Yellow water, and maybe not from organics?

[Dan_P]

I can try the yellow water test, but I just don’t think that it will be noticeable either way in a small sample of water.

I agree. To make this work, you would need to view the water in a white five gallon bucket before and after treating it with GAC.

 

[Mjl714]

I can try the yellow water test, but I just don’t think that it will be noticeable either way in a small sample of water.

Here’s a photo from the far end, 200 cm tank, you can see it gets progressively yellower.

I don’t currently have any fresh water systems and no wood in there

Just swapped in new bulbs, new T5 and new halide bulbs (14K from Geisemann).

btw the the tank is always slightly hazy from sand, because I used very fine sand and then put in some sleepee gobies. That was a mistake, but there’s no way I can catch them now…

Reminds me of a vitamin yellow.

 

[MartinM]

Overdosing on AB+ maybe? I was dosing 50-100mL a day, I recently dialed it back. I was worried about nutrients bottoming out. Although I dose AB+ Even more heavily on another system and have no water clarity issues there.

I’ll try to get a white bucket for the test!

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Overdosing on AB+ maybe? I was dosing 50-100mL a day, I recently dialed it back. I was worried about nutrients bottoming out. Although I dose AB+ Even more heavily on another system and have no water clarity issues there.

I’ll try to get a white bucket for the test!

Totally reminds me of AB+ coloring that won't dissipate. I ended up getting away from it as I have a extremely high bioload and feed heavy. Figure corals are getting broadcast feedings.

 

[Mjl714]

Overdosing on AB+ maybe? I was dosing 50-100mL a day, I recently dialed it back. I was worried about nutrients bottoming out. Although I dose AB+ Even more heavily on another system and have no water clarity issues there.

I’ll try to get a white bucket for the test!

Any conclusion?

 

[MartinM]

Whatever it is, carbon doesn’t affect it much. Water changes have worked though

 

[Celestion]

Yup Water Change blows away carbon

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Carbon won't bind substantial particulates, so if the yellow is particles of some sort, that may be why it resists carbon.

Of course, if the source is still present, whatever it is, no method will remove it and keep it gone.

 

[MartinM]

if it is particulate, it’s smaller than 5 microns, as 5 micron socks didn’t remove it.

I suspect humectants that even a liter of carbon and ozone and peroxide couldn’t overcome. We will see.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I suspect humectants that even a liter of carbon and ozone and peroxide couldn’t overcome. We will see.

Is that a typo? Humic acids?

 

[MartinM]

Seems it just needed a lot more carbon and ozone than I thought it would. Almost gone now!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Good to hear.

 

[MartinM]

So the yellow water quickly came back, but I found the culprit and @Randy Holmes-Farley was right – a hunk of rusting iron in my sand. I have no idea where it came from but after only a few hours of removing it, the water is a lot clearer!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So the yellow water quickly came back, but I found the culprit and @Randy Holmes-Farley was right – a hunk of rusting iron in my sand. I have no idea where it came from but after only a few hours of removing it, the water is a lot clearer!

Glad this is solved!

Happy Reefing!