Is your aquarium water as CLEAR as you would like?

[kingjames_dc5]

personally, no. if you get close you’ll notice fine particles. if you sit back, you won’t notice a thing.

If you notice the ocean has those same kinda fine particles floating around IMO it’s not a bad thing.

 

[rhostam]

My AIO has reached its crystal clear state. But I just haaaad to upgrade and migrate it. The new tank is mostly clear, but still breaking in and all. Can’t wait even if I still expect particulate do to my feeding regimen.

 

[reefsaver]

Stick to regimental weekly water change and glass maintenance. Schedule your feedings because feeding the tank will influence parameters. Test parameters, run a protein skimmer and optimize it to run as dry as you can. personally I use NO3PO4 and dose heavily because I don't like sticking my hands in and out of the tank to remove media as I work a lot on cars and get oil and grease under my nails. I'm looking into a dosing pump to automate dosing so I only have to worry about testing/dialing in the dose system and water changes. I recently got a large food grade barrel that I could fill with 4 weeks worth of new saltwater mix and eventually automate water changes although I do enjoy cleaning my substrate with a gravel vacc every week, it's kind of therapeutic.

 

[KeepSwimming12]

I use carbon myself in all my tanks but I personally think that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on filter rollers etc. to keep water crystal clear. Maintenance is enough provided you’re willing to do a bit extra but by all means, spending more on filtration takes the load off of you a bit.

 

[paintman]

If you ever watch seafriendlyreef on you tube, a lot of the tanks in europe are loaded with particulates in the water.

 

[Appoloreefer]

I've seen many reef aquariums where the water is so clear it seems that there is no water at all! Of course good glass or acrylic can play a part in that but it's mostly due to the ability to keep the water column clean! So let's talk about it today!

1. How clear is your aquarium water and does it matter to you?

2. What are the best ways you have found to keep your water clear?

@Broadfield has one of these super clear reefs!

It was clear, I did a water change and within a couple of days the water turned cloudy (milky) and I noticed green algae on the rocks, the coral and fish are all doing great and parameters are all good. I am not sure what happened for it has never happened before when I have done a water change and now four days later it is still cloudy. I have been trying to figure out what to do. There are no dead fish or animals in the tank. Any suggestions?

 

[Appoloreefer]

I use carbon myself in all my tanks but I personally think that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on filter rollers etc. to keep water crystal clear. Maintenance is enough provided you’re willing to do a bit extra but by all means, spending more on filtration takes the load off of you a bit.

I am using a HOB filter with carbon and it is not clearing the tank up, my water turned cloudy(milky) after I had decided to use the HOB filter and then I turned it off thinking that it might be the problem but the water has not cleared up.

 

[725196]

1. How clear is your aquarium water and does it matter to you?

My water is crystal clear, sometimes its too clean to be honest. I often need to feed heavier to compensate.

2. What are the best ways you have found to keep your water clear?

Routine maintenance, carbon and water changes!!

 

[725196]

It was clear, I did a water change and within a couple of days the water turned cloudy (milky) and I noticed green algae on the rocks, the coral and fish are all doing great and parameters are all good. I am not sure what happened for it has never happened before when I have done a water change and now four days later it is still cloudy. I have been trying to figure out what to do. There are no dead fish or animals in the tank. Any suggestions?

Most likely a bacterial bloom

 

[iMi]

Mine is also gin clear. Of course I don't use any water, just gin.

Talk about your clam being happy as a clam.

 

[Martha]

Since I added a UV Sterilizer it’s been very clear. There are little particles still floating around including Pods.

 

[sp1187]

water is clear.
just a lot of free floating particles.

 

[magicalkh]

I am having a terrible time getting my water clear. It's a 36 gallon, with 2 AquaClear filters plus wave maker. All my numbers are great and even though I do not see hairy algae but
my water is green. I have used Vibrant but it did nothing. I have done water changes. I have 3 fish, 1 sea hare, 1 red shrimp, many hermit crabs, and a conch. I do not have a sump, or skinner. I don't have a uv either.
My husband and I had saltwater tanks like 30 years ago, and we do not remember it being this complicated. Any suggestions?

 

[Gemdora]

Definitely not, I would want it to be MUCH more clear.

I think if I had a sump and a skimmer, the water would be much more clear, but all I have is a HOB.

I also have HOB. Most of my filtering is done by live rock and its amazing abilities.
Filter floss is all I use in my chamber.

 

[James_O]

I also have HOB. Most of my filtering is done by live rock and its amazing abilities.
Filter floss is all I use in my chamber.

I have course and fine sponges, filter floss, chemi-pure elite, Seachem course media, and active carbon. It does an OK job, but still not as clear as I would like it to be. :/

 

[Freakmachine01]

I obsess over my tank my water parameters and also my clarity. I do run carbon I do multiple water changes and I use purigen, that you can regenerate every couple months by just cleaning it and bleach and water my system seems to be working pretty well for me

 

[Gemdora]

I have course and fine sponges, filter floss, chemi-pure elite, Seachem course media, and active carbon. It does an OK job, but still not as clear as I would like it to be. :/

What seems to be the problem?

 

[arussellnsg]

I have tiny specks that show the flow and some microbubbles from my surface skimmer that it just is what it is, but no yellowing and everything is happy

 

[MnFish1]

1. How clear is your aquarium water and does it matter to you?

Very.

2. What are the best ways you have found to keep your water clear?

Carbon, Oxydator.

 

[Paul B]

My tank is crystal clear, usually. But many of my fish are spawning and in doing so "swish" their tails in the gravel or depression in the rock to clean a nest causing detritus to be suspended.
Some of this is tiny bubbles from plenty of surface agitation.

They constantly do this and I like the look. The fish do also and the particles are grabbed by the corals.
Then everything settles down until another fish gets frisky.

And thats the way in the sea.