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

[FishTruck]

I do it all. 12 feet of water... you can really notice if it is not clear.
ozone, filter socks, UV, occasional carbon, occasional home made snow, strategic vacuuming into filter socks, bare bottom.

The usual daily lack of clarity, for me, seems to be mostly detritus blowing around. This is a simple reality with a bare bottom tank and lots of feeding - I think. The occasional hazy water is where the UV, ozone, and carbon come in handy.

 

[-XENOMORPH-]

1 rinseable sponge cut to fit overflow, 1 filter sock, 1 Skimmer. 90 total gallons. That's all she wrote!

 

[Troylee]

DIY coral snow and mb7/vodka

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Filter floss in my cups rather than socks. (Much easier) Carbon reactor as well as a protein skimmer. I also clean the glass with vinegar.

 

[SPS2020]

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

Just an observation, there is no flow going on in that aquarium for this picture. Look at the completely calm surface water. Mine looks like the ocean on a windy day. lol

For my DT, I have UV, filter socks, skimmer, carbon and use calcium carbonate when cleaning the glass and bare bottom of the tank.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Haha, I held off on ozone for a long time because of the price and issues that may arise.

However, a few years ago I broke down and purchased a poseidon ozone generator and made my own ozone reactor based on the avast marine version.

Boy oh boy! It made the water crystal clear, I was always reluctant to believe people when they said fish look like they're floating in air.

But I'm a believer now.

 

[leepink23]

Water changes, Carbon Reactor and occasional filter floss.

 

[Cajun86]

Ozone into skimmer

 

[mchans]

Ozone into skimmer

Yep me too. Just started last week and made an immediate impact.

 

[DHill6]

Pinky floss, cut into square and placed in cup instead of sock. Skimmer, small amount of carbon passive in bag just in case, weekly water change and an Oxidator. I definitely can see when the Oxidator runs out, film on glass from coral additives.

 

[zoomonster]

Clean filter socks, carbon, skimmer and ozone.

 

[scottbapilot]

Carbon, Ozone and a filter roller. Might be a little overkill but it works for me.

 

[MrGisonni]

Bare bottom, filter sock, carbon, changed often and a small UV

 

[paragrouper]

Floss, chemipure, skimmer and Oxydator.

 

[Nicholasbar]

I like to not move my sand around much. Once I place something in my sand it stays there. Once little push of sand can cause a lot of the tank to be cloudy.