What's Your Favorite Technique for Maintaining Water Clarity in Your Saltwater Reef Tank? Share Your Secrets!

[revhtree]

What's Your Favorite Technique for Maintaining Water Clarity in Your Saltwater Reef Tank?

One of the most important things for me is to have clean and clear water! Those tanks that don't even look like they have water in them are what I strive to mimic! So, what's your go-to technique for achieving and maintaining water clarity? Is it the use of specific filtration methods, regular water changes, chemical additives, or unique methods you've discovered along your reefkeeping journey?

Share your secrets, tips, and tricks that have proven successful in keeping your aquarium waters pristine and dazzling.

image via @Marco A. Martins

 

[nuxx]

If I could keep my flow down enough to not pick up sand my water was pretty clear.

I didn't run anything, but did have a MASSIVE growth of Chaeto in the sump, so maybe that helped. When I trimmed it, it would normally fill a black garbage bag.

 

[hexcolor reef]

Coarse filter pads, not disturbing live rock. No substrate and running high carbon. Low feeding

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Not really an answer to your question, but I don't worry about it very much. Reefs in nature aren't in crystal clear water either...

 

[shakacuz]

filter socks help tremendously. this is what i use, alongside two clams (maxima, and crocea).

I am thinking of making a small "power filter" in my sump to help keep detritus suspended/filtered. since the additions of the clams, they literally made my skimmer useless as it helped in decreasing my nitrate/phosphate to 0. even after shutting the skimmer down my nutrients are hovering a little above 0pp...now my sump is home to a massive bed of detritus hence why i want to make a small power filter. i occasionally go in and suck it all out into a dirty filter sock but it just comes back within a few days/weeks. i really want to turn it back on, but don't want to make it even more difficult for me to keep my no3/po4 up. my corals definitely have been losing a lot of color because of this!

 

[j.falk]

Coarse filter pads, not disturbing live rock. No substrate and running high carbon. Low feeding

Ditto for me.

 

[Rmckoy]

A massive skimmer , filter floss . And dose calcium carbonate slurry once per week to “polish “ the water .
Aside from that I also have carbon and rowaphos in the sump .

I feed heavy , blow the detritus out of the rocks often

 

[Nano_Man]

Filter floss all the time
Carbon bag
Bare bottom tanks
Sometimes polyfilter
Blowing live rock with turkey baster
Sucking up what’s on the floor of the tank when water changing

 

[Waters]

Filter socks and UV.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following this since I might incorporate some of these ideas for my tank in the future!

 

[EliMelly]

Definitely would love to see some more!!

 

[littlefoxx]

Uv sterilizer!!

 

[iriecorals]

I run uv lights. A skimmer and I’ll run carbon too. Seems to help with water clarity

 

[ReefGeezer]

The water stays pretty clear in my tank, but DIY Coral Snow w/ MB7 per @SunnyX is my go to when I want the water to disappear. I also use it if I see some Cyano starting to pop up.

 

[Homey D. Clownfish]

Filter floss and Chemipure blue

 

[X-37B]

Oversize skimmer, filter sock, rox carbon, and 10% a month WC.

 

[cvicente]

Ozone.

 

[Miami Reef]

Activated carbon and ozone.

 

[Petcrazyson]

Carbon, and Calcium Powder dosing that stuff works wonders