# How to get crystal clear water??



## bigstick120 (May 23, 2005)

Seachem Purgen seems to help, a diatom is the best bet, but that will cost a little money. A HOT magnum can be had for around 50.00


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## armagedon48 (Jun 13, 2007)

iv never seen a HOT magnum for 50$, i paid 85$ for mine but i had a discount. they are well worth the money in my opinion. i had green water when i got back from vacation, and 20 minutes of the magnum (also used diatom powder) the water was crystal clear. 
i use it a lot with my reef tank and planted tank with pleasing results. you can stir the detritus out of the gravel and let the magnum remove it. so its kinda like a water change.


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## spypet (Sep 15, 2006)

in addition, using a UV the first day after a water change can help.
keep in mind that the first Month of a new tank is usually cloudy.
some report 2-3 day tank blackouts help, but I don't endorse it.


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

Purigen works quite well on a budget, and has many other benefits as well.


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## Glouglou (Feb 14, 2006)

*Seachem Purigen*

From Seachem:


> Purigen™ is a premium synthetic adsorbent that is unlike any other filtration product. It is not a mixture of ion exchangers or adsorbents, but a unique macro-porous synthetic polymer that removes soluble and insoluble impurities from water at a rate and capacity that exceeds all others by over 500%. Purigen™ controls ammonia, nitrites and nitrates by removing nitrogenous organic waste that would otherwise release these harmful compounds. Purigen’s™ impact on trace elements is minimal. It significantly raises redox. It polishes water to unparalleled clarity. Purigen™ darkens progressively as it exhausts, and is easily renewed by treating with bleach. Purigen™ is designed for both marine and freshwater use. This product is sold by volume. Cited weight is minimal weight.




http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/Purigen.html


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## Got Fish? (Apr 25, 2007)

well i have a marineland hangover filter for my tank its a 30 gallon and this filter can handle up to 50 gallons, so will this work???


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

I use a combination of Seachem Purigen and Ultraviolet Sterilizer. My water is always so crystal clear that I sometimes have to give my head a shake and take a good hard look at the tank cause the water is so clear that it almost looks like I have no water in there.


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## AaronT (Apr 11, 2004)

A diatom filter gets the water clearer than you can imagine.


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## NwFishinfool (May 4, 2007)

I bought a diatom a few months back to take care of a GW outbreak. Amazing clarity.... I run it now just because it makes the water look so good! You can't even tell it's in the tank!


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## Got Fish? (Apr 25, 2007)

hahaha aight guys looks liek everyone is pretty much using a diatom filter....um what could i expect the cost to be around?


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## Nbot (Apr 15, 2007)

I had "white" cloudy water breakout on me, broke down and bought a Turbo Twist 3X, installed it inline w/ my Fluval 305 (ditch the ribbed hosing and use 3/4" vinyl hosing, it will install right onto the barbs of the Fluval, the Turbo Twist, and the return head perfectly

I can't say enough about the TurboTwist, LFS have them too maybe $120....don't think it will work with your hang-over filter though

Purigen is cheap ($10?) and many people have success w/ just that, I would start there and give it a shot, it doesn't hurt to have it around later...only one of 4 LFS in town had it though, might have to look around


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## Nightshop (May 12, 2006)

Nbot said:


> I had "white" cloudy water breakout on me, broke down and bought a Turbo Twist 3X, installed it inline w/ my Fluval 305 (ditch the ribbed hosing and use 3/4" vinyl hosing, it will install right onto the barbs of the Fluval, the Turbo Twist, and the return head perfectly
> 
> I can't say enough about the TurboTwist, LFS have them too maybe $120....don't think it will work with your hang-over filter though
> 
> Purigen is cheap ($10?) and many people have success w/ just that, I would start there and give it a shot, it doesn't hurt to have it around later...only one of 4 LFS in town had it though, might have to look around


I agree. Don't go out and drop $100 - $200 on a UV when Purigen might get your job done for a fraction of the price.


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## jake (Feb 20, 2004)

HOT magnum is $48.99 at BigAl'sOnline.com. Shipping is 8.45 for a total of 57.44. It's similarly priced at several other online stores, such as thatpetplace.com, drs. foster and smith, and several others.


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

Are Diatom Filters supposed to be used 24/7?? I read that they are only for temporary use to clear and clean water and not permanent use.


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## bigstick120 (May 23, 2005)

Homer_Simpson said:


> Are Diatom Filters supposed to be used 24/7?? I read that they are only for temporary use to clear and clean water and not permanent use.


Its a filter that you run every once in awhile, when you want to have really clear water or green water. You have to be careful running it as well. Depending on how much crap is in the water it will really clog up. I notice a significant flow reduction after about 6 hours on my tanks. I personally wouldn't let it run more then 24hrs at a time without recharging it.


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## NwFishinfool (May 4, 2007)

I only run my Diatom for about 4 hours at a time. My wife came into the room and said, "OMG". If you would have told me it would make the water so clear I would have bought it for you!


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## Nbot (Apr 15, 2007)

LOL, same thing happened to my tank w/ the white water (bacteria bloom), it kept getting cloudier every day and I kept complaining about it and my wife kept thinking it was normal, finally it got VERY clouded (couldn't see the back wall) and bought the TurboTwist, now she thinks its one of the best things we've bought on the tank


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## BSS (Sep 24, 2004)

Okay, I'll offer a cheaper opinion.... My water seems to me to be crystal clear, and I just do regular water changes and put a fair amount of filter floss (the WalMart pillow-stuffing) in my filter.

Won't that do the same thing? Or do I just not know what 'clear' really means :wink: ?


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

BSS said:


> Okay, I'll offer a cheaper opinion.... My water seems to me to be crystal clear, and I just do regular water changes and put a fair amount of filter floss (the WalMart pillow-stuffing) in my filter.
> 
> Won't that do the same thing? Or do I just not know what 'clear' really means :wink: ?


You can get good results with that option!! Its fine media...

You can also use ACUREL F....great stuff.


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## Got Fish? (Apr 25, 2007)

okay i have a marineland 280 filter, it has an extra cartridge to add another carbon filter if i wnted, so ibuy marine floss, and just stuff a lot into the cartridge, and it will help make my water clear????


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## Nbot (Apr 15, 2007)

yep, lots of people here like the filter floss as a water "polisher"

However, if you have a white water (bacteria) or green water outbreak none of that will help....


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## KDahlin (Mar 12, 2007)

Nbot said:


> yep, lots of people here like the filter floss as a water "polisher"
> 
> However, if you have a white water (bacteria) or green water outbreak none of that will help....


Typically, if your cloudy water is bacteria, it will resolve itself within 2 weeks and won't require treatment. Green water, on the other hand, if it appears in a cycled tank, usually does require treatment to clear (blackout, UV, diatom filter, etc.)


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## Got Fish? (Apr 25, 2007)

yea my wate ris defiantly not green, it was more a white cloudy color, i'm goign to buy some if that floss, but my water has already started to clear......which is awsome


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## lemonlime (Sep 24, 2006)

Clear water: One of the longest lessons I've learned in fish keeping is very clean feeding. I often used to just hastily toss a pinch of flake or bloodworms but now I like to feed very slowly. Sometimes I may spend 5-10 feeding my fish, really making sure nothing hits the bottom that isn't quickly gobbled by my cories or loaches.

Perhaps not the absolute solution to crystal clean water but you might be surprised how much cleaner the tank stays, I was.


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## oni_XL (Jun 5, 2007)

After reading all the good things in every forum about Purigen, I got myself a bag yesterday. Went home, plop it in my canister, and within 6-8 hours, my water which was greenish clears up. The water is 100% clear and no coloration whatsoever, simply an amzing product, could be the most amazing aquarium product ever!


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## Raul-7 (Oct 17, 2003)

I agree about using a diatom filter; you'd be amazed at how clear you water will get. Sadly, it will not last long. 

Using chemical media such as Purigen and Renew are the next best thing as they serve the same function, trapping particles.


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## Chris267 (Jul 24, 2007)

Does anyone know where I can get the mesh bags to place Purigen in? Has anyone tried using ladies tights/nylons for putting it into the filter??


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

Petsmart has them on sale. Its called "The Bag". bout 5 bucks...and is reusable of course.

And with regards to using nylon, you are tempting fate there...the stitching does stretch and open up over time. I would never say not to try it, but I think your asking for trouble considering "The Bag" is so cheap.


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## Chris267 (Jul 24, 2007)

gmccreedy said:


> Petsmart has them on sale. Its called "The Bag". bout 5 bucks...and is reusable of course.
> 
> And with regards to using nylon, you are tempting fate there...the stitching does stretch and open up over time. I would never say not to try it, but I think your asking for trouble considering "The Bag" is so cheap.


Its not price gmcreedy..I can't seem to find them here in the UK, I would rather have the proper bags..if anyone knows of a UK seller/shop/ebayer who sells in the UK I would be grateful...

Petsmart were shut down here due to bad reputation


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## Ukrainetz (Jul 11, 2007)

I use floss, but it doesn't always make the water "crystal clear". I'm thinking of making a sump, where I will lay a micron pad for fine filtration. If you're really desperate, get a Magnum HOT or 350 and it will polish the water to your satisfaction for pretty cheap. The other thing you can do, is add Accurel F. It binds particulate matter, so it can be trapped in a filter pad.


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

hmmm. You should be able to get them at a minimum through an online vendor.

If it really comes down to it....and you can't find it anywhere, shoot me a pm. we can work something out and I will pick it up and mail it to you. Just pay for shipping and the bag. i have a Petsmart not far from my house.

let me know.


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

Ukrainetz said:


> I use floss, but it doesn't always make the water "crystal clear". I'm thinking of making a sump, where I will lay a micron pad for fine filtration. If you're really desperate, get a Magnum HOT or 350 and it will polish the water to your satisfaction for pretty cheap. The other thing you can do, is add Accurel F. It binds particulate matter, so it can be trapped in a filter pad.


I use all purigen with filter floss media and when its really bad i add the Acurel F. Using those three options should make your water clear.


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## tazcrash69 (Sep 27, 2005)

FWIW, I am not a fan of putting flocculants in the aquarium.
What they do is basically stick the tiny particles together to make a larger particle which can be filtered out easier. (as Ukrainetz said)

The problem is that there seems to be some documentation that this is not always the best thing for sensitive fish and can stress them out since the "glue" is not very discriminating. 

Some Krib info here:
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Algae/flocculants.html

I have a HOT magnum 250 for water polishing (very rarely used), and stuff the Eheims with floss. 

If you have a lot of particles, perhaps there is a bypass in your filter pad?


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## garuf (May 30, 2007)

http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/ 
they stock EVERYTHING you could think of for a planted tank, and they've a sale on, GO GO GO!


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## Ukrainetz (Jul 11, 2007)

I doubt that there is any bypass in the filter, because the particles we're talking about are so small that they are almost always suspended in the water. If the 50 micron filter pad doesn't help, I don't know what else will... BTW tazcrash, how does your Mag 250 perform? Does the micron cartrige really work well? I want a 350 for gravel cleaning, water polishing, and whatever else comes to mind


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## Wö£fëñxXx (Dec 2, 2003)

A diatom filter is a very nice tool to have in our aquatic arsenal for cleaning up a mess or removing green water, I have had one for years and love it, I really only use it after a heavy up-rooting/trimming which can be messy, this of course after a good water change, but... 

To get crystal clear water and virtually keep it that way comes from a well ran/maintained matured tank/substrate and most importantly is the filter regardless of brand it does need to be large enough for the tank and it must produce good flow and house proper media, (noodles/course pad/gravel/fine pad or floss, aged and not overly cleaned.

Floss and or sponges alone are not sufficient enough for a high tech tank to produce the results needed.

It is no exaggeration to say that the condition of an aquarium depends very much on the performance of its biological filter. When the filter's micro-organisms are thriving, the water will be crystal clear and there is no algae growth.


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## tazcrash69 (Sep 27, 2005)

Ukrainetz said:


> I doubt that there is any bypass in the filter, because the particles we're talking about are so small that they are almost always suspended in the water. If the 50 micron filter pad doesn't help, I don't know what else will... BTW tazcrash, how does your Mag 250 perform? Does the micron cartrige really work well? I want a 350 for gravel cleaning, water polishing, and whatever else comes to mind


My Mag 250 is my "dirty little secret". I've had it about 12 years, and It's usually just locked away in the storage room with no attention. The micro cartridge does work well for regular polishing, but for GW, you need DE (Diatomaceous Earth). But in 1 hour it cleaned up a 14 gallon tank of ectoplasm to crystal clear. 
Biggest problem, not much space for media, but that is not why I bought it.


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## Chris267 (Jul 24, 2007)

gmccreedy said:


> hmmm. You should be able to get them at a minimum through an online vendor.
> 
> If it really comes down to it....and you can't find it anywhere, shoot me a pm. we can work something out and I will pick it up and mail it to you. Just pay for shipping and the bag. i have a Petsmart not far from my house.
> 
> let me know.


Thanks very much for your offer, I have found some for sale in a garden centre here! I'm hoping to have clear water soon... ..mm time will tell...
Thanks again


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

no problem. I hope it work out for you!


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## Jahn (Apr 26, 2013)

lemonlime said:


> Clear water: One of the longest lessons I've learned in fish keeping is very clean feeding. I often used to just hastily toss a pinch of flake or bloodworms but now I like to feed very slowly. Sometimes I may spend 5-10 feeding my fish, really making sure nothing hits the bottom that isn't quickly gobbled by my cories or loaches.
> 
> Perhaps not the absolute solution to crystal clean water but you might be surprised how much cleaner the tank stays, I was.


 
+1! Believe it or not, the purchase that worked for me was one 65mm glass petri dish.

Place food in dish (if floaters, put it in the dish with tank water until it sinks, then cover it with the glass cover that comes with the dish), lower it to the feeding site, and voila (or if the cover is on it, you can do it with a french waiter flourish reveal). Whatever the fish can eat in 2 minutes is theirs, what they cant gets taken out of the water. Anything manages to float to the surface and doesn't get gobbled in 30 seconds gets scooped out. Even the tetra which I thought were mid-tank eaters have no problem attacking food in a dish on the ground.

Result? Milky white water is now super clear water, haha.


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## EngineChauffer (Apr 3, 2013)

Holy thread necro batman


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## hambone870 (Feb 13, 2013)

Quite an interesting read, thanks for bringing that to the top


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## devilduck (May 9, 2012)

Chris267 said:


> Does anyone know where I can get the mesh bags to place Purigen in? Has anyone tried using ladies tights/nylons for putting it into the filter??


I go into the drug store and purchase the $2 pair of ladies nylons. Rinse them out, put in required amount of purigen, double knot the top and cut off excess.

Works great, but will fall apart after 2 recharges or so if you use 50:50 bleach solution. I haven't tried soaking the purigen longer with a weaker solution.

PS. They also work pretty well keeping onions and garlic from sprouting in the pantry...


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

When I had my saltwater tank I used a bag of Purigen and a bag of Chemi-pure Elite. My water was so clear sometimes I wondered if there was even water in the tank. Now that I am only freshwater I use Purigen but I wonder if chemi-pure would help too.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

A diatom filter is a marvelous water clarifying tool, and a UV sterilizer does a good job of clarification too, but both are rather expensive pieces of equipment as most of you know.

The less expensive solutions mentioned here, like Purigen, filter floss, water changes, proper tank maintenance, good bio-filtration, etc. will also do an excellent clarifying job, particularly when used/done in combination.

But just as important as the use of these products/techniques are at maintaining crystal water clarity 100% of of the time, in my view, is the manner in which these things are used/maintained.

For example:

- Purigen should be re-charged long before it begins to seriously exhaust itself and become ineffective. There's no exact rule of thumb - as it depends on size of tank, bio-load, whether heavily planted or not, etc. - But after using Purigen 24/7 for over 3 years in my discus tanks, I've found it best to re-charge it after about 3 weeks - when the Purigen beads get no more than medium-brown, not dark-brown or blackish.

- Similarly, filter floss ( I double-layer it) really should be chucked away & replaced with new about every 2 weeks or so. I alternate tossing it out one layer at a time each week, so as not to overly deplete bio-filtration.

- Last, but not least, is the use of fine mesh pre-filters on the filter intake tubes (combined with using Purigen & filter floss). These should be rinsed out well every 2 or 3 days - just takes a minute.
Maintain these 3 items well, and it's almost a guarantee your tank will be crystal clear all the time.


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## mackjones (Jun 6, 2013)

There are many source available in the market to get pure and crystal clear water.The source like purifier,RO,UV,undersink water filter etc are very useful to get clear and pure healthy water.I use undersink water filter in my home for healthy water.


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