Improving Water Clarity

[Vanpire]

Hello and Happy New Year,

I started a new tank a few months back and overall I am pretty happy with it now that it is fairly stabilized. Corals are growing well and fish seems happy and healthy. However, I noticed that my water a a slight yellow tint, when it look it lengthwise (8' of water).

I want to try to use carbon to clear up the water a little bit more. I added a 100 micron filter sock, but not sure if that will help the yellow tint. It is a 300 gallon and I have a Vertex Alpha 200. It seems to be doing a decent job.

How many of you use carbon and how often/long do you keep the carbon in the tank?

 

[plantastic]

Hey Van-

Add a 40 watt Emperor Aquatics Smart UV. It will break down the organics that are tinting the water. At the same time, you won't have to constantly spend the money to replace carbon and risk removing too many trace elements, or create situation of promoting Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE).

You should run it between 300-350 GPH. It will make your water crystal clear, over night. You can run it inline with another pump, or have its own dedicated pump running through the sump. The important point is to be able to control the flow rate.

 

[Mael]

If you do go the carbon route, get a better quality one, you can really tell the difference in quality and dust content, with my 110g tank I can get one large red sea carbon for ~25 and it will last one yer per the dosage they recommend. I rinse well and use it in The Bag from Seachem and it really works well. Julians Two Little Fishes and the Nyos carbon all look similar as well. IMO

 

[Vanpire]

Would ozone work similarly to UV? I was thinking of going the Ozone route also.

Thanx Mael, if I were to go the carbon route, I would probably use ROX 0.8 carbon and wouldn't use it all the time. Maybe once a week or so.

 

[Jayreefer]

I use a combo if filter socks, good skimmer, ROX cabonm and BRS HC GFO and my 240 stays wonderfully clear and clean.

 

[drtrash]

Vibrant

 

[jmadison]

Would ozone work similarly to UV? I was thinking of going the Ozone route also.

Thanx Mael, if I were to go the carbon route, I would probably use ROX 0.8 carbon and wouldn't use it all the time. Maybe once a week or so.

I was going to ask if you had looked into Ozone at all. Might be a good route.

Here's a good vid on how different carbon works on removing pigments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP5Vu6OvLOI

 

[Vanpire]

I want to use carbon but worried about the carbon stripping out trace elements like Scott said.

Jay: do you have tangs and how often do you use/change your carbon?

 

[azsoccerpop]

Would ozone work similarly to UV? I was thinking of going the Ozone route also.

Thanx Mael, if I were to go the carbon route, I would probably use ROX 0.8 carbon and wouldn't use it all the time. Maybe once a week or so.

The only thing with ozone is don't you have to use carbon on the effluent anyway to rid any excess before return? This leads back to your original question of using carbon. Bit of a circle. I considered ozone as well but have yet to implement on my 90G

 

[jmadison]

The only thing with ozone is don't you have to use carbon on the effluent anyway to rid any excess before return? This leads back to your original question of using carbon. Bit of a circle. I considered ozone as well but have yet to implement on my 90G

From my understanding (allbeit limited) the o3 doesn't last long enough in the water to even make it back to the display prior to oxidizing and forming o2 and other compounds. A bag of carbon on the outlet assures this, and a dry bag for the release into the atmosphere(inside the stand) to make sure you don't kill pets or low crawling humans.

 

[plantastic]

Ozone will also clear the water of organic tint.

From my reading and IMO however, it is just as costly as a good UV, labor intensive with output adjusting and frequent probe calibration, and potentially disadvantageous to the animals, depending on implementation, design and vigilance. It also has higher support costs with the carbon use as a part of those support costs, thus it doesn't eliminate the potential for HLLE.

That's why my "go-to" has always been a QUALITY UV. Which basically means an Emperor Aquatics or an Aqua UV. It is as "set and forget" as can be, for this hobby. Change the bulb once a year, and make sure the quartz sleeve is clean when you do.

 

[dream54ing]

If ozone is not out of the question, I would highly recommend it. I had a Red Sea Ozone unit connected directly to my skimmer and it always kept the tank clear. The water was so clear, it even looked blue when the lights are off. I didn't see much improvement in water quality (probably because I had over 30 med/large fish in a 600gal)

I've used UV and carbon(still using), but didn't really get the same result as ozone.

We are currently testing Vibrant on my personal system and two other customers system, but result is minimal so far. We're planning to carry it in stock if we get better results in the next few weeks.

 

[dream54ing]

From my understanding (allbeit limited) the o3 doesn't last long enough in the water to even make it back to the display prior to oxidizing and forming o2 and other compounds. A bag of carbon on the outlet assures this, and a dry bag for the release into the atmosphere(inside the stand) to make sure you don't kill pets or low crawling humans.

Always kept a large bag of carbon on the outlet of the skimmer, but never knew you had to keep a dry bag :sad2:

 

[jmadison]

Always kept a large bag of carbon on the outlet of the skimmer, but never knew you had to keep a dry bag :sad2:

Remember I may not know what I am talking about here :hmm5: (truthfully)

The application of a dry bag I am referring to is to cover the top vents of the skimmer (assuming this is how you inject the o3). This scrubs off the o3 prior to entering your home and harming you or your furry low lying animals (because o3 is relatively heavy and stays low in rooms/spaces). Some people run a second skimmer that has been modified to not really skim, rather just mix in o3 and then they convert the whole skimmer cup to hold carbon to scrub the "air" leaving the top of the modded skimmer.


Some people have to have the second skimmer just because injecting the o3 into primary skimmer diminishes overall skimmate production; do you find this to be true? Or does your skimmer still perform what you would consider to be "normally" while injecting o3?

I have an Enaly ozone generator/air dryer at home I am contemplating implementing in my 175 build. I just don't know yet... :hmm4:

 

[drtrash]

If water is that yellow, increase water changes or try ozone at low levels I was surprised how well vibrant cleared the water

 

[bif24701]

You only need about 1-2 cups of ROX carbon every 4-6 weeks, I don't see how that's costly or largo intensive? Yes the ozone and UV help but much more can go wrong or they stop working. Also UV bulbs have to be changed and the glass needs cleaning regularly. Carbon is cheap.


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[kjonulak]

Vibrant made my tank crystal clear in 24 hours.

 

[Vanpire]

This is super interesting. I am going to start with water change first. I know that won't cause issues and is pretty cheap.

I seriously considered UV but it is huge and relatively expensive so still thinking about it.

I do think carbon is cheap and easy, but I am worried that it might lead to the dreaded HLLE disease on my tangs. I have 6 of them.

I am also considering ozone but it seems like double work with the addition of carbon, but I did read that ozone WITH carbon removed the most organics in a system, much more than either alone.

Would like to see the results of Vibrant that Francis is testing. Francis, I hope you keep us posted.

 

[bif24701]

This is super interesting. I am going to start with water change first. I know that won't cause issues and is pretty cheap.

I seriously considered UV but it is huge and relatively expensive so still thinking about it.

I do think carbon is cheap and easy, but I am worried that it might lead to the dreaded HLLE disease on my tangs. I have 6 of them.

I am also considering ozone but it seems like double work with the addition of carbon, but I did read that ozone WITH carbon removed the most organics in a system, much more than either alone.

Would like to see the results of Vibrant that Francis is testing. Francis, I hope you keep us posted.

I have never had any type or level of HLLE in my tangs since I started using BRS ROX carbon about 7 years ago. Because it rinses so well and I use it in a reactor there is no danger of spilling carbon fines into the system.


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[azsoccerpop]

From my understanding (allbeit limited) the o3 doesn't last long enough in the water to even make it back to the display prior to oxidizing and forming o2 and other compounds. A bag of carbon on the outlet assures this, and a dry bag for the release into the atmosphere(inside the stand) to make sure you don't kill pets or low crawling humans.

Low crawling humans..hehe. My blessing and my curse has been that ORP probe on my Apex. I have held off on the Red Sea Ozonator and honestly I have not suffered. 25% water change every 2 weeks is less scary then o3 killing the tank