# cloudy water due to substrate



## FatherLandDescendant (Jul 24, 2014)

Do small partial water changes and keep the filter media clean, it'll clear on its' own.

I didn't clean the STS on my 29gal at all, just packed the filter with pillow stuffing and changed it out twice. Even before the change this tank cleared within a couple of days. Here's what it looked like when first filled.


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Its all about patience. A lot of people use dirt to grow planted tanks so ive always felt its a bit unnecessary to wash gravel. Plants like the stuff you are washing away. I would just be patient and let the tank settle on its own a few days. If its still cloudy so some daily small water changes until it clears up. And FWIW, using a dinner plate on the bottom when filling will do wonders for the cloudiness youre getting.


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## rick dale (Feb 26, 2014)

*cloudy water*



Chris with fish said:


> I recently started a planted tank and I believe I didn't clean my substrate properly. My water is a bit cloudy and I don't know how to fix it. Do I have to do a complete drain and clean the substrate again? I worry that may be stressful for my fish.
> 
> The water was clear for the first few days but as I started adding things, like new plants and fish, the water got a little cloudy. Still tests well, so I am sure it is just particles from the substate.
> 
> Any help is appreciated.


If your water was clear for the first few days , then its probably not your substrate. It would have been cloudy from day one if it was. Although it could be the substrate if you added live plants and disturbed it. It could also be a bacteria bloom. Either way , it should clear up in time. If you add filter floss , be careful , as it cloggs easily.can you post a pic of your tank ?


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## Chris with fish (Mar 1, 2015)

I had removed the carbon filter from my tank filter because I didn't want to remove any of the nutrients for the plants. I think I will need to go buy something that isn't carbon based to filter the tank. I will add a picture of the tank. It is a work in progress but I have a vision!


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## FatherLandDescendant (Jul 24, 2014)

Chris with fish said:


> I had removed the carbon filter from my tank filter because I didn't want to remove any of the nutrients for the plants. I think I will need to go buy something that isn't carbon based to filter the tank. I will add a picture of the tank. It is a work in progress but I have a vision!


If you have a canister filter go buy a pillow from the dollar store and use the stuffing. Don't pack it tight, best cheap filter media you can get


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## Chris with fish (Mar 1, 2015)

Great tip! Thanks!


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Be careful with the pillow stuffing. You do not want fire retardants. 
I use quilt batting from a fabric store. It is the same polyester floss. Use small amounts. If it is too dense it will compact and not let water through.


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## Kalyke (Dec 1, 2014)

I bought seachem flouride sand. I washed it a very long time, but every time I worked on the tank I would raise dust. I tried the seachem clarity, and it worked, but so I have to put it in the tank every time I move a plant? Then as a last resort, and expensive, I bought some Caribsea gravel to cap my flourite. I still have a few plants to put in as I get them, but actually now I raise much less silt. I am pleased with how it workes, but I will never buy the flourite again.


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## Chris with fish (Mar 1, 2015)

Yea, I have a mix of both. I should have capped with the eco but I was dumb and tried to marble it for aesthetics. I may buy another bag and cap it finally as I am only at around 3 inches of substrate right now anyway.


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## Jvidi (Dec 9, 2014)

That cloudiness definitely is not from the substrate. I agree with rick dale. I use many different substrates across my tanks-- I even used oildri one time. It was the muckiest and siltiest stuff even after washed...but in all cases where my tanks are clouded from substrate silt, it is immediately after flooding them. I have found that the best way to cure this is to let the tank sit undisturbed for a few hours (usually 4 or so) so the silt can settle underneath the larger granules. This usually does the trick. I make sure that no water is running in the tank, turn the filter off, remove fish if there are any in there and let time work its magic. Your tank appears to be cloudy from a bacterial bloom though. It seems as if maybe you didn't cycle your tank. Did you just add substrate, water, plants then fish all at once?


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## Chris with fish (Mar 1, 2015)

No, ran the substrate and water by itself actually. Then added a little fish flakes for the first week. Added plants the next week and fish a week after that. I didn't do any testing until right before adding the fish and my tests came out ok...but I am just using the basic test kit you can buy at petsmart...so I don't know.


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## rick dale (Feb 26, 2014)

*cloudy*



Chris with fish said:


> I had removed the carbon filter from my tank filter because I didn't want to remove any of the nutrients for the plants. I think I will need to go buy something that isn't carbon based to filter the tank. I will add a picture of the tank. It is a work in progress but I have a vision!


Purigen will do the trick. Will help clear the water and wont take the plant nutrients out.


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