[ProjectCode619]

HELP!!!

This is the first time this has happened to me! :help:

So after I hardscaped my tank on Saturday, I added 10 gallons of RO water, ran the new filter, let it sit and just got back from my parent's home and now this!

Water was milky but its a milky clear white, nothing like what you see below. I used 1 inch of washed NEW river sand and 2 inches of USED ADA Type II Aquasoil. What I used for hardscape is only broken down pieces of slate that I already soaked in bleach, then in salt/citrus water, finally boiled for 15 minutes and let it dry.

So basically, the only things in this tank right now is

* 10 gallons of RO water
* 1 inch of river sand - NEW
* 2 inch of ADA II - USED
* Approx. 8lbs of Slate

Any possible explanation why the water would change from milky/clear to darkorange/red in just 30hrs of running the filter or so? The filter is an Eheim 2213 by the way. Washed and cleaned properly before using it. The water has that earthly smell when it first starts to rain...

 

[roadmaster]

When you say you washed the sand, did you wash it several times?
Is sand on bottom and Aquasoil on top? I would place sand on top and maybe a little deeper.
Water changes,fine filter material,Carbon, could clear the tank.

 

[Scars]

Yeah im leaning towards sand dust. How well did you rinse the sand?

 

[ProjectCode619]

Hey,

I've just drained the whole tank and added 10 gallons of faucet water. Plugged the filter in and in 15 minutes, the water is starting to get cloudier again. That is so weird. Shouldn't it be the complete opposite?

I rinsed the ADA twice and the sand like 5 times. This is just so weird!

 

[roadmaster]

Would clean the filter material frequently, and or run some carbon for a few day's.
The cleaner the filter material,,the faster the water will clear.
More water changes.

 

[accordztech]

maybe u should either wait, or get a garden hose and then fill it as its being drained. So it will get some of the dust out.

 

[Optix]

1. clean your filter

2. drain/fill tank

3. run filter

4. watch your tank for 20mins

5. get your answer and share

I personally think your filter is probably picking up the sand dust by scouring the substrate as it turns over the water

 

[OVT]

You actually should not wash/rinse AquaSoil. The smell is fine, that's how AS smells.

I agree with Optix that you are probably churning your substrate up. Also, with intake so close to the substrate, your probably sucking in substrate into your filter and it's pretty clogged up.

AquaSoil settles rather quickly by itself. I would turn the filter off and let the tank sit with no circulation for an hour or 2. If the tank visibly clears up, then his guess is correct. Then I would clean the filter, raise the intake up, fill the tank all the way up, and make sure your spray bar is not pointing towards the bottom.

If it does not clear up, then your substrate is leaching suspended particles into the tank. If you got AS from someone else, I'd rethink using it in your tank. If you sure about the source of the used AS, then I'd suspect your sand.

Good luck and let us know.

 

[demonr6]

Run filter floss in your filter and see how that fares. Works in my dirt tanks during initial setup. I have to swap frequently since it gunks up fast,

 

[FreshtoSalt]

Did your filter come with those "brown balls" as bio filter media?
When i was cleaning those balls in my new Eheim filter, they gave out huge amounts of dust with the same color I see on your picture. Maybe the filter media was not rinsed as good as you thought after all. I was surprises how much stuff came out of mine and spent a good 15 mins. rinsing it. So maybe go back, and rinse the media a little more; I was fairly vigorous moving it around while washing it, and still got a little tint in the water for a day or two, but nothing like yours though... $.02

 

[ProjectCode619]

Hey guys,

Thanks. I actually drained that nasty looking water. Added 12 gallons of regular sink water, ran it for about 24 hours, drained that, let it sit dry for about 24 hours and just last night I added 11 gallons of RO water.

Right now the water is still milky but not as bad as the first day of course. I washed my filter inserts and media thoroughly already also. Should I just wait a couple more days to see or is there someone wrong with this picture I can fix right away?

* Have not added any carbons or purigen in the filter yet. Could this be why the water is milky and not clear? I read somewhere above that at this stage, using either of what I mentioned will be very wasteful and better stick to water changes.

 

[HD Blazingwolf]

Hey guys,

* Have not added any carbons or purigen in the filter yet. Could this be why the water is milky and not clear? I read somewhere above that at this stage, using either of what I mentioned will be very wasteful and better stick to water changes.

correct!! just change the water you'll be fine.. it will get there and soon you will be happy try to enjoy the process. its what makes the hobby fun IMO

 

[Chlorophile]

You washed your Aquasoil.
Thats the problem.
If you've ever seen how jawbreakers are made - washing aquasoil is basically the opposite process.
The outer layers dissolve and turn into a muddy liquid that sticks to the soil pebbles - and then it clouds the water.

If you can't get it clear then you need to drain the tank and let the aquasoil dry, if you are impatient you can dry it bit by bit in the oven on a low heat, then sift it while its dry. You should be able to get all of the dust away from the pieces of aquasoil that are still solid, then put the aquasoil back in the tank, just chuck the dust that comes off.

 

[ProjectCode619]

Hey guys,

Aquasoil can't be washed. Got it. Learned that the hard way. However, right now pretty much all the hardscape is done and set in stone kind way so taking the soil out to dry it and putting it back in would be too long.

Water changes I guess would be a great option but to save from using pure RO during every water changes, should I just do a water change with sink water for the next 5 times or something?

Would using carbon be another "easier" alternative to getting the water clearer?

 

[Chlorophile]

Carbon wont clear up the water - purigen will

 

[ProjectCode619]

Hey guys,

So this morning, the water looks like its going to turn out to be like what shown in the first picture soon. Its getting more cloudier and more orange every day it seems like. Also there is this oddly Iron/Rust smell...that isn't normal right? Must not be normal...

 

[OVT]

I believe I've asked this before: where did you get your used AS from?

 

[ProjectCode619]

I believe I've asked this before: where did you get your used AS from?

Hey,

I bought them from a friend. He only used it for like 5-6 months.

By the way the water is back to the picture on OP after running adding 11 gallons of NEW RO water since Tuesday night. So weird...

 

[zackdmb]

id dump the substrate, call it a lesson learned and move on.

 

[ProjectCode619]

Hey guys,

I'll probably give it a couple more drains and fills. By the 5th complete drain and fill if they all end up the same then yeah something is indeed wrong...