Getting crystal clear water?

[Sintei]

Competitions are coming up and fotosessions are due. What can be troublesome is not having that crystal clear water right when "You" want it.

For example, my tank is usually crystal clear, but sometimes small particles cloud the water. It might be PMDD, fishfood etc. Point is, When Ive planned a photosession I want a backup so the water is crystal clear no matter what.

Using an extra filter with wool filter the days before is ok. But what about chemicals? Some company sell "crystal clear" remedys. How do they work, what do they do!?
Do they inflict on nutrients?

Input please!

regards
Nicklas

[tkos]

I have in the past used Hagen's clear water chemical. It seems to work by clumping large particles in the water (including green water) thus making it easier to catch in filter wool. It works in a couple of hours and has never seemed to harm my tanks. But particles and green water just return in short form so I have not used it in a long time.

[Tom Barr]

Water changes, 60-80% 2-3 x a week.
Make sure to light vacuum every bit of dirt you can, fluff the plant leaves.
Diatom filter, micron filter etc.
Add purigen/carbon.

A lot of work can go into the photo shoot.
But you should start cleaning and keep the glass and amount of mulm as low as possible.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[adechazal]

I'll second Tom's note about cleaning and especially the diatom filtering. Our 180g aquarium is built into the livingroom wall so the night before we have guests coming over I do a complete cleaning and hook up the Magnum 350 with a diatom cartridge/powder. It works beautifully!

[Tom Barr]

There's a lot more work that goes into open houses and photo shoots than many let on.

You should start the prep and plant arranging 6-10 weeks out.

The last 2 weeks tend to be intense, lots of cleaning, dosing, extra traces etc, water changes, clean everything weekly, 2x a weekly to make sure it's spotless.

This is a good study also.

Why?

Because it shows you a reference point and helps you to understand what it takes and how well plants grow when you do all this effort!

So you can gain a great deal from all this.
More than many realize.

The folks that do this, know.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Sintei]

yeah, i know alot goes into photo shoots. I myself is somewhat lazy. And opening my external filter to put in some better filtermedia isnt something i look forward to (or even will do). So I guess ill connect yet another small inlinefilter with small particlefilter. the days before instead.
Im still interrested in what "crystal clear" remedys do thou! Do they reduce phosphates?

[Joetee]

I use Seachem's Clarity from time to time. When I first add it to the tank, it clouds up real bad meaning it is working. After a couple hours, it clears up real well. It just gums up the particles so they can be caught up in the filter. You'll have to clean your filter more often when using it.
Sinse I was cycling a tank, I emailed Seachems and asked about Clarity and cycling. They told me that it would not interfer with cycling at all. Does not interfer with ferts either.

Joetee

[Sintei]

I emailed Seachems and asked about Clarity and cycling. They told me that it would not interfer with cycling at all. Does not interfer with ferts either.

Joetee

Cool. Because some of these clear water chemicals claim they reduce nitrate and/or phosphates aswell. Meaning it would interfeere..

[tkos]

They use similar chemicals in water treatment plants. They often call them flocking agents. It just forces the particles to clump so they can be caught easier.

[Tom Barr]

"Alum" works, aluminum sulfate is the chemical name.
Polymer flocculants are pretty good as well.

If you do the work etc, then the water change, then follow it with something like the SeaChem or a similar product, wait a few hours, then add the ferts etc, there should be little issue.


If you rely heavily on light dosing, and/or fish waste etc, then you might consider adding a little more ferts after.

I have good strong mechanical filtration, good flow, do large water changes etc for a few reasons, this is one of them.


Regards,
Tom Barr