Hey everyone! Just like many of you, I am new to the aquarium hobby. Recently I had a HUGE issue with cloudy water which made my tank very unpleasant and absolutely impossible to even see the background in my tank. I tried everything I could and was given a hundred or so possible causes and solutions to my problem. Finally I found the answer and thought I would share it with you all.
Like I said, my tank was so cloudy that I could not see the background on my tank as well as any of my fish who happened to hang out anywhere less than 2 inches or so from the front. I had tried everything from water changes to even getting water from a different source (I have well water and began replacing it with city water). None of this worked until I talked to an aquarim expert. He told me that I should cut a swatch of white t-shirt and place it between the two filters in my filtration system. I can honestly tell you that in less than two hours, you could harly tell there was even water in the tank!
There are two main concerns when doing this however. First, and most obviously, you must check and/or change the t-shirt very regularly. It is also important to note that the t-shirt does not need to be a permanent fixture either and should be used on an 'as needed' basis. The idea is that the t-shirt will provide a much finer mesh for water to flow through and can catch smaller particles that the regular filters do not.
Secondly, do not attempt to use a t-shirt that is dirty, greasy, or otherwise full of harmful chemicals. THIS DOES INCLUDE laundry soap so it may be wise to purchase a cheap t-shirt at your local Wal-Mart for use.
This filtration system is the answer to some of the VERY expensive filters on the market which can and do clear up water problems. Keep in mind though that there could be other reasons for cloudy water and this may not solve everything. In the case of my tank, I was baffled because the water perameters were all exactly where I wanted them with the exception of a very slightly high level of nitrites. Since then however, my nitrates have been lowered since the reduction in particulate matter in the water led to cleaner water.
Again, I am new to the hobby myself and am only posting this because I thought the info could help out some others who may be having the same issue I was.
Like I said, my tank was so cloudy that I could not see the background on my tank as well as any of my fish who happened to hang out anywhere less than 2 inches or so from the front. I had tried everything from water changes to even getting water from a different source (I have well water and began replacing it with city water). None of this worked until I talked to an aquarim expert. He told me that I should cut a swatch of white t-shirt and place it between the two filters in my filtration system. I can honestly tell you that in less than two hours, you could harly tell there was even water in the tank!
There are two main concerns when doing this however. First, and most obviously, you must check and/or change the t-shirt very regularly. It is also important to note that the t-shirt does not need to be a permanent fixture either and should be used on an 'as needed' basis. The idea is that the t-shirt will provide a much finer mesh for water to flow through and can catch smaller particles that the regular filters do not.
Secondly, do not attempt to use a t-shirt that is dirty, greasy, or otherwise full of harmful chemicals. THIS DOES INCLUDE laundry soap so it may be wise to purchase a cheap t-shirt at your local Wal-Mart for use.
This filtration system is the answer to some of the VERY expensive filters on the market which can and do clear up water problems. Keep in mind though that there could be other reasons for cloudy water and this may not solve everything. In the case of my tank, I was baffled because the water perameters were all exactly where I wanted them with the exception of a very slightly high level of nitrites. Since then however, my nitrates have been lowered since the reduction in particulate matter in the water led to cleaner water.
Again, I am new to the hobby myself and am only posting this because I thought the info could help out some others who may be having the same issue I was.
