

I’m crazy - I’m currently running bare bottom, fleece roller, skimmer, carbon (a few times a week), and ozone (1hr every night at 30%). Ozone completely made the yellowish tint disappeared.

Oh - my acrylic frag tank is connected to the same filtration and it’s clearer than my low-iron glass tank. Nothing beats acrylic in terms of light distortion and clarity. However, it’s a pita to clean though.

Good luck with your search.

 

[strich]

Carbon, Mechanical (filter socks, 100 micron), and UV. This is what I do. And I noticed a difference with each. So its a combo effort.

I do not run a skimmer at all.

You don't have oxygenation issues without a skimmer?

Not necessarily, you can get other oxidizers in there besides ozone to achieve the same effect.

Like what?

 

[keagan]

You don't have oxygenation issues without a skimmer?


Like what?

Seachem clarity or other flocculant product would help a lot. Flocculants bind together small (microscopic) particles in the water to help your mechanical filtration remove them. I've seen this claim on carbon dosing but I don't have complete faith in this theory.

"Carbon dosing improves water clarity by feeding beneficial bacteria that multiply and consume excess nitrates and phosphates, which are then removed from the water by a protein skimmer. This biological process clears up cloudiness caused by nutrient imbalances, stops microscopic algae, and traps fine particles into removable bacterial biomass."

Source: New dawn aquaculture

I guess if your water is cloudy from a bacterial bloom or free floating microscopic algae (this one is a better bet) it could in theory help, or just feed the bacteria you don't want and make it 1000x worse.

Edit: I tagged the wrong comment meant that in response to you asking what could work other than ozone

 

[strich]

Seachem clarity or other flocculant product would help a lot. Flocculants bind together small (microscopic) particles in the water to help your mechanical filtration remove them. I've seen this claim on carbon dosing but I don't have complete faith in this theory.

"Carbon dosing improves water clarity by feeding beneficial bacteria that multiply and consume excess nitrates and phosphates, which are then removed from the water by a protein skimmer. This biological process clears up cloudiness caused by nutrient imbalances, stops microscopic algae, and traps fine particles into removable bacterial biomass."

Source: New dawn aquaculture

I guess if your water is cloudy from a bacterial bloom or free floating microscopic algae (this one is a better bet) it could in theory help, or just feed the bacteria you don't want and make it 1000x worse.

Edit: I tagged the wrong comment meant that in response to you asking what could work other than ozone

I just started carbon dosing vinegar 2 days ago actually, but for reducing nitrates not clarity. So I suppose I'll test that case over the coming weeks. As you say, DOC aren't just nitrates and phosphates so I can't imagine it alone will make clear water.

Currently I do not maintain any kind of mechanical filtration - I can't stand cleaning socks every other day. I have always been tempted to look into something like an external canister filter whose purpose is primarily this. I guess the thought behind it is that it can effectively polish the water for weeks maybe months before a clean is needed.

On the other hand, I'm generally quite okay with "dirty" water as I assume its on the whole more healthy for the life in the tank.

 

[keagan]

I just started carbon dosing vinegar 2 days ago actually, but for reducing nitrates not clarity. So I suppose I'll test that case over the coming weeks. As you say, DOC aren't just nitrates and phosphates so I can't imagine it alone will make clear water.

Currently I do not maintain any kind of mechanical filtration - I can't stand cleaning socks every other day. I have always been tempted to look into something like an external canister filter whose purpose is primarily this. I guess the thought behind it is that it can effectively polish the water for weeks maybe months before a clean is needed.

On the other hand, I'm generally quite okay with "dirty" water as I assume its on the whole more healthy for the life in the tank.

I wholeheartedly agree, the water surrounding most tropical reefs appear clear but they're teeming with microbes and organic particles that feed coral and filter feeders. Mechanical filtration has become so efficient that I'm afraid we strip too much away from the water to reliably feed a diverse assortment of microfauna and have a truly "natural" looking reef.

Also like you said it's a pain in the keister changing socks I used dish scrubbies and filter floss years ago that was even worse.

 

[JonoH]

Fleece roller, good UV and skimmer and the occasional/weekly Calcium Carbonate dose.

 

[backbayreef]

I’m new to the hobby and I’m just very curious how those people get their water so clear it looks invisible. I always seem to have a slight cloudiness.

Also, would be nice to see how mature is your tank - got a pic? Is it going through an "ugly" phase or stabilized? You can get pretty good clarity once your tank is fully matured w/o carbon/ozone/etc...

 

[BryanM]

You don't have oxygenation issues without a skimmer?

Not really, no. powerheads in the DT and good surface agitation are more than adequate.