I have a new system, its been cycling for about a week, but its very cloudy still. Quite a lot of clay in the gravel. Does anyone know how I can clarify the water. After one week it has not cleared up at all.
Cloudy water
I have a new system, its been cycling for about a week, but its very cloudy still. Quite a lot of clay in the gravel. Does anyone know how I can clarify the water. After one week it has not cleared up at all.
Hi Phil,
Many of us get/got what you have, Clay is very annoying but that's all. I'm told it will eventually clear,probably over a few weeks but if you are anything like me you will be impatient and drop the water a few times.That is not the best way. and it is wasteful of water, but it does clear the water quicker.
When cycling your tank you are best off not dropping the water at all as you will be dispensing of what bacteria you have built up and will be starting the cycle again.
You can also add filter material to the inlet of your grow bed,just place it under the outlet of your pump,and wash it out heaps.
There are heaps of people on this forum that can give you further advise and ideas they will chime in at some time no doubt.
Cheers.
I have the same problem with one of my systems aswell. I have started to stick a few tissues under the pump outlet into the growbed. Its been 5 weeks now and the water is still like mud! The plants are going great, the fish are fine.
Hi Phil
Clay is very annoying, that's way my next beds will be scoria, much
easier to clean. I have three beds, one scoria and two river rocks full of clay.
At first I used egg whites and filter material and it worked beautifully.
But as I pulled out a couple of fennel plants it came back worse than ever.
Two dozen eggs whites later, nothing.
These two beds syphon to a pipe that goes underground back to the sump.
Fearing that all this crap will settle in the pipe underground and block it I pulled the two beds apart and washed them completely. Seeing the amount of clay in the beds its no wonder it wasn't clearing. I've attached photos of the clay removed.
I know I've done the right thing but everyone will need to make up their
own mind. It was a big job but I think it was worth it.
Lou
Thats a crap load of clay Lou!!!!!
Hi Phil, I take it you wouldn't have fish in yet. I have found what works for me is to run the system and then turn off for a few days, Vac the sediment from bottom of your tanks then repeat the cycle. This could take 3-4 weeks to settle down. Also put a sock over the outlet back to the fish tank.
I also bought a Intex swimming pool filter on ebay which works well to recirculate the water (pump with inbuilt filter)
Just thought I'd post an update of my progress.
It's taken me 5 days to wash and clean the clay filled beds.
Today the last bed went back online and the water is crystal clear.
Now the Problems.
While the water was very muddy I couldn't see all the fish in the tank.
But today I could see them all and to my dismay two we not well .
They have a mould type growth on the back and tail.
I immediately isolated them into a salted tank and hopefully they'll recover.
I feel that if I was more active in cleaning the tanks I may have avoided
this problem.
Lou
Hi Everyone
Just thought I would give you an update. Like Bigdaddy my impatience got thye better of me. I dropped the water (sent it to a nearby dam so as not to waste it) and refilled. I can now see the bottom of the FT !!!
System cycling but no nitrates as yet, hopefully soon, so I can get some fish.
Cheers
Phil
I had the same problem and used a product called accuclear - it took a week to work but I have now been cycling for over a month with crystal clear water. They say it's safe for fish and plants (and hopefully humans). It's a polymer that makes fine solids drop out of suspension, costs abt 30 bucks from pond shops...
Egg whites will work just as well... and are a heck of a lot cheaper...
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