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Discoloured Water


noyd

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biggrin.gif hi noyd,

The wood would be causing the discoloration in your tank. Try more water changes or remove the wood and soak in water somewhere else. I think there is a product to romove the yellow colour but I have never used it.

thumbsupsmileyanim.gif

Josh and Evelyn

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Hi noyd,

This reply is in two parts.

Firstly, refer here. This will help you if the discolouration is caused through tannins leaching from the wood wink.gif .

However, if you have not undertaken any water changes for some considerable time, then read on.

The yellow colour can be due to organic phenols or similar compunds that slowly accumulate from the breakdown of organic matter. The existing fish will slowly get use to these contaminants and, while they are probably not happy in these conditions, they will have built up a resistance so that they can tolerate them. Assuming the ammonia and nitites are not too high, there is a good chance that the nitrate level is sky-high. The trouble will come when you go to add new fish to the aquarium. They will probably only last a few days at the most and, no doubt, the LFS will be blamed for selling poor stock blush.gif .

The actual colour can be removed through filtration through activated charcoal or purigen, though this is not the real solution. Regular water changes are the only to rid the aquarium water of any dissolved "nasties". In any case, you will eventually start losing your existing fish when the concentration of pollutants becomes too high even for them sadsmiley02.gif .

HTH

merjo

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over a long period of time without water changes, your fish get old tank syndrome.

with regular maintainence, tannins leached into the water have a positive effect on tropical fish and can help dwarf cichlids and other south american fish to spawn (producing what is commonly known and sold in bottles for $15.95 as 'black water extract' tongue.gif )

So no it isnt necessarily bad for your tank, its pH dropping capability is probably harmful to African rift lakers though.

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I don't see any reference in merjo's post about tannins being harmful Brett...she said the organic phenols from fish waste are harmful wink.gif .

The tannins were discussed in the first part of the post and the fish wastes in the second part. The latter is what she was referring to as harmful....and I agree smile.gif .

giszmo44

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Hi Brett,

Yes as giszmo said I was refering to the organic waste products as being harmful. To my knowledge, tannin is only harmful, if present in excess, in Rift Lake setups as it will decrease the pH to some extent.

I use wood in some of my Malawi set-ups without a negative reaction upon the inhabitants. The water is changed regularly to prevent it from affecting the pH.

merjo

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