8 Tips for Perfect Water Clarity
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- Опубліковано 24 лип 2024
- Don't you love it when someone says, "Where's the water?" or comments on how the fish look like they are floating in air. I love it. It means that I'm getting good results with how I'm maintaining my aquarium. In this video I share with you 8 tips so you too can have fish "floating in air."
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Much appreciated. Making the jump from a 75G community aquarium to African Cichlid aquarium. All your content has answered a lot of my questions on keeping African Cichlids.
Good info as usual Ben
Love your videos, I’ve learned so much from watching your videos, because you take your time to explain, and you speak clear and slow.
Thank you Ed😀👍🏻
True😀
@@BenOchart thanks for ur help
Good tips , Tnks for sharing.
Great video. I only use Ammo-Carb in my tanks for the chemical stage in my aquariums, been using it for years with great results. Always use lava rock for biomedia and landscape substrate as well as running a uv for 48 hours a week. Water in all may tanks are crystal clear.
Really love your videos!
In my way to start a new 400L akvarium. Really good tips in your videos! Thank you 😃
You are welcome and thank you for watching!
I am a newbie, setting up a 65-gallon tank. Really appreciate your tips - very helpful!
I'm happy to hear that you're getting some help from the videos
Ben , thanks for your valuable tips
Nice tips ... thanks
HI BEN: GREAT VIDEO....VERY INFORMATIVE AS USUAL FOR MANY FISH KEEPERS TO FOLLOW...
DANIEL VENDITTI Thanks Daniel and you have a nice Thanksgiving my friend.
Yup I have 1 of his KG Tropicals "Do Your Job" t-shirts! Great video excellent info thanks!! Gotta get an Aquarium CoOp hoodies now!
BigDsmoke I’ve got to get one of those too.
Thanks for stopping by BigD 😀
most important tip test your water, and clean your tank weekly or bi-week, also keep a log on the maintenance you perform,Thanks Ben for another great video
paulone65 Very good points paulone65!
Great stuff Ben!
Corey Hecker Hey Corey, thanks!
Great tips Ben 😉👍
Karen Meyers Thanks Karen
Great tips 👍
Water changes , proper filter media setup and good surface agitation is what works for me !
Jays African Cichlids All GREAT points!
really good tips Ben as always and I love those cichlids you have they look full life.....i like to use polyfill thanks for sharing👍👍
George Calderon Thanks George and you’re welcome
I like that you said not to obsess over water clarity. I look at my tanks as microcosms (mini ecosystems) that require both my careful attention and also my patience to let the natural cycles work. Thanks for a great and educational channel and for sharing with us.
Thank you for watching and commenting Michael. Much appreciated.
Good tip and it's genuine..
I like this channel...full stop !
Great subject Ben! Frequent water changes with cleaning, chemi pure blue, carbon, and polishing pads or poly fill...that is all I pretty much do and use to keep my water crystal clear
Alan Wilson Sounds spot on. When you say polishing pads are you referring to something like pinky floss?
That or even poly sheets that can be cut to size
Great tank... I use chemipure blue in my cichlid tanks..
My tips for water clarity:
#1- Use multi stage mechanical media, ideally in a booster filter hooked up to the main canister, you want course, medium, fine then polishing pad/floss.
#2- Use as much high quality bio media as possible, if you can hook up a booster to your canister you can often fill the entire canister with bio since the booster will do all your mechanical. My fluval 406 has a booster so I have loaded it with 6kg of bio home media.
#3 Run a UV steriliser, some new filters have them built in, but "stick on the glass" UV filters are avaliable nowerdays such as the green killing machine.
4# Regular vacuuming of the substrate.
Kaine Bassett All GREAT points! Thanks!!!
Gorgeous Africans and tank! Thanks for the tips.
phillymanpete Thank you! 😀
Hi Ben! Fish and tank are looking awesome! For a while i was using carbon and Purigen but i finally stop using chemical filtration just because its a pain in the but to have to remove them out of the canister filter just to treat the tank with Melafix or meds. I just use pinky filter floss with seachem matrix. Works great! Water is just as clear and parameters are all in check.
Joe T Hey Joe have you tried the larger Pond Matrix? I’ve heard it’s great in a canister (and I agree, it’s a pain to swap out in a canister, but very easy in a sump) 😀
Those are some great tips.
Overfiltrate with a lot of floss and good bio media and don't let the filter become too clogged + purigen works like a charm for absolute gin clear clarity. A uv filter also helps but often isn't needed. Crushed coral as substrate also seems to help with trapping fine particles. Feeding only every second day also helps.
I noticed my tank really changed the most once I started adding polyfil Ben. All good tips, thanks for the video👍🏻
Cichlidscape • Where are you using it. In a canister? HOB? And is it first or last in the water flow back to the tank?
Ben Ochart both in my cannisters & my HOB’s ben. Right before the water hits my biological filtration in both types of filter👍🏻
He’s kicking colors!!!! Que berraco pez tan lindo!!!
I chased water clarity in my goldfish tank with the Fluval 407 using filter floss, polifill and things got much clearer once I installed a fluval UVC light, now my fish are floating in mid air. Thanks for all your advice !!
Thank you! I really enjoyed the very last tip. My biggest tip is good water flow and filtration. The filters can make water crystal clear all on their own, but only if all the water goes through that pump.
Think of it like a fan in your living room. yes, its moving a lot of air, but is it moving ALL the air in the room? theres a lot of water in your tank that simply never gets to the pump.
Love it B.... I do all 8 ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️ yes!!! I feel good about myself now I can sleep lol much love Aloha 🤙🏽🐠🌺🐠🤙🏽
Hawaiian Peacock Aloha my friend and thanks for coming by!
I bought the sp7-Uv and it not only made my water more clear, it also allows me to clean each filter less. I only with they had replacement cartridges, instead of cutting carbon pads to fit.
I use a product called acurel f the day before I want to show my tank it's a flocking agent that helps to settle out any fine and pure diesel water collects it in my filter pretty well
Polyfil and Purigen have long been my go-to products... however I just made the switch to from Purigen to chemi-pure and was astounded at how much clearer it made the water, so I think I’m hooked on that now.
Matt Tourney Chemi blue or green? The only disadvantage is that it’s not rechargeable like Purigen, but if you see that much difference, it’s well worth it, right?! 😀
Ben Ochart I went with chemi-pure blue. I’ve tried to recharge Purigen and I don’t think it’s worth it. It never seems to get back to a “new” state after recharging and then it exhausts faster the second time around. So I started throwing a bag of carbon that I had on hand to compensate, then I figured I might as well just buy chemi-pure blue and have it all in one bag!
Hi Ben, I really enjoyed this video. It reminds me of some of your earlier videos. The tank looks fantastic and so do the fish. I personally don’t do anything fancy with my tank, but I made the big mistake of putting Spiderwood in my tank several months ago, and it has wrecked havoc on my 3D background by releasing tannins on the background and brown algae that I have not been able to scrub off. I have to find someone to help me get it out and power wash it to get it clean again. I do use Purigen because I have seen a difference, and I also have a high end UV Sterilizer that helps. Otherwise, it’s just good old fashioned water changes every 5-7 days. Thanks very much for sharing, and Congratulations on surpassing 11K 👍!
Denny's Aquatics Damn, that spider wood created issues. Sorry to hear that.
I too noticed improved clarity with Purigen. I also hear raves about ChemiPure (I think Eaven uses it)
Thanks for all the information Ben. Is that a normal red shoulder peacock?
Thanks for the tips Ben.
I wish we had all those means here. Sometimes when you find what you need it's expensive like hell.
I use a tank with double compartment settling for good filtration and the rest is my work (glass cleaning and water change) and the help of my 2 plecos.
slim56 Alger Sounds like you’re making a good go of it. Where are you?
I'm in Algiers, Algeria.
Here it all depends on the import regulations wich could change from day to day, and that has a direct effect not only on the availability of the goods but also on the prices.
But I'm trying to manage.
I pretty much have a very similar collection and I too keep my water absolutely clear . Everyone asks me if they are marine/salt water and I too hear ,”wow, I’ve never seen such clear water”. I’m so picky that I clean the glass every time I see so much as a few water spots. I think my ego would be harmed if someone criticized the clarity and cleanliness of my aquarium. I probably over test my water . Mainly for nitrate and ammonia. I listen to you and I swear my commitment is so similar. My Saturday mornings are dedicated to my tanks. Admittedly I do end up neglecting my sweet wife on a Saturday because if she had her way I would just turn on the tV on the setting that shows an underwater scene . 😂
Hey Ben how are you. I have a question. What is your In put on tannis rock color water. I recently saw a video and there water was tea color. I kinda like that look but is it healthy for your fish. Because I also love the clear water look too
I got a protein slick on the top of my 125. I have had a fifty for 15 years never had this problem.
Any tips to get rid of it other than paper towels. I have a fx6 and a power head
Lava Rock / bio floss for my media. I also use large lava rocks for my decorations. I haven't done a water change in my 1500gl in 8years.. Only water replenish. Live plants with Co2 tank is also very beneficial to clean water. Bottom dwellers!! I have 24 clown loaches and they do a excellent job at getting detritus. Also Earth eaters are a great bottom dweller however may be to small for some and be eaten... Therefore clown's are my go to and look amazing when they school.
Acrimony what does the Lava rock do for the tank, as many African videos I see like Texas holey rock which is very exspensive .
@@aussbasstony9763 I use the lava rock as a replacement for bio balls. It's less expensive and has overall more "nooks and crannies" for holding biological bacteria. I buy the rock from garden supply stores... Rinse thoroughly before use though. As far the rocks in tank for decoration.. It helps with decor obviously but also feel beneficial bacteria grows easier on it. I also use poly fil with the lava rock.. It's on top of my lava rock in filter for the last filter the water goes through. Any other questions please ask. Best of luck.
Acrimony thanks for the info appreciate it 👍
@@aussbasstony9763 by the way... I sometimes break in half some of the lava rock with a hammer first that I use for filter media in case it's too large... It's a huge money saver and lasts forever.
Acrimony Have you considered garden pumice? I’ve heard good things about that as well. On the lava rock as decor, my only suggestion is to watch for sharp edges. I had some fish scrape eyes and sides on it during routine cichlid chases.
Tip 1 hit home for me. I cleaned all side panes but never cleaned the glass pane cover thinking it's self cleaning because it's always wet from moisture build up and dripping down into the water. Well, water started getting really cloudy and I couldn't figure out what it was for a long time. I did frequent major water changes and it'll cloud up the same day. Filled my filter with floss, biohome AND seachem matrix, and carbon, added store bought bacteria, still cloudy! Removed decor, still cloudy. Removed substrate, still cloudy. Removed the glass lid and Violà! haven't been cloudy since.
Mineral build up (along with algae) can really cloud up the glass, reducing the effectiveness of your lights and dripping into your tank. I'm glad this helped you to spot and correct that 😀
what did you replace it with?
Good Morning Ben: I was checking on the well being of all the fish and crawfish this morning. I have been testing but today I cut up some night crawlers into 1/4" pieces and fed 2 to the sunfish and 1 ea. My Sun fish suddenly went crazy and hit the ends of the tank breathing heavy ad working his fins. Did I do something wrong?
Hi Ben! Since introducing a remote camera, my water has got a lot better!
I know now that my wife is feeding the fish!!!! (Oh pity they're always hungry) 😱
Geoff Richards 😂🤣😂 you busted her feeding them, that’s epic!
Hi ben.. your plastic plant look real & alive. 😆
I cant keep my water crystal clear.. my fish poop a lot.. and those cichlid really love to stir the sand & gravel. Lol
Anyway.. i really envy of your tanks..
shinigami haohmaru Hello, I suggest a powerhead that runs for a few hours and pushes the poop in the direction of the filter intakes. You also might need to shorten the time between filter maintenance and add another filter like a canister or HOB to help with the bio load
I'm glad you included UV sterilization and having success, Ben. I operated a 24W Green Killing Machine UV sterilizer continuously for five weeks in my 180 gallon and still unable to rid the slightly green tinted water. Maybe I'll run it on weekends and see what happens. Happy Thanksgiving.
Under The Bus Sounds like algae bloom. Is the tank getting sunlight? Maybe cut the lighting time in half for a week and see if you notice a difference?
@@BenOchart Half of the aquarium gets about 20 minutes of direct sunlight daily. I recently started covering this half of the aquarium with towels during sunlight exposure in hopes of reducing the mild algae bloom.
Good video . A bit oldskool but chemical an expense free a Good old water change might help
Fishworld Cichlidz Can’t beat the benefits of regular water changes! And yes I am old (school 😉)
do you also have a sump on the featured tank Beause ive been beinge watching videos on sumps and really the simplicity of maintenace is soo much easier than the canister (302) BTW still running after 5YRs . Your vid on the Sump was really informative !! So now 20yrs later im considering on making my own 20gal Sump And im going to call HER BEN !!! ThX for your time Your videos are insprireable espeacially when the hobby has its downfalls ( exploding Tanks )
Vinfish 46 “Ben the Sump” 😂. You need to write it on the end of the sump, like a name on a boat and send me a picture 😂🤣😂🤣
The 150 has a sump and a SunSun 704-B on it. Eventually I’ll add a sump to the 100 using an overflow box. They are amazing.
The most importand are weekly changes and tank maintenence.
Waterchanges helps aswell :)
I use 50 micron filtration pads in my canisters and a internal Marineland micron cartridge filter...tank is spotless...oh and have Purigen as well.
Gurvinder Parmar Goid tips GP and thank you for stopping by!
Big Ron's cichlid food I've only had the pellets labeled big boys but ugh it's like I threw up in my own tank,took my 8 inch milomo 10 min to swallow a 5mm pellet.
I use 30, 20 & 10PPI filter sponges, charcoal and a polyester filter to polish the water before it returns to the tank
Awesome looking tank, where did you get all those big artificial plants? Are they artificial?
Anime Cars and Funny Sh*t yes they are plastic (except in the 60 gal grow out). I got them mostly from eBay, Amazon and Universal Rocks in Texas.
Ben Ochart thank you
Hello, i have 2 sponge filters, a bubbler for oxygen and a HOB filter but my HOB filter putting out a lot of micro bubbles i adjusted everything in back of filter i have the polyester pillow stuffing with a bag of chemi pure elite. Any idea of why all the mico bubbles keeps happening out of the hob filter? Thanks
Bring up your water line and see if that reduces the micro bubbles
Use a good quality media such as seachem matrix or biohome ultimate evolution aqua pure balls are also really good at adding beneficial bacteria after maintenance
how long do u keep the poly fil in the filter system before changing , cause when i use it , it seems to get dirty fast
Depends on your load and if you’re running other filters. Having to swap it out every week wouldn’t be uncommon if it’s the only filter in a well stocked tank.
Good video I don't use any chemicals. I don't need to use water conditioners because I am connected to the pure water table. My water is not 100% clear but it is very close.
JustMyFish That’s a great water source! You’re lucky. In this city you never know what’s coming out of the pipes!
@@BenOchart Yep I'm in The UK Hallow vilige in Malvern Worcestershire they bottle the water and sell it. I have free access to it 😊
I use a UV sterilizer if changing the water doesn't help cloudy water or green algae water.
I also found that some substrates that are white in color can release a dust like substance. The coral I use in my cichlid tanks leave this dust residue. Especially when my fish move it around. They love spitting it out everywhere. As long as everything is good I dont worry about it. I just keep up with my water changes. You have to be on top of your water quality, And I mean test your water now and then. You and only you know what going on with you tank. Like how many fish are you stocking, how much you feeding them, when do you do water changes. You are the only one that can manage these things.
Big Boy Having used coral in several tanks I can assure you that the dust will eventually go away, but it took 50 rinses before I could even use the stuff.
Did you mention water changes? That is my number 1 tip. I just use sponge filters and water changes and never have issues.
which sponge sir, please give amazon links I need to purch them. tia
How often do u change the floss and pinky filter ?
Steven Kyaw With each servicing I toss and replace. I stopped using Pinky in the Fluval FX 6 because it was getting too clogged too fast.
Hallo Ben
What the best for 1200 litres tank
Uv sterilizer ya sunsun canister 704 B with uv lamp
Best for me please suggest
I also use 1 canister filter
Heeralal Khatik A UV “twist” style is going to provide more benefits but is more expensive than the lamp in the SunSun. So it depends on your budget and what you’re trying to accomplish. With delicate fish, like discus, go with the more expensive twist. Just my opinion.
Ben I love your videos I learn a lot from them I've been watching them and kgtropicals and aquarium co-op and on this video you mentioned that you use the UVlight for a couple hrs why can it be use at all times?
Hello Jose! Yes you can but the UV in SunSun canisters, because the water passes so quickly past the light, is very limited in what it does. Between that and some reports on how extended use has resulted in damage to the plastic trays, I decided to use it on a limited basis.
Fish for four. But I had the problem when I was cycling it. Tank was bought used
Great video Ben, but you miss tip # 9, " Follow Ben Ochart Channel for crystal clear water " hahaha lol
Efrain's Cichlids LOL, Thank you my friend and a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family
whaats that background ,I like it. How to get thst one
Hey Al. It's a Universal Rocks "Rocky Thin".
old school ben right here!
KG cichlids The “Old” part is certainly true 😂🤣😂
Have a nice Thanksgiving with your family Kevin.
I bioled a piece of wood and put it in and now the water is yellowish. I prolly need to do a water change???
G'day Ben...Where do you buy your plastic plants from?
EliteCichlids on Facebook. Great family owned business. Tell them you want the Ben Ochart discount😉👍🏻
@@BenOchart I contacted them and they don't post to Australia... shame...
Why do you club Pristine under chemical filteration when Seachem puts it under Bacterial Additive ?
Aditya A. Aima technically you’re right but being a liquid additive instead of something stable like media, I felt it was best included in the chem filtration category.
Thanks for watching!
@@BenOchart thanks Ben love watching your Videos.
Would be obliged if you could make a video about review of these products that you mentioned especially Pristine as I find literally no such review of it.
Have used Microbe Lift Special Blend to seed my filter which is really not as much popular considering it works great. My nitrates stay around 5 now after a week of water change in a heavy load. Would love to compare it with Pristine.
@@DeepikaAditya Good idea. I will consider :)
I am fighting nitrates!. Also how do I get calcium In the tank for the crayfish?
For the nitrates, depending on the fish, adding plants might help. Also feeding less, increasing the frequency and percentage of water changes and reducing the amount of time between filter maintenance might help. Regarding calcium, just google "adding calcium to an aquarium" and you'll get a wealth of info.
I like using the magic eraser on the inside of my tank works great
Does magic eraser have any chemicals in it?
@@tampametal the original ones don't have any and the dollar store ones but I would read the box
What I told some one once was isent that neet your trying to replicate Boston,
Harbor in a tank lol
Great and awesome informative video, my recommendation is not over stock
@Tyrannical Grim yes I agree, but overstocking I mean put hundreds of cichlid in a 100 gallon tank, that is a way too much
Super Android Agree, some go overboard and the fish have no room to swim because they bump into each other!
The fish are non-stop poop factories 🤣😂🤣
Water changes, little and often. Always best
UV sterilization, what are your thoughts community?! (just a noobie trying to get started haha) TIA
As a discus keeper, I don't worry about prestine water because the minute you dont keep it prestine, the fish get stressed out. However, I keep my tanks full of catoppa leaves and it leaves a nice tint in my south american tanks.
The One Does carbon help with the tint?
@@BenOchart No, I was busy when I was first writing. I'm sorry. I stopped using carbon when I stopped keeping Africans. However it soaks up the natural tannins in my geo and discus tanks. Yet, I've been able to keep very clear water even with the leaves in the water. I simply do a 50% water change biweekly and dose with stability or seed once every other month when I do filter maintenance and it keeps very clear water with little to no nitrates . However, on my 120, I run a eheim 2180, a fluval FX4, and a Rena XPL along with a small ecotech vortech. On the 180 and 120 I run a Eheim 2080, a fluval FX6 and a Rena XP4 with a ecotech vortech and a hob 110 at one end of the 180. It may all be overkill, but it keeps maintaince down and perimeters very good. Also, my 125 is overstocked with blue severum, super red severum, satanoperca, geos, clown loaches, true parrots, chocolates and 2 types of aequidens. So this is my regimen and my water seems to be clean and pristine looking as long as I keep the water spots off and do the maintenance even with tannins in the water for my Amazonian wild fish which I think are more Hardy then most domestics. I'm sorry, this was a bit much but, you can see where I'm coming from and how I have to do. Take care,
It is actually called quilt batting (some sold in crib sizes) but not crib batting. If you put it in a crib the baby may eat it :-)
I am new to the hobby, what kind of cichlids are those?
Mr Ochart keeps peacocks and Haps.
These aren’t the best fish to keep for an inexperienced fish keeper. Not saying it can’t be done, but I believe the amount of involvement can be overwhelming at times . There is never a dull moment. They are aggressive and you will have issues keeping them . It’s taken me a year to put together a nice Collection that get along well enough that I’m not pulling dead fish. Sometimes a fish just will not tolerate another and it can be stressful watching a fish get bullied . It’s all but impossible without at least 2 tanks and a hospital tank in my opinion.
@@TheTradesmanLU2001 I've been watching a lot of videos on cichlids and I'm a little overwhelm just watching. From the food, to the fact that Africa and South Americans cannot be mixed, to build a lot of hiding places in your tank, to the high ph and high temperature of the water. I definitely will love to have them in my aquarium because they are beautiful but the seem to be a pain in the ass to keep them. I don't know if I'm going to have the patience to deal with all that.
I’ve had the tank for about 5 weeks.
You make me want to get cichlids
Ryan Rios Do it!!! 😀😉
the majority of time there is cloudiness it is because bacteria, infusoria, or algae (turbidity organisms) establish themselves in the water column, thus affecting water clarity. If there is ample biological media and beneficial bacteria (BB) growing on that media, the turbidity organisms will not grow in the water column nor interfere with water clarity. If you have extra BB and media capacity, and if you overfeed, miss your maintenance, or add more fish, you will be able to maintain tank clarity. The extra media capacity will buffer the temporary increases in nutrients and still prevent the turbidity organisms from getting established in the water column
On additional point on the turbidity organisms (bacteria, infusoria, algae) once they get established in the water column. Even very fine mechanical media like polyfill or pinky will have difficulty filtering out these very small organisms and tend to clog rapidly when these organisms get out of control
HalfMan HalfCichlid I think that’s when I would look into something that would bind them like Clarity complimented by some UV
Venustus is amazing
Are those plants real or plastic?
Debajyoti Das They are real in the 60 gal grow out but not in the other tanks
Just do the weekly water changes, over filtrate and last but not the least keep ur tank glass smudge free.
Thoose food companies must hate you lol
DONT FORGET SURFACE AGITATION IS KEY
I have sunsun filters and tbe uv lights don't make any difference at all, tanks are cleaned through filters not from light, there's uv light all around you and there isn't any proof that extra uv light of any kind does anything
I've tried tbe different chemical products and they didn't do anything that my bio filter wasn't t already doing anyhow
UV and floss made the biggest difference for me. I used to think purigen was amazing until I set up a small apistogramma tank which doesn't run any chemical filtration... That particular tank is the clearest I've ever seen.
Ben Millns Great point!
Consistency
It's real simple as long as you got the biological material your test are good,do as much water changes and get that tank cycling itself as fast as possible,as much filtration as you can afford no such thing as too much mechanical filtration,unless you have a betta or nano fish in a tiny tank.
I got three fish tanks weekly water change
I love purigen.My water is like glass
black carbon.
My favorite carbon, when I do use it, is Seachem Matrix carbon. It absorbs incredibly.
@@BenOchart
Gets rid of urine
water changes that's it
crucial for sure!
Under gravel filtration.
R.O. setups too expensive and additives needed afterwards. U.V. can be good. You didn't address protozoans in the water? Going natural is a good idea if parameters are acceptable in your tank. Ammonia can be an issue and I won't go further with issues in the cycle. Water quality in the wild is only pristine in the sense of volume and flow/ exchange. I do freshwater species and I've seen videos that surprised me that in the wild, the natural environment that some of the fish I keep reside in is seemingly quite dirty at first blush. Frankly they thrive in those fallen leaves , tree trunks and tannin's etc. I have no experience with the African lakes, but I have noticed that most African Cichlid keepers seem to out do themselves with 3 D water. Matter of preference of course, but all those chemical additives are a drag and the cost, forget it.... tend to your husbandry and try to go natural if possible. Get over the O.C.D. l.o.l..
Change water
Real plants help with water clarity to