yellow water

cbjohnston · 12/27/2008, 06:36 PM

I dont know how to get rid of my yellow water. I have a 75 gallon tank with about 125 pounds of live rock, several fish, and corals. I am running a refiugium with live rock and a skimmer. I am also running carbon, and changing it every week. I have done approx (10) 5 gallon water changes in the last month. My lights are (2) 250 watt metal halide 15k, 1 super actenic blue vho, and 1 actenic vho white light. I just dont seem to be making a dent in the water color. I have tested my water every day, and all is well except for nitrates. They are not extremly high, but are high. Has anyone else had this problem???

WaterKeeper · 12/27/2008, 06:47 PM

Yellow color is usually caused by organic, humic acids forming in the tank. They are always present because of decomposition in the tank and in most cases carbon will remove them. You can try a different grade of carbon or mix more than one. Sometimes that works. If not Ozonation can help but it is complex so I'll give you this set of links-
Ozone 1
Ozone 2
Ozone 3

Aquarist007 · 12/27/2008, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cbjohnston
I dont know how to get rid of my yellow water. I have a 75 gallon tank with about 125 pounds of live rock, several fish, and corals. I am running a refiugium with live rock and a skimmer. I am also running carbon, and changing it every week. I have done approx (10) 5 gallon water changes in the last month. My lights are (2) 250 watt metal halide 15k, 1 super actenic blue vho, and 1 actenic vho white light. I just dont seem to be making a dent in the water color. I have tested my water every day, and all is well except for nitrates. They are not extremly high, but are high. Has anyone else had this problem???

How are you running the carbon.
It works more efficiently if you run it in a canister filter or phosban reactor.
If you are running it in a bag in the sump then the water really is only in contact with the outer surface of the media. In a fluidized system the water is forced through the entire media making it much more efficient.

brandon2432 · 12/27/2008, 07:20 PM

dose vodka one drop about everyother day till problem clears up keep testing. Worked for me.

saltydog64 · 12/27/2008, 07:21 PM

cb............

try to keep it simple....first, u didn't mention how long the tank has been running.....any how, the grade of carbon is VERY important, they are not all equal, I've had great success w/ Blackdiamond as doesn't leach out phosphates as some can....also if u have an old HOB filter laying around get some Chemi-pure Elite and place in there so as the capn stated so the water flows up thru it and not just over it.....that stuff really works, and soon your water will be crystal-blue-white in color...

good luck

cbjohnston · 12/27/2008, 07:34 PM

The tank has been running for about 1 year. I thought I had some bad halides causing the yellow. Replaced them, and the vho lights but did not help. I am not sure of the type of carbon I was using. It came in a 5 pound bag, which I am now out of. I purchased marineland black diamond carbon and will replace it tomorrow. I am also running the carbon in a bag in my sump. I do not have a filter media, but can purchase one. I have also been wet skimming on my skimmer trying to get more junk out of tank. Everything in tank is doing well, and fish are very active. I do think my fish load is too high, but my wife does not want me to get rid of anything. I started of with 4 chromis, and would like to trade them in, but wife says no. I am now only working on adding corals to tank.

saltydog64 · 12/27/2008, 08:04 PM

cbj...

Glad your running out of that "bag"...loose like that is really not a good idea, as any carbon is like a "sponge" , it sucks all kinds stuff from the air ...etc, "black Diamond is the way to go and of course keep the lid on tight...

With your coral additions..............go SLOW,....remember keep it simple...

Aquarist007 · 12/28/2008, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cbjohnston
The tank has been running for about 1 year. I thought I had some bad halides causing the yellow. Replaced them, and the vho lights but did not help. I am not sure of the type of carbon I was using. It came in a 5 pound bag, which I am now out of. I purchased marineland black diamond carbon and will replace it tomorrow. I am also running the carbon in a bag in my sump. I do not have a filter media, but can purchase one. I have also been wet skimming on my skimmer trying to get more junk out of tank. Everything in tank is doing well, and fish are very active. I do think my fish load is too high, but my wife does not want me to get rid of anything. I started of with 4 chromis, and would like to trade them in, but wife says no. I am now only working on adding corals to tank.

Here is what you need:

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...s~vendor~.html

a phosban reactor--fill it with carbon ---and you should notice a difference over night in your warter.

Aquarist007 · 12/28/2008, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by brandon2432
dose vodka one drop about everyother day till problem clears up keep testing. Worked for me.

vodka dosing is more for removal of nitrates

carbon removes a certain group of organics that causes the yellowing in the water.

Michael · 12/28/2008, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by brandon2432
dose vodka one drop about everyother day till problem clears up keep testing. Worked for me.

that wont work, trust me it wont, a drop of vodka every other day will achieve nothing, it must be coincidence or you did something else without remembering or realising, id suggest this, firstly as capn_hyliner rightly pointed out the reactor is without doubt the best way to run carbon, however if you have no reactor then there are 2 other ways ive used it myself which work even though not as efficent as the reactor, they are1 in the sump in a bag, however you need the knot in the bag to be a few inches above the ball of carbon, this way it will be loose in there and the water will get to all parts of it, in saying this 2 put a small powerhead in the sump if doing this, and point the pump at the bag, enforced flow will make it more effective and it will work, ive done this countless times, but again i state the capns way is the better way, i doubt your yellowing problem will still be there if you run carbon properly, buy a reactor and good luck, as for vodka dosing well, it works as well for nitrate removal, but for yellowing , well its debateable, but vodka dosing is far more complecated than a drop every other day, look here http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php

Aquarist007 · 12/28/2008, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael
that wont work, trust me it wont, a drop of vodka every other day will achieve nothing, it must be coincidence or you did something else without remembering or realising, id suggest this, firstly as capn_hyliner rightly pointed out the reactor is without doubt the best way to run carbon, however if you have no reactor then there are 2 other ways ive used it myself which work even though not as efficent as the reactor, they are1 in the sump in a bag, however you need the knot in the bag to be a few inches above the ball of carbon, this way it will be loose in there and the water will get to all parts of it, in saying this 2 put a small powerhead in the sump if doing this, and point the pump at the bag, enforced flow will make it more effective and it will work, ive done this countless times, but again i state the capns way is the better way, i doubt your yellowing problem will still be there if you run carbon properly, buy a reactor and good luck, as for vodka dosing well, it works as well for nitrate removal, but for yellowing , well its debateable, but vodka dosing is far more complecated than a drop every other day, look here http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php

great post Michael

12/27/2008, 06:36 PM	#1
cbjohnston Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 29	yellow water I dont know how to get rid of my yellow water. I have a 75 gallon tank with about 125 pounds of live rock, several fish, and corals. I am running a refiugium with live rock and a skimmer. I am also running carbon, and changing it every week. I have done approx (10) 5 gallon water changes in the last month. My lights are (2) 250 watt metal halide 15k, 1 super actenic blue vho, and 1 actenic vho white light. I just dont seem to be making a dent in the water color. I have tested my water every day, and all is well except for nitrates. They are not extremly high, but are high. Has anyone else had this problem???

12/27/2008, 06:47 PM	#2
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Yellow color is usually caused by organic, humic acids forming in the tank. They are always present because of decomposition in the tank and in most cases carbon will remove them. You can try a different grade of carbon or mix more than one. Sometimes that works. If not Ozonation can help but it is complex so I'll give you this set of links- Ozone 1 Ozone 2 Ozone 3 __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

12/27/2008, 07:20 PM	#4
brandon2432 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Kimberly AL Posts: 278	dose vodka one drop about everyother day till problem clears up keep testing. Worked for me.

12/27/2008, 07:21 PM	#5
saltydog64 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UpState NY Posts: 503	cb............ try to keep it simple....first, u didn't mention how long the tank has been running.....any how, the grade of carbon is VERY important, they are not all equal, I've had great success w/ Blackdiamond as doesn't leach out phosphates as some can....also if u have an old HOB filter laying around get some Chemi-pure Elite and place in there so as the capn stated so the water flows up thru it and not just over it.....that stuff really works, and soon your water will be crystal-blue-white in color... good luck

12/27/2008, 07:34 PM	#6
cbjohnston Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 29	The tank has been running for about 1 year. I thought I had some bad halides causing the yellow. Replaced them, and the vho lights but did not help. I am not sure of the type of carbon I was using. It came in a 5 pound bag, which I am now out of. I purchased marineland black diamond carbon and will replace it tomorrow. I am also running the carbon in a bag in my sump. I do not have a filter media, but can purchase one. I have also been wet skimming on my skimmer trying to get more junk out of tank. Everything in tank is doing well, and fish are very active. I do think my fish load is too high, but my wife does not want me to get rid of anything. I started of with 4 chromis, and would like to trade them in, but wife says no. I am now only working on adding corals to tank.

12/27/2008, 08:04 PM	#7
saltydog64 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UpState NY Posts: 503	cbj... Glad your running out of that "bag"...loose like that is really not a good idea, as any carbon is like a "sponge" , it sucks all kinds stuff from the air ...etc, "black Diamond is the way to go and of course keep the lid on tight... With your coral additions..............go SLOW,....remember keep it simple...