All ways to remove yellow water?

csmfish · 02/26/2010, 12:20 PM

I have my system set up and purring like a kitten. I only have one problem and that is yellow water. I have heard that using charcoal and or water changes helps, but, i was looking for different ways. I am trying to not disturb the chemicle structure too much. I have an algea scrubber that sucks out algea like a vacume cleaner, so, thats working great. I know charcoal sucks things out that they should not, etc etc. I was thinking of getting one of those RO pressure pumps and pumping my water through a fine cloth filter media but I am not sure that will take the yellow out.

What do you all think?

Randy Holmes-Farley · 02/26/2010, 12:25 PM

No, that won't work. The yellowing is generally from dissolved organic matter.

The best ways to remove it or alter it to reduce yellowing are GAC (activated carbon), skimming, ozone, and certain polymer products like Purigen. Others that work may include UV, GFO, and water changes.

jubjub · 02/26/2010, 01:12 PM

yup randy knows his stuff......get the bulk reef supply activated carbon....seriously huge difference from pulling out yellow water to clear water after i started to use it

Shane Hoffman · 02/26/2010, 02:51 PM

Carbon (I use BRS activated granular carbon) is the best thing you can do to remove dissolved organic matter that yellows the water. The benefits of using carbon and the stuff it is known to emove far out weigh the risks of the good stuff that may be removed. If you dont overdose carbon and keep up on water changes it is impossible to remove enough of anything beneficial to actually cause a problem. I have personally seen carbon clear up yellow water in 24 hours or less many times.

dcombs44 · 02/26/2010, 03:04 PM

+1. If you don't want to use carbon all the time, just use it to clear the water, and then pull it out of the system. The minimal affect it has on the system will far outweigh the negative affects of pulling good stuff out.

It's the simplest and most affective method. Plus it's cheap.

tibob32 · 02/26/2010, 03:08 PM

GAC works great. Just put it in a media bag and drop it in a high flow part of your sump. Change ever 1-3 months. It works wonders, my fishes look like they're floating in thin air

csmfish · 03/01/2010, 09:50 PM

Sounds good. uess I will get out my little fishies reacter and fire her up with the BRS GAC I ordered a while back.

I wanted to argue, sayin carbon could not clean the "yellow" but you guys know better than I, lol.

Thanks all.

Frick-n-Frags · 03/02/2010, 04:25 AM

i notice no mention of a skimmer.

if you arent running a skimmer, there you go: gelbstoff

organic proteins/dyes etc. exactly what a skimmer pulls best.

Eel Freak · 03/02/2010, 08:02 AM

The other thing could be iron. I had that problem in my predator tank before I got my RO unit, I filled it with softened water. It came to a point and I dropped a bag of chemipure in, within two weeks it was as clear as my reef which was made with all RO water. Now, I couldn't tell if you filled it with RO or not, but I still suggest chemipure as it has worked wonders on a couple of my tanks and at my LFS. Hope this helps!

csmfish · 03/02/2010, 03:37 PM

Well, thing is, I have an algae scrubber and I took my MSX-200 offline for some experimentation with the scrubber. The scrubber is doing a great job on the P04, but me water is getting a little yellow. I was trying to keep it all natural and nutrient rich (fresh nutriants, not stinky old P04 stuff) this way. I was thinking of just filtering the water with a fiber cartridge but apparently that does not work. Was trying to steer clear of carbon and skimming, but, if thats what does it, thats what does it.

Alex T. · 03/02/2010, 04:14 PM

+1 on the GAC. I change mine out on a 2 week basis. The difference is unbelievable. I've never tried GFO since I carbon dose vodka, but I hear good things about that too.

The great benefit of the GAC is it optimizes whatever lighting system you're using. When the yellow's gone, the tank is much more bright.

csmfish · 03/08/2010, 12:43 PM

Well, i hooked my skimmer back up and will see how that does, though I didnt want to do that, but, if skimmer and charcoal is the only thing that takes out the yellow, its what I have to do.

I will leave that running for a week to see what happens. If that does not improve things, I will go to the charcoal next and take the skimmer back offline.

02/26/2010, 12:20 PM	#1
csmfish Moved On Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: VA Posts: 1,055	All ways to remove yellow water? I have my system set up and purring like a kitten. I only have one problem and that is yellow water. I have heard that using charcoal and or water changes helps, but, i was looking for different ways. I am trying to not disturb the chemicle structure too much. I have an algea scrubber that sucks out algea like a vacume cleaner, so, thats working great. I know charcoal sucks things out that they should not, etc etc. I was thinking of getting one of those RO pressure pumps and pumping my water through a fine cloth filter media but I am not sure that will take the yellow out. What do you all think? Last edited by csmfish; 02/26/2010 at 12:26 PM.

02/26/2010, 12:25 PM	#2
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	No, that won't work. The yellowing is generally from dissolved organic matter. The best ways to remove it or alter it to reduce yellowing are GAC (activated carbon), skimming, ozone, and certain polymer products like Purigen. Others that work may include UV, GFO, and water changes. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

02/26/2010, 01:12 PM	#3
jubjub Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: vacaville, cali Posts: 2,698	yup randy knows his stuff......get the bulk reef supply activated carbon....seriously huge difference from pulling out yellow water to clear water after i started to use it __________________ "The world holds two classes of men - intelligent men without religion, and religious men without intelligence." - Abu Ala Al-Maari

02/26/2010, 02:51 PM	#4
Shane Hoffman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: 45 mins from Chicago Posts: 2,009	Carbon (I use BRS activated granular carbon) is the best thing you can do to remove dissolved organic matter that yellows the water. The benefits of using carbon and the stuff it is known to emove far out weigh the risks of the good stuff that may be removed. If you dont overdose carbon and keep up on water changes it is impossible to remove enough of anything beneficial to actually cause a problem. I have personally seen carbon clear up yellow water in 24 hours or less many times. __________________ A wise man once said "Never play leap frog with a unicorn" Current Tank Info: 150 gallon glass with 20 gallon sump, 175lbs of coraline covered live rock, EuroReef skimmer rated for 250gal, 25watt Aqua UV sterilizer, Fluval FX5, Hamilton 3x250watt MH, 160 watt Blue actinic....Mixed reef

03/02/2010, 04:25 AM	#8
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	i notice no mention of a skimmer. if you arent running a skimmer, there you go: gelbstoff organic proteins/dyes etc. exactly what a skimmer pulls best. __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

02/26/2010, 03:04 PM	#5
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	+1. If you don't want to use carbon all the time, just use it to clear the water, and then pull it out of the system. The minimal affect it has on the system will far outweigh the negative affects of pulling good stuff out. It's the simplest and most affective method. Plus it's cheap.

02/26/2010, 03:08 PM	#6
tibob32 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 550	GAC works great. Just put it in a media bag and drop it in a high flow part of your sump. Change ever 1-3 months. It works wonders, my fishes look like they're floating in thin air

03/01/2010, 09:50 PM	#7
csmfish Moved On Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: VA Posts: 1,055	Sounds good. uess I will get out my little fishies reacter and fire her up with the BRS GAC I ordered a while back. I wanted to argue, sayin carbon could not clean the "yellow" but you guys know better than I, lol. Thanks all.

03/02/2010, 08:02 AM	#9
Eel Freak Fimbriated Moray Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: The Space Coast Posts: 830	The other thing could be iron. I had that problem in my predator tank before I got my RO unit, I filled it with softened water. It came to a point and I dropped a bag of chemipure in, within two weeks it was as clear as my reef which was made with all RO water. Now, I couldn't tell if you filled it with RO or not, but I still suggest chemipure as it has worked wonders on a couple of my tanks and at my LFS. Hope this helps! __________________ I plan to procrastinate. Current Tank Info: 205g Mixed Reef - 3x Radion XR30w Gen 2, twin VorTechs, SRO-XP5000e, 50g estuary, 125g fuge, OM 4-way

03/02/2010, 03:37 PM	#10
csmfish Moved On Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: VA Posts: 1,055	Well, thing is, I have an algae scrubber and I took my MSX-200 offline for some experimentation with the scrubber. The scrubber is doing a great job on the P04, but me water is getting a little yellow. I was trying to keep it all natural and nutrient rich (fresh nutriants, not stinky old P04 stuff) this way. I was thinking of just filtering the water with a fiber cartridge but apparently that does not work. Was trying to steer clear of carbon and skimming, but, if thats what does it, thats what does it.

03/02/2010, 04:14 PM	#11
Alex T. Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,803	+1 on the GAC. I change mine out on a 2 week basis. The difference is unbelievable. I've never tried GFO since I carbon dose vodka, but I hear good things about that too. The great benefit of the GAC is it optimizes whatever lighting system you're using. When the yellow's gone, the tank is much more bright.

03/08/2010, 12:43 PM	#12
csmfish Moved On Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: VA Posts: 1,055	Well, i hooked my skimmer back up and will see how that does, though I didnt want to do that, but, if skimmer and charcoal is the only thing that takes out the yellow, its what I have to do. I will leave that running for a week to see what happens. If that does not improve things, I will go to the charcoal next and take the skimmer back offline.