# Yellow tint to the water!



## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

Hi guys, my tank is fairly new. I filled it a week ago and added plants the day after. I've been noticing that the water color appears off. I thought at first maybe it was the reflection of my wall color (beige) through the tank.. but now I'm skeptical... I don't have an aquarium test kit just yet... what could be turning my water yellow? Is there anything I can do to make my water color more normal?


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## msharper (Aug 19, 2011)

SEACHEM PURIGIN. Get some, use it, you won't be sorry. Crystal clear water in less than 12 hours.


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## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

i added a few fish today to help cycle the tank... will the seachem purigin affect them? and this will work no matter the cause of the yellow water?


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## zachary908 (Feb 12, 2011)

Purigen will not harm fish. It will definitely remove the discoloration of the water. Carbon will do the same.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Tannins.

Do you have any wood? Peat moss? WHat substrate?


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

GoldenTetra said:


> i added a few fish today to help cycle the tank... will the seachem purigin affect them? and this will work no matter the cause of the yellow water?


Purigen will not harm the fish. The cycle will kill them though.


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## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

they are feeders, if the cycle kills them, which I hope it doesn't but am not naieve enough to think that it wont, then they had a few days/weeks/months longer then they would've I guess. 

I have drift wood and some rocks that I added to the tank. The substrate is Miracle-Gro organic potting mix capped with black diamond blasting sand.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

The wood and the potting soil could be tinting the water. 

Using feeders is even worse... It is just asking to open up the tank to disease prior to getting your planned fish. 

I only use ammonia and filters from established tanks now. Just not worth it anymore.


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## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

:s I guess I should've thought that one through a little better... I did use filter media from an established tank though. 

So if I use this purigen its going to take care of the tint problems for good? Or should I keep using it? How does it work? Sorry for all the questions the more I know, the easier it'll be to find lol I'm worried that around here it'll be a bit more difficult to get my hands on.


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## shinycard255 (Sep 15, 2011)

The Miracle Grow potting mix will for sure tint the water. I just put this in my new 60G and it turned the water yellow before even putting driftwood in. I'm sure the tanins will go away eventually, just give it some time and water changes.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Water changes are usually the best bet to long term cure of it. Some wood/soil takes a LONG time to get rid of the tannins. Some goes away quickly.


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## tetra73 (Aug 2, 2011)

Yeah, do more water change since the source of the yellow tint is still there. With Purigen, you may find yourself needing to recharge it more often since your wood and substrate are still making the water yellow.


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## msharper (Aug 19, 2011)

Carbon will have a similar effect but the downsides are, it doesn't last long before becoming useless, not recommended for long term use in a planted tank, not rechargeable. Purigen is however longer lasting, does not remove trace elements that all plants need to grow properly, is easily recharged with house hold bleach and then dechlorinator. Purigen is the kind of thing you would always have running in your filter, IMO. With driftwood and MGO you could be leaching tannins for months even years! Just an FYI when you do recharge your Purigen, use regular/classic bleach, make sure there is nothing else in it like added scents or perfumes. 
Good luck!


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## clarosee (Sep 25, 2011)

water changes help a ton


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## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

I'd just wait it out. On my 5 gallon dirt tank I just did it took a full week to completely clear up. My Miracle Grow had a lot of wood chips in it. That was with like 4 50% water changes. 

On my 30 it only took two days with one 25%. Every tank is different. The Miracle Grow in this one had very little wood. One thing I did on my 30 though was I boiled my driftwood for an entire day. I'd boil it, pour out the tea, boil it again...all day. I think that helps a lot if it's new driftwood.


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## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

I sooo can't wait it out, this morning I woke up and the tank is BROWN! I called my LFS and the guy said to change the charcoal in my filter rather than use the Purigen.. He said the less chemicals in a tank the better... Will this make a difference?


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

i had 4 pieces of wood and osmocote organic soil in my shrimp tank. im on week 6 with 50% water changes and its finally starting to clear up

purigen is a different version of carbon. its not a chemical

keep changing water. it will go away.. carbon fills up fast if water is tat discolored.. i changed my carbon every 5 days with my 50% changes.. i no longer use the carbon


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## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

ugh I hate the language barrier here (Where I live - Not the forums lol!), I don't think he understood what I meant but I have no idea what Purigen would be called or how to describe it in french lol. 

Quick question, can I find purigen at a Walmart or do I need to go to a fish place? If my LFS didn't know what it was, I doubt they stock it and the next closest one is an hour away!


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

you don't HAVE to use it... if ur water is as tinted as im thinking.. it will be a waste of money. IMO
i wish i hadn't spent the 2 dollars on carbon.. note that it hurt me but there was no point. the water changes are really what made the difference. u can orde rit online though fairly cheap


edit: walmart here does not carry it


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## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

how often were you doing the 50% water changes? I'm doing one now, and I bought some new charcoal today, I'm hoping to notice atleast a miniscule change by tomorrow! I definitely don't mind having to keep changing the water as I don't think it takes too long, if my husband and I change it together it should only take like 35 - 45 minutes.

I posted pictures of the atrocity in my journal "my 75g newbie build..." http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/151519-my-75g-newbie-build.html they're on the second page, before and after pics...


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## msharper (Aug 19, 2011)

No no no. If you live in Montreal, like I do, you can buy it at any serious pet store. You can find it at Aquarius on Jean Talon est. or at Aquatica on the corner of the 40 and blv. Des Sources in the west island. If your on the south shore both SAFARI's carry it. But even the little fish shops normally have it. It is not a carbon of any kind, it will not leach any chemicals into the water. PM me if you do live in Quebec and I'll help you out.


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## msharper (Aug 19, 2011)

Ha! Amazing! I just checked out your newbie post. I remember seeing that tank for sale on KIJIJI!!! Good buy!


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## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

YAY for another Quebecker!  So purigen really is the way to go then? I live like an hour outside the city, usually we go to Nature in Pte-Claire... I wish it would've been brown YESTERDAY because we went there yesterday lol... it'll be a while before I go back but I'll look around here for it, theres another petstore like 30 mins away and I have to go to that town on wednesday anyway.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

i do 1 50% every week. on sunday to be exact. it takes 5 minutes
i fill one five gallon bucket full of water. add dechlorinator stir. drain tank with a 3/4 inch hose homehade siphon. (takes around 12 seconds to drain) and plate and pour 5 gallons in.. DONE. i then add 1/8 tsp csm+b and 1/8 tsp GH Booster and that's it that's for my 10 gallon

my 29 gallon whemn it had yellow water. its water changes take 10 minutes. fill 4 5 gallon buckets full ( i change 20 gallons on it) dechlorinate. stir. run siphon out front window. drain in 45 seconds. beging filling 

edit home made siphons can be made for under 25 bux for 25 feet of length using pvc, garden hose/vinyl tubingor heater tubing


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## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

We do have a syphon, thank god. I started to change out the water and had to stop to make supper because I was using a freakin bucket and a juice pitcher... its a 75 gallon tank, it would've taken a while... Hubby is home now and hes been put to work on using the syphon and draining the rest of the tank, I'm guessing we have another 5 - 10 mins of draining before we can add more water.


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## FishFlow (Oct 4, 2011)

Similar question. For tannins. Does doing more frequent water changes help remove the tannins quicker? Or will the tannins leach out the same whither the water is clear or brown?

At this early stage, I don't mind brown water. But if doing 90% wc daily will help clear up the tank faster, I have the time to do that.


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## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

FishFlow, I'm sure someone will answer your question soon, what I can tell you is that I just did a 50% water change and I've noticed a significant difference. I _may_ end up doing 50% water changes twice a week to speed up the process because I'm sure that tomorrow I'll wake up and notice the water going back to what it was.


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## msharper (Aug 19, 2011)

While cycling the tank I would recommend no more than 50% water change daily. If the filter is already seeded then go crazy! Maybe I'm wrong but it's just my personal feeling.


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## msharper (Aug 19, 2011)

FishFlow said:


> Similar question. For tannins. Does doing more frequent water changes help remove the tannins quicker? Or will the tannins leach out the same whither the water is clear or brown?
> 
> At this early stage, I don't mind brown water. But if doing 90% wc daily will help clear up the tank faster, I have the time to do that.


The same. Clear water will not make the tannins leak quicker or slower. The only advantages are that your tank will look nicer while the drift wood or whatever is leaching and you can gauge if the leaching is decreasing over time.


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## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

If it's the driftwood coloring your water and you can remove it do so, then boil the driftwood about 10 times. This helped me out a ton. It's a pain in the butt...and people laugh when they see you cooking a hunk of wood thought, lol.


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## msharper (Aug 19, 2011)

GoldenTetra said:


> YAY for another Quebecker!  So purigen really is the way to go then? I live like an hour outside the city, usually we go to Nature in Pte-Claire... I wish it would've been brown YESTERDAY because we went there yesterday lol... it'll be a while before I go back but I'll look around here for it, theres another petstore like 30 mins away and I have to go to that town on wednesday anyway.


Good luck at the other store closer by. Here in town just about every serious fish keeper i know is using Purigen now! It's a great product. I use it on its own in an aquaclear 50 HOB filter on my 90 gallon. It makes it easier to recharge when the time comes rather than opening up my EHEIM canisters. Oh yeah and one more thing. I don't know about in the U.S. but for us here in Quebec Purigen is sold two ways. 1) in a box 2) in a bottle. Get the box, it's more $$$ if you calculate the volume but it comes in a bag. If you buy the bottle than you must by a bag made by SEACHEM called "the bag" LOL! But honestly that's what it's called. Without the bag the stuff will be all over your tank. 
Post some pics! Let's see the results, progress!


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## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

Awesome, thanks for that tidbit! I'll look for it on Wednesday, I've already noticed a HUGE difference in the water I posted more pictures in my build. 

Daximus, I'll invite my inlaws over for supper if I boil the wood  should give 'em a good scare.


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## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

GoldenTetra said:


> Awesome, thanks for that tidbit! I'll look for it on Wednesday, I've already noticed a HUGE difference in the water I posted more pictures in my build.
> 
> Daximus, I'll invite my inlaws over for supper if I boil the wood  should give 'em a good scare.


That's what I want pics of, lol! Good luck!


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

HAHAHAHA.. tannins won't come out faster with clean water but they won't be soaking back into the wood as easily either
at some point u will reach equilibrium as the water can only get so yellow...


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## GoldenTetra (Jan 17, 2009)

I'm going to have to do 50% water changes every two days I think, because the water is already getting yellow again - BUT its not brown so thats a huge plus.


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