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	Overdone blackwater
djtj Fish Master Posts: 1764 Kudos: 885 Votes: 49 Registered: 20-Feb-2003	I know there is another water color thread out, but I did not want to steal someone else's thread. I have a 20lb bag of ecocomplete as well as two 8" pieces of driftwood in my 20 gallon long. This has turned my water a blackish color (I know, blackwater extract). I'm worried though, because the water is too dark. This is not a problem for the fish, but the tank looks ugly now. Is it ok to add carbon to the filter for a little while to clear up the water? I don't want to take all of the nutrients out of the eco though.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
k19smith Fingerling Posts: 16 Kudos: 16 Votes: 0 Registered: 25-Jul-2005	Yes you can add the carbon, that will help. Did you soak the driftwood first? If not I would take it out and soak it. Easiest way being putting it into the back of the toilet for a while.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
sham Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3369 Kudos: 2782 Votes: 98 Registered: 21-Apr-2004	Carbon won't remove enough nutrients to be noticeable. I ran carbon on a tank with eco for 2years and the plants did fine. Some people notice a problem and some people never do. Carbon also won't remove all the color. My tank was still black with using all the carbon that would fit in my filter and replacing it constantly. Seachem's purigen works alot better and doesn't remove any plant nutrients but you have to watch what water conditioner you use with it.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
tetratech Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 4241 Kudos: 1074 Registered: 04-Nov-2003	I've been using EC for a long time on several tanks and I never saw it turn the tank black. How long has the tank been setup. It sounds like that's the driftwood and not the EC. If it's a big piece of driftwood in a small tank it can turn the water a dark brown. Last edited by tetratech at 06-Oct-2005 18:49 My Scapes
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
djtj Fish Master Posts: 1764 Kudos: 885 Votes: 49 Registered: 20-Feb-2003	ok, if it is the DW, what would remove the color?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
sham Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3369 Kudos: 2782 Votes: 98 Registered: 21-Apr-2004	I didn't catch that you thought the ec was turning the water colors. EC doesn't do that but all the information given so far applies to driftwood.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
tetratech Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 4241 Kudos: 1074 Registered: 04-Nov-2003	The color will eventually go away. It's not harmful to the fish. You could remove the driftwood and soak it for a week or so in a bucket and then put it back in and see if there's a difference. Do a water change on the existing water to lesson the blackness. My Scapes
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
FRANK Moderator Posts: 5108 Kudos: 5263 Votes: 1690 Registered: 28-Dec-2002	Hi, Driftwood will leech tannic acid which is tea colored into the tank. How much, depends upon how old the piece of driftwood is, how long it was submersed, and what kind of wood it is. In time, without water changes and doing nothing else, the tank will resemble a cup of tea. Carbon will remove the tannic acid as will the other chemicals mentioned. So will regular water changes of 10-20%. Eventually, a weathering rind will develop around the wood and the leakage will slow to next to nothing. Frank -->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
djtj Fish Master Posts: 1764 Kudos: 885 Votes: 49 Registered: 20-Feb-2003	awsome, thank you
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
Aroboy II Small Fry Posts: 8 Kudos: 5 Votes: 0 Registered: 09-Oct-2005	Very informative thread indeed.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18


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