Um my aquarium seems to turn orange for some reason, i have 2 pletos(Cleaning Fishes), 1 Angel Fish, 2 Cichlids, 3 glass fish, 1 ghost black knifefish and 3 albino tiger barbs in a 13 gallon tank.
I was wondering if there is any chemicals that will change the color?
I have asked different fish owners about it and then say you should get a BIO wheel
2007-04-17 11:30:33 · 5 answers · asked by $tArGaZeR 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
A couple possibilities I can think of...
Do you have driftwood in the tank? Tannins leaching from the wood can give it an orange/brown tint.
Do you have and rock other than those purchased specifically for use in aquariums? Depending on where you might live, or where the rock was collected, those with a high iron content may give an orange color (think of mine drainage from abandoned coal mines).
Along the same lines, is your tapwater from a public water supply or a well? You may have iron-bearing rock in your aquifer.
Coloration from driftwood can be reduced by carbon in your filter. If it's one of the others, you may need to filter the water before it goes into the tank.
Your tank is overstocked, so some coloration may be due to excess fish wastes and/or overfeeding. A biowheel will add to your biological filtration because the wheel gives the bacteria in your tank additional space to grow, so this will be the only situation where a biowheel will be likely to help. A larger or second tank to spread the fish out, controlled feeding (only what fish will eat in two minutes, twice a day), and weekly cleaning of 25-30% of the water using a gravel vacuum will be your best solutions. Adding chemicals to bind other chemicals doesn't remove them from the tank - they'll just keep accumulating until you remove them.
2007-04-17 12:31:24 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I have to agree with copperhead. Bogg woods and drift woods will leach into your tank.
Sulpher not iron will turn the water orange or a high concentration of metals. Also, what dechlor are you using ? and what kind of gravel? Many rocks pickup or river rocks can leach these metals into the tank.
If the cloudiness is orange colored or something other than green it is from overfeeding. Especially if the food has color enhancing additives. Overfeeding of that type of food causes buildup of the additives in the tank water so it looks like that color, usually orange. If the cloudiness is green, it is either algae or a tiny microscopic organism called euglena. The diatom will remove most of it but, as you have discovered it will return after a few days while the organisms continue to multiply. The tank just needs to get balanced and it takes time to do so. Then the euglena will die off naturally as it's food source (suspended algae) disappears.
this may help you
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Freshwater-Aquarium-3216/algae-bloom.htm
2007-04-18 20:14:53 · answer #2 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
How orange? If you are talking about a little yellowish orange color, then it's probably due to proteins and other dissolved organics in the water. That would be the result of a massive over load in the tank. Large water changes and carbon in the filter will remove the organics responsible for the color.
Bio wheels are an effective filter in most cases and many people like them.
MM
2007-04-17 18:57:27 · answer #3 · answered by magicman116 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Take a sample of your tank to a "qualified" fish store that will analyze your water sample. (There are many that do it, if its big enough).
It sounds like too much iron, but, I am not a qualified lab tech... So for a few bucks, or, if you only go to one store all the time and they recognise you as a steady customer, they may even do it for free!
I wish you well...
Jesse
2007-04-17 18:35:06 · answer #4 · answered by x 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You have an insanely overloaded tank. I'd almost think this is a joke because it is so overloaded.
2007-04-17 18:38:17 · answer #5 · answered by JJB 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋