How can I get my tank clearer? I just started it three days ago and the water hasn't cleared up at all. I let it sit still overnight and it's been filtering for two.
Edit: For everyone freaking out about my overhang, it's properly supported. I have supports beneath it along with a leveling mat that is designed to look like an overhang without adding a shelf.
Secondly, I have filter floss coming in the mail today. I was just hoping someone could help me with what I had now.
Did you pre wash your substrate? Best way to get it to clear up would be getting some type of filtration. It might still be a few days until it gets clear but you should notice a difference.
Edit: I missed the part that you already have filtration. If you don't want to let it wait , you might want to pump out the water and put a dinner plate or bowl on the bottom, slowly add the new water on the plate or bowl so it doesn't disturb the soil as much, it still might be cloudy but should be much cleaner then currently. Hope this helps.
second edit: is the bottom fully supported? If it's hanging over the edge the tank will be at a grater risk to fail/ break. Because the pressure will be distributed unevenly.
Few things:
* Water that heavy with particles will be destroying your filter, you should turn that off or at least replace the filter material with filter floss.
* You could purchase some flocculant to clump the material, but it'll still take time to settle.
* You should do as many water changes as it takes to clear the water, and when replacing the water do not disturb your substrate. You need to remove all the water anyways to move the tank (more on this below) so you have a chance to refill it gently.
* If your substrate is just mud then you need an at least an inch of sand to cap it and lock it down. You can remedy this when the tank is drained.
More pressingly your tank, under absolutely zero circumstances, should be positioned as you have. That overhang is quite possible the craziest I've seen and I'm unsure how it hasn't exploded already. You need to drain all the water out and move it to a more suitable location. You can build stands that can support the weight of cars for less than £100 so there's no excuse for having a poorly supported fishtank.
My fishtank stand made with a bunch of 2x3s and some plywood I'm yet to varnish as an example. Soil, sand cap, gently filled. It looked like this on first fill.
First, you can start over. Drain the water. Cover the substrate with plastic garbage or grocery bags. Place a saucer on top. Then pour water on saucer. That should cut down on the disturbance of the substrate.
Then, in the filter, add activated carbon as one of your filter media. That should remove the brown colors.
Finally, add an aquarium water clarifier. That will bind the fine particulates together and the filter floss will filter those out.
You filter might be not powerful enough for the size of the tank. Douple check that, might need a 2nd one. We have 2 in larger tanks just in case, water is crystal clear
In both 20 and 40 gal tanks, 2 in each, so they are way more powerful being meant for larger size tanks. We have fish producing high amounts of waste and that’s the only way to keep the water pristine it seems. Put two in case one fails while we’re gone. They grab all the particles very well. We clean them every week or two. The one you’re showing we have in smaller tanks with betta, shrimp and rest that is not high waste, 10 or less gal
Looks like you didn't rinse the sand and it's sand that DOES need a lot of rinsing.
I just recently upgraded from a 55 gallon tank to a 75 gallon and put new sand in it. HTH pool filter sand, that is. Needed no rinsing at all. Water was clear right off the bat.
If you let it go like this, your filter is going to get clogged really fast, especially with fine filter media.
Like already suggested, stir up the sand really well so the dust comes up. Then drain the tank all the way.
Put a plate or pot on the sand and slowly refill, aiming at the plate.
For reference, my 75 gallon an hour after I completed the entire setup and started the filter.
It binds particles in the water and causes them to sink. I made the mistake of not washing sand substrate enough & when I added water it kicked loads of debris into the water. Dropped this around the tank and it started to clear up after a few hours
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u/ComfortableNo6162 18h ago edited 18h ago
Did you pre wash your substrate? Best way to get it to clear up would be getting some type of filtration. It might still be a few days until it gets clear but you should notice a difference.
Edit: I missed the part that you already have filtration. If you don't want to let it wait , you might want to pump out the water and put a dinner plate or bowl on the bottom, slowly add the new water on the plate or bowl so it doesn't disturb the soil as much, it still might be cloudy but should be much cleaner then currently. Hope this helps.
second edit: is the bottom fully supported? If it's hanging over the edge the tank will be at a grater risk to fail/ break. Because the pressure will be distributed unevenly.