Water clarity options

[Calvin]

I've been running rox 0.8 activated carbon for about a month and a half now and have great water clarity, but just noticed my convict and has head and lateral line. I immediately stopped using the Carbon after noticing it and doing some research about how carbon can cause this in surgeon fish. He is still very active and eating aggressively. Just wanto to find out others opinions/experience with water clarity using uv.

The HLLE on the convict isn't terrible and I dount there will be any signs that it was ever there once I get it cleared up.

On a side note I'm going to be installing a grounding probe tonight just incase there could be any stray current in the aquarium as well. And NO3 is at 16.2ppm (per hanna high range nitrate) and PO4 is at 0.08ppm (per hanna low range phosphate and red sea phosphate pro test kit) which I don't consider dirty by any means.

 

[Danroo]

I’m confused is your water not clear are you having algae blooms? I used to use carbon in my tank, than I decided to remove it and replace it with filter floss, water is crystal in both cases.

 

[Calvin]

I’m confused is your water not clear are you having algae blooms? I used to use carbon in my tank, than I decided to remove it and replace it with filter floss, water is crystal in both cases.

No its clear especially when running carbon, but I want to eliminate any possibilities of HLLE on my tangs and use another options. I've also been tossing around the idea of implementing a uv sterilizer to run at lower flow to cut back on fish parasites in the tank ( I know it doesn't eliminate them but slows them way down) just for anything that might pop up in the future. But I also read upon do a lot of research and watching BRSTV that uv can really help water clarity.

And if ever need be in the future I would be willing to run carbon for a few days just to completely clear the tank up and then take it offline again.

As far as filter floss or filter socks I have forgone those and plumbed in a clarisea SK-5000 gen 3 which has made a huge difference in water clarity and removing junk from the water.

 

[Miami Reef]

In my new tank I will also prevent using carbon. I never struggled with HLLE before, but I’d like to prevent any of it.

Carbon is best at removing toxins, organics, and yellowing of the water. Nothing can compare to carbon, but carbon cannot compare to the clarity of a UV sterilizer.

 

[WVNed]

8 feet of water
No carbon, socks/fleece or UV. No color correction in the photo.

.


(ozone)

 

[Calvin]

In my new tank I will also prevent using carbon. I never struggled with HLLE before, but I’d like to prevent any of it.

Carbon is best at removing toxins, organics, and yellowing of the water. Nothing can compare to carbon, but carbon cannot compare to the clarity of a UV sterilizer.

Cool! Just want people with experience with uv sterilizers and their thoughts and opinions about it. I'm looking at the pentair aquatics 40 watt on brs for my tank.

 

[Miami Reef]

Cool! Just want people with experience with uv sterilizers and their thoughts and opinions about it. I'm looking at the pentair aquatics 40 watt on brs for my tank.

I love my UV sterilizer. Your fish will look HD. If you think carbon makes your tank clear, wait until you get a UV.

I like aqua ultraviolet because it’s inexpensive (but still very high quality) and I believe the flow rates are more logical for practicality purposes. But this is only my opinion!

 

[Calvin]

8 feet of water
No carbon, socks/fleece or UV. No color correction in the photo.

.


(ozone)

Does it look the same with tank lights off and just overhead lights on? Because I know my tank looked the same with my radions on but with them off and the overhead lights on was a completely different story. Lol.

This was Feb 6th:

and this was Feb 10th after running carbon and its still just as clear:

 

[Calvin]

I love my UV sterilizer. Your fish will look HD. If you think carbon makes your tank clear, wait until you get a UV.

I like aqua ultraviolet because it’s inexpensive (but still very high quality) and I believe the flow rates are more logical for practicality purposes. But this is only my opinion!

Well thisakes me feel more confident about purchasing one! Lol but I really appreciate your opinion on the matter!

 

[WVNed]

OO with the 14K MH + T5s off it's looks like it hasn't been scraped this week.
It hasn't.

 

[Miami Reef]

OO with the 14K MH + T5s off it's looks like it hasn't been scraped this week.
It hasn't.

Your tank is gorgeous! Excellent water quality!

 

[Miami Reef]

Well thisakes me feel more confident about purchasing one! Lol but I really appreciate your opinion on the matter!

This is a tank that runs UV. Look at this HD! https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ca7SduxOr5r/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

[LPS Bum]

I've been running rox 0.8 activated carbon for about a month and a half now and have great water clarity, but just noticed my convict and has head and lateral line. I immediately stopped using the Carbon after noticing it and doing some research about how carbon can cause this in surgeon fish. He is still very active and eating aggressively. Just wanto to find out others opinions/experience with water clarity using uv.

The HLLE on the convict isn't terrible and I dount there will be any signs that it was ever there once I get it cleared up.

On a side note I'm going to be installing a grounding probe tonight just incase there could be any stray current in the aquarium as well. And NO3 is at 16.2ppm (per hanna high range nitrate) and PO4 is at 0.08ppm (per hanna low range phosphate and red sea phosphate pro test kit) which I don't consider dirty by any means.

I’ve never been convinced that running carbon in your tank leads to HLLE. I’ve run carbon 24/7 for years and none of my tangs have it.

Admittedly that’s anecdotal, but I’ve always believed HLLE to be a disease more brought on by captivity, and not just as a result of activated carbon.

 

[Miami Reef]

I’ve never been convinced that running carbon in your tank leads to HLLE. I’ve run carbon 24/7 for years and none of my tangs have it.

Admittedly that’s anecdotal, but I’ve always believed HLLE to be a disease more brought on by captivity, and not just as a result of activated carbon.

It’s actually scientifically proven. There was a study done about tangs not developing HLLE in carbon free water vs getting lesions within 6 weeks.

The cheap dusty carbon was worse.

Using Rox 0.8 and a skimmer made the effects of HLLE not visible to the naked eye, but under the microscope there were lesions.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I run uv unit plus Chemipure and triple filter socks

 

[Sean Clark]

No Ozone option on the poll? That is your end all water clarity solution. Also no need for additional consumables like bulbs and carbon.

 

[Reefvision]

Oxydator/UV for me

 

[FishOkay]

I second ozone as an alternative but still doesn't beat carbon in my opinion and probably best to run both haha.

 

[trsmith18]

8 feet of water
No carbon, socks/fleece or UV. No color correction in the photo.

.


(ozone)

So how are you achieving this level of clarity

 

[WVNed]

So how are you achieving this level of clarity

The answer was in my post
ozone
Just the overhead lights on in the room? Okay.

The only things my water goes through are 2 skimmers. One skims and the other injects ozone.
My other tank just now. Same system on common sump with the other tank. The LEDs have ramped up some.