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Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 9:25 pm
by J-P
RTR wrote:Clarification: diatom powder, the filter medium in diatom filters of any brand, is the cast-off tests (~shells) of ancient diatoms in shallow seas. These very small critters - microscopic - have micron-sized pores which produce very fine filtration.HTH
ohhhhh that definately helps. I always though diatoms were the tiny particles that make hazy water.
Thank you!
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 5:59 am
by Chillyfish
Big fat fish, does this "blurryness" happen on a Friday+ Saturday night!!
I found the other day my water had a yellow tinge 2 it ( maybe from bogwood ) but more from a brown alge bloom.
All my readins are at zero appart from phosphate which was on 2!! So I stripped the whole tank down, scrubbed every rock etc,all the glass and cleaned all through the sand, with 50% water change!! Took all mornin!!!
Then added phosphate remover into the filter ( got from endsliegh)
add I have 2 say, after all that work, it does sparkel!!!
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 9:06 am
by bigfatfish
Chillyfish wrote:Big fat fish, does this "blurryness" happen on a Friday+ Saturday night!!
Cheeky!
Maybe its just me being picky - it seems no one else can see anything wrong with the water. But I know that its not as sparkly clear as some tanks I've seen. Not sure I could face stripping it all down & starting again though - reckon it would take me longer than just a morning.
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 2:38 pm
by Chillyfish
I no it seems drastic, but it doesn't take that long when u get stuck in!!!
It brings a whole new light 2 the tank, + the puffs seem 2 love it!!
Just a idea though. I no way u mean bout u bein the only one 2 see it, it does my head in just lookin at it like that!!!
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 7:02 pm
by J-P
RTR wrote:Diatoms are an elegant alga (get out the scope, high power) with silica tests (~=shells) commonly each half cone-shaped, but tubular forms do occur and all sorts of fancy shapes, They absolutely require soluble silicates in the water - their cast-off tests do not recycle in less than geologic time - the glass of the tank will dissolve as fast - so need fresh dissolved silicates constantly. Folks with low silicates in the water may see diatoms at first, that later fade away. That is because there is not enough to support a big population with normal partials. Folks with high soluble silicates see diatoms always, but in either case, green algae tend to out-compete diatoms and predominate. The diatoms get pushed into dimmer areas where they can hold their own against greens. Except in cases where serial frequent partials are needed, then nobody escaped diatoms.
It is the preferred food of Otocinlus catfish.
Diatom powder is mined from strata of deep layers of diatom tests in shallow seas many eons ago. The tests have microporous pores (through which the live critter gets nutrients). Those pores provide the sub-micron cleaning power of diatom powder.
Your utility will tell you the soluble silicate levels in your water.
Google for refs with pics - diatoms are beautiful.
HTH
This is what confused me ... I thought a Diatom filter was to take out Diatoms. After re-reading this I understand better.
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Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 2:37 am
by LilGreenPuffer
About that kitchen sponge... Those often contain deodorizers, antibacterial/antifungal chemicals, and unsafe dyes. I don't think they're safe. Get a Mag-Float or something.
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:04 am
by Chillyfish
I agree bout the kitchen scrubber,
but the magfloats don't work that well on a bowfront so iv heard?
Is that true??
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:07 am
by LilGreenPuffer
Since they're a flat surface and a bowfront is curved, I can see that being a problem.
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:13 am
by Chillyfish
It's only I tried it on my corner tank years ago with rubbish results
I find it easyer just 2 get my hands wet!!
All part of the fishy fun!!
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:17 am
by SammyDee
Sometimes Ya Just need to do a larger or two water changes to get it all clean. Or get an Aquaclear filter and change the carbon every so often. And I hope when you clean the filter you leave the rings alone. Bc rinsed in Tap kills the the bacteria needed hence recycling the tank. IDK other than that I never use clear water supplements and its always clean. BUt I agree with the inside prolly needs a good clean. My BW tank gets like a salt or calcium build up on the insides and needs good hard scrubbing to keep it crystal clear. Plus a crystal clear tank means somebodys is watching it daily, careful not to overfeed, does the scheduled water changes, regular testing etc. Why not post a Picture?
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 11:05 am
by RTR
"Crystal clear water" means fine particle filtration is in in place and maintained, period. It tells you absolutely nothing about water quality other than that it is free of fine particulates. The water profile may be awful with crytstal clear water. The two are only very distantly related. Certainly clear water is desirable in many display tanks, but it is never diagnostic of good or high water quality.
Unfortunately,the opposite condition of somewhat hazy water does nor mean poor water quality either. Water rich in infusoria may be of quite high quality despite the haze, and for feeding tiny fry is the preferred condition over high optical clarity, so long as the test profile indicates high water quality.
I other words, clarity and quality are basically unrelated. Heavy haze may be a symptom of poor water quality, but you have to test to determine that. You can't diagnose that from the haze alone. Tanks in old tank syndrome, with terrible water quality, typically are somewhat tinted but very clear.
Hope that clarifies a bit.
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:53 pm
by bigfatfish
As always, very helpful RTR. I know that my water quality is good & I do regular water changes. So maybe I just need a finer filter wool or something - or maybe I should just stop worrying about it!
& RTR, your last comment, made me chuckle!! "Hope that clarifies a bit" - I think you said it without realising what you actually said!
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 1:19 pm
by Pufferfreak42
SammyDee wrote:Sometimes Ya Just need to do a larger or two water changes to get it all clean. Or get an Aquaclear filter and change the carbon every so often. And I hope when you clean the filter you leave the rings alone. Bc rinsed in Tap kills the the bacteria needed hence recycling the tank. IDK other than that I never use clear water supplements and its always clean. BUt I agree with the inside prolly needs a good clean. My BW tank gets like a salt or calcium build up on the insides and needs good hard scrubbing to keep it crystal clear. Plus a crystal clear tank means somebodys is watching it daily, careful not to overfeed, does the scheduled water changes, regular testing etc. Why not post a Picture?
You don't need to have carbon in your filters. They are only really useful for taking meds out of the water. A lot of people, including myself, don't use it. I'd love to see a pic as well. You don't need to replace the media with new ones either, that's only a selling ploy to keep buying the product. Sponges for example, last for 10 yrs or more. Just rince in old tank water, that's all you need to do.
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:42 pm
by RTR
+1 to Pufferfreak42's comments.
bigfatfish: Don't I ever get credit for malice aforethought? I was sooo proud of myself, and wondered if I would get caught...
Re: Water Clarity
Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:51 am
by Pufferpunk
I had to go back & read that again. I'm a bit slow in my old age...