# Need help with first dirt tank - yellow water



## Watever (Aug 16, 2015)

I started a 10g dirt tank and I am not sure what to do.

I used dirt from the store that didn't have chemicals in it (at least from what the bag says) and put some gravel over it. I let it stabilise for a while, used some ceramic from my other tank to seed bacteria.
It's running an aquafilter 50 at minimum speed, I have sponge at the inlet, bio-balls in the container & I recently added a pad of carbon fiber (see if it would help).
I left it cycle by itself for 3 weeks, did half water change and after 2 days, I transfered stuff from another small tank I was shutting down to it. (1 black neon, 2 yamato shrimp, 3 assasin snail, 1 anubis and another plant that I don't know of). Been running it like that for a little more than a week now.

The water is always turning yellow, but no sign of algua, except for what was on the rock and plant from the other tank.
My lights are on a 10 hours, marineland leds.

I am using an api freshwater test kit.
My PH is high (is it a problem ?) : 7.6-7.8
Ammonia (NH3/NH4+) : 0.25ppm or less but a little more than 0
Nitrite NO2- : 0ppm
Nitrate NO3- : 0ppm


My question : is my ph a problem ?
What can I do with the color of my water ? is my dirt leaching stuff, will it go better or can I do something ? Adding more plants to clear ?

So far, everyone seems happy in the tank.

Thank you everyone, I am glad I have found this forum.


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## Mariostg (Sep 6, 2014)

Welcome Watever.
Yellowish water could be from tannin leaching out of the soil. Can you provide more details about the soil? I suppose you cleand the gravel thoroughly.


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

That is why sand is what is recommended as a cap. Less flow through it.
The tannin will eventually stop. But that could take a couple of months. 
It will gradually get lighter as this happens.


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## Mariostg (Sep 6, 2014)

Other option, turn this into your favor, make a black water tank out of it. I have a tank that turned out like this after tubifex worm turned everything upside down. It became my uncapped tank.


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## Watever (Aug 16, 2015)

Mariostg said:


> Welcome Watever.
> Yellowish water could be from tannin leaching out of the soil. Can you provide more details about the soil? I suppose you cleand the gravel thoroughly.


I don't have the chemistry or ingredient of the soil unfortunately.

I cleaned the gravel nicely. Same with the dirt.

Should I do a lot of water change or just keep it like that ?
I wanted to start a little planted tank before going big. Appartment is on sell and my GF wouldn't let me start a large tank without doing some basic stuff, hehe.


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## Mariostg (Sep 6, 2014)

By details I meant the brand. Sorry. 
I am not a big fan of water change as opposed to most people. But I suppose it would help clarify the water. Alternatively activated charcoal or purigen might help. But I never used those. I would let it go for a couple of weeks. Put as many plants as you can. Floaters ate good.
But tannins are tough to get rid of.

Sent from my SGH-M919V using Tapatalk


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## grizzly_a (Sep 9, 2014)

It will get better with time. I had the same thing happen. I waited until it was gold/tea colored, then did a 50% water change. Then waited until it got the same color again and did another water change. After that I started growing algae and did WC when I was cleaning the tank. The tannins have pretty much stopped.

I think I read that the tank is about a month old (give or take a week)?? Get some more plants for it, maybe a bunch of stems or a floater like Mariostg suggested. The tannins will subside over the course of the next couple of months.


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## TankPlanter (May 31, 2015)

I'm about a month and a half into my first dirted tank, and having the same problem! I assumed this was from the brown diatom algae that typically occurs at this stage of a dirt tank. I wonder if yours is tannins or diatoms. How would one differentiate brown diatoms= yellow water from tannins=yellow water? My cap is sand (20/40 black diamond). I'm doing frequent water changes to keep it clear, and-perhaps a clue-squeezing out my sponge filter releases lots of yellow/brown.


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## Watever (Aug 16, 2015)

TankPlanter said:


> I'm about a month and a half into my first dirted tank, and having the same problem! I assumed this was from the brown diatom algae that typically occurs at this stage of a dirt tank. I wonder if yours is tannins or diatoms. How would one differentiate brown diatoms= yellow water from tannins=yellow water? My cap is sand (20/40 black diamond). I'm doing frequent water changes to keep it clear, and-perhaps a clue-squeezing out my sponge filter releases lots of yellow/brown.


Well I had some algae when my wife turned the filter off but none so far or nearly none. 
I am sure it's tannin cause if I do water change its clear and come back progressively but still rapidly. 

Sent from my 6043A using Tapatalk


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## Fireweed farm (Apr 3, 2015)

My small (under 10g) dirt tank had yellow water for about 3-4 months. Well it never completely left but it almost lost it's tannin tea now.

I believe it blocks some light, but may actually be beneficial to fish from tannin rich areas.
Personally I just got used to it.


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## jonnyboy (Mar 13, 2013)

When I set up my first 20high dirty tank I did a couple things before throwing it in. First I used 'miracle grow organically choice' or whatever it's called. Second I removed as much of the wood particles as possible. Third I mineralized it. (Look it up if you don't know. There are many links out) fourth I used a sand cap, which really shouldn't make too much of a difference. Fifth I let my tank cycle for a couple months. My fish were in a smaller cycled tank. 

I think mineralizing was the trick. It's supposed to help leach out any chemicals and mostly help with algae spoke at the beginning. The spike is due to your diet leaching. 

My sand is only 1-2" thick at its thinnest. The dirt itself is only an inch.

Just wanted to share that. Maybe it will help you


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## Caliban07 (Aug 19, 2015)

you most likely have a peat mix in your soil that is leaching tannic acid. You could run carbon in your filter to alleviate the problem until the leaching slows down. I'd just leave it. It shouldn't cause any problems with the fish or plants and will go away after a number of water changes a few months down the road.

I dont think mineralising or using a sand cap will suppress the release of tannins enough to make any noticeable difference. Soaking it and renewing the water over the course of a couple of months prior to adding it would however and is most likely the reason another poster had no issues. 

Hope this helps


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