# Brown Water in planted tank



## Thirdcopy (May 12, 2013)

My water in my new planted tank.

Set it up like a week ago.
Flourite substrate, washed and dried and still looks like this.

HELP


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## Steezy B (Apr 19, 2013)

The brown color (tannin) is coming from your driftwood. Water changes will help but driftwood can release tannins for a year (or more?). You can look into buying purigen which help keep the water clear


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## Thirdcopy (May 12, 2013)

So is it safe for fish? I mean I have a betta and I would love to put him into the tank but not sure if its safe or not?


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## PunknDestroy (May 9, 2013)

tannins are actually beneficial for bettas. its perfectly fine. unless you dont enjoy the way it looks. water changes or the purigen.



Thirdcopy said:


> So is it safe for fish? I mean I have a betta and I would love to put him into the tank but not sure if its safe or not?


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## Thirdcopy (May 12, 2013)

Thanks Guys, you saved me hours and hours of research and speculations!!


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## PunknDestroy (May 9, 2013)

No problem. If you look up blackwater extract, people dose their tank with it to get that look. You got it for free!



Thirdcopy said:


> Thanks Guys, you saved me hours and hours of research and speculations!!


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## AirstoND (Jun 17, 2011)

Add carbon rocks to 3-stage filter.


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## eswat (Mar 9, 2016)

I setup a brand new dirted tank on friday, dirt, clay, crushed coral and aquarium gravel for substrate. I baked my dirt to mineralize it instead of doing the outdoor wash and dry bit. I have a dog, didn't want him playing or pooping in it. Did everything else as outlined in dustins dirted tank book. I did 3 water changes one day and 3 more the next. I planted it with anachris, crypt, dwarf sag, glossimia alot of which has melted. No wood. But my water was dark brown in 24hours. I did a 75% water change, water looked much better after the change, but 24hrs later it was brown, not as brown as before but still brown. I waited a couple of days and did another 75% water change. Water looked better after the change. But again 24hours later it was darker brown again. The water smells fishy but I haven't got any fish in it so i don't know why it would smell fishy already either. Does the brown actually go away after many water changes or does it ever go away. I have checked my ammonia and nitrites, several times, first couple of times nothing but today i have trace ammonia. No nitrites. Not enough to require another water change so soon. Other thing is I am wasting alot of water conditioner with all the water changes.. This is getting expensive. I setup a gravel only substrate tank and didn't have so much trouble. My fish are happy, I'm happy...


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Bettas love tannins, I put rooibos (red bush) tea in my betta tank for tannins and antibiotics.

You can speed up the removal of the tannins by doing a large water change and loading the filter with carbon(will also fix the smell), if you want to.
I think tannins are useful as they help drive down the pH. pH below 7 is better in general for fish as it reduces to speed at which ammonia builds up. There are exceptions, but hose fish are harder to keep....partly because of this.
In fact ammonia below pH7 will turn into less toxic ammonium.

The wood will leach slower and slower with time. My latest piece of Mopani is pretty stable after about 3 months, adding only the slightest tinge of colour.

If you don't have fish, buy a cheaper water conditioner. I use Aquadene. About $1.50, if I convert, for 100ml. 5ml treats 60L (16 gal), So the bottle will do 320 US gallon.


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## d33pVI (Oct 28, 2015)

eswat said:


> I setup a brand new dirted tank on friday, dirt, clay, crushed coral and aquarium gravel for substrate. I baked my dirt to mineralize it instead of doing the outdoor wash and dry bit. I have a dog, didn't want him playing or pooping in it. Did everything else as outlined in dustins dirted tank book. I did 3 water changes one day and 3 more the next. I planted it with anachris, crypt, dwarf sag, glossimia alot of which has melted. No wood. But my water was dark brown in 24hours. I did a 75% water change, water looked much better after the change, but 24hrs later it was brown, not as brown as before but still brown. I waited a couple of days and did another 75% water change. Water looked better after the change. But again 24hours later it was darker brown again. The water smells fishy but I haven't got any fish in it so i don't know why it would smell fishy already either. Does the brown actually go away after many water changes or does it ever go away. I have checked my ammonia and nitrites, several times, first couple of times nothing but today i have trace ammonia. No nitrites. Not enough to require another water change so soon. Other thing is I am wasting alot of water conditioner with all the water changes.. This is getting expensive. I setup a gravel only substrate tank and didn't have so much trouble. My fish are happy, I'm happy...


You have discovered the dirty little secret of soil substrate that typically gets glossed over during discussion. The water will clear up, but it may take weeks/months before it will stay nice and clear depending on the soil content, how well it is capped, etc. Keep on changing that water...


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

What strikes me about soil, is the extra debris and dust on plant leaves if your flow is not well directed/adequate.

I made a compromise today, I drained the water from my gravel tank, adding a bit more to get all the old poop out.
Then I made a little pool in the gravel under the light tube, where the best light is. Filled that with dirt, planted the pools and capped with river sand for the corries.

Despite the corries dislodging some fine dust, things are already clearing.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Dirt is often not as simple as we tend to think. It is often and assortment of various items. Some of these items will degrade and put out color. 
Dirt takes special care to avoid a totally different set of problems than using other, more specific items. 
Can we say dirt is "dirty"?


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