yellow water despite using carbon

[jbholasingh]

The water in my tank is always yellow/brown. Not enough to notice when blue light are on but when lights are off or only whites, I notice it. I used to think it was dissolved organics but I have used loads o activated carbon with no luck. I'm thinking it may be a particulate problem that my filter socks cant remove. How can I polish my water?

 

[JNalley]

The water in my tank is always yellow/brown. Not enough to notice when blue light are on but when lights are off or only whites, I notice it. I used to think it was dissolved organics but I have used loads o activated carbon with no luck. I'm thinking it may be a particulate problem that my filter socks cant remove. How can I polish my water?

How are you using the carbon (ie, where in the filtration path and how is it setup)? What micron filter socks are you using? Does the tank smell at all? The only other thing I can think of would be something like this in the display for 3-4 days to see if it makes a difference, or a UV somewhere in your filtration if it's bacterial/biological in nature

Marineland® Polishing Internal Filter | fish Filters | PetSmart

Marineland® Polishing Internal Filter at PetSmart. Shop all fish filters online

www.petsmart.com

 

[mtraylor]

For water clarity and polishing. Iblisted a few below. Seachem makes a polishing powder as well. I think it's calcium carbonite.

1. Carbon in media Carbonite.. slightly tumbled
2. 100 micron socks
3. Uv sterilizer
4. Ozone

 

[Spare time]

How do you have the water in the tank? Is it in a hob filter, reactor, etc.?

 

[Miami Reef]

That’s interesting.

Never heard of yellow water despite using activated carbon.

 

[exnisstech]

SNIP

Marineland® Polishing Internal Filter | fish Filters | PetSmart

Marineland® Polishing Internal Filter at PetSmart. Shop all fish filters online

www.petsmart.com

With Diatomaceous Earth (DE) but probably not on a large tank. I have done this on smaller tanks and it does result in clear water.

 

[JNalley]

With Diatomaceous Earth (DE) but probably not on a large tank. I have done this on smaller tanks and it does result in clear water.

Back in the day on my 55 gallon, I used to run 2 cannisters, one with normal stages in it, and the other had a vacuum style filter in it, I wanna say it was 5micron or something crazy like that, looked just like a HEPA filter in a vacuum, a cylinder with a bunch of fins in it. I ran it only when I needed to polish the water, and it worked really well, but I cannot find a cannister like that anywhere anymore...

 

[Tathamet]

Coral snow or diy with calcium carbonate and ro di water really cleared up a yellow/brown tinge that I didn’t know I had until I used it lol. But it was a night and day difference 2 hours after the first dose

Edit: This is the guide I followed from @SunnyX

 

[Kodski]

Coral snow or diy with calcium carbonate and ro di water really cleared up a yellow/brown tinge that I didn’t know I had until I used it lol. But it was a night and day difference 2 hours after the first dose

Edit: This is the guide I followed from @SunnyX

I did the DIY method following that guide and I'm super happy with it. You can really tell the difference in clarity of the water. I really only use it every two weeks or so. Basically whenever I remember or do a lot of tank maintenance. I did have experience with coral snow from KZ, and I never really noticed a huge difference with following the recommended dosage. The DIY stuff I can really tell the difference though.

I would highly recommend the OP give this a shot. Its cheap to boot.

 

[Cory]

I had the same problem before where rox .8 didnt change the color. It still had a brown tinge to it. I also have a 90watt uv sterilizer that didnt change the color. What worked amazing was and still is ozone. Its as clear as ro water now, no joke. I posted a pic of a before and after just search my name and ozone.