Life Long White Tint To Water.....Any Advice?

[4D3]

Hi,

I have a white tint to my water than I cannot seem to shift...

In every aquarium i have run, I have always had really good stable water parameters, but the water always seems to have a white tint to it regardless of where I am or take size etc.

I will list some of the setups I have had, as I have had big and small tanks, I have used rain water, well water, spring water, and household tap water, I have moved thousands of miles over the years, used many filters and medias, and I seem to be plagued by this white tinted water!!

My water always has the following 2 additives, Seachem Safe when doing water changes and salt at the rate of 1.5g/l.

Setup 1: Size: 6x2x2. Filters: 2 x Eheim 2262. Media: Eheim Mech Pro, Marine Pure Spheres, Medium-Fine Pads. Water Type: Rain. Stock: Heavy - CA/SA American. Location: Ballarat, Victoria.

Setup 2: Size: 3x2x2, Filters: Eheim 2080. Media: Eheim Mech Pro, Eheim Substrate Pro, Eheim Filter Pads. Water Type: Rain, Stock: Light – Angel Fish & L Numbers, Location: Melbourne, Victoria.

Setup 3: Size: 6x18”x18”. Filters: 2 x Eheim 2217. Media: Eheim Mech Pro, Eheim Substrate Pro, Eheim Filter Pads, Purigen. Water Type: Spring. Stock: Discus (10+), Location: Ballarat, Victoria.

Setup 4: Size: 3x2x2. Filters: Eheim 2262. Media: Eheim Mech Pro, Aqua-Clay, Filter Pads. Water Type: Town/House, Stock: Light 2 Flowerhorn & Loaches, Location: Whitsundays, Queensland.

Setup 5: Size: 4x2x18”. Filters: Fluval FX 6 & 21w UV Sterilizer. Media: Fluval Outer Pads, Marine Pure Spheres, Fluval BioMax, 1Kg Chemi-pure, 1000ml Nitra-Guard Bio Cubes Titanium. Water Type: Town/House, Stock: Light 4 Flowerhorn & Loaches, Location: Brisbane City, Queensland.

All of my tanks have had great parameters, with the exception on a single cycle crash in the 6x2x2 due to a power outage for 24 hours which took months to rectify.

With my current setup the Nitra-Guard Bio Cubes Titanium means I literally have zero nitrates, yet I am still having this white tint to my water.

The tanks have all been bare bottom with the exception of the current which has washed white gravel…..My fish are really healthy and they grow fast and have really nice colours and all eating well...

Please can someone help me get that sparkly clear water…what am I missing?

 

[4D3]

Nothing?

 

[deeda]

Does the tank water also look white when you put a sample in a clear glass container?

 

[Pomatomus]

It would be good to know what type of substrate you have, your pH, your hardness, and your alkalinity. You may be seeing a mineral precipitate.

 

[johnny potatoes]

Does the tank water also look white when you put a sample in a clear glass container?

You thinking micro bubbles?
That's my first guess.

 

[4D3]

Does the tank water also look white when you put a sample in a clear glass container?

Hi,

Yes it does.

 

[4D3]

You thinking micro bubbles?
That's my first guess.

No micro bubbles it's definitely coloration in the water. My glass is clean inside and out

 

[4D3]

It would be good to know what type of substrate you have, your pH, your hardness, and your alkalinity. You may be seeing a mineral precipitate.

I'll get those readings for you in about 45 mins when home

 

[johnny potatoes]

No micro bubbles it's definitely coloration in the water. My glass is clean inside and out

So if you take a glass of tank water and let it sit for an hour, does it clear up? Or stay cloudy?

 

[4D3]

So if you take a glass of tank water and let it sit for an hour, does it clear up? Or stay cloudy?

Cloudy.....you can see microbubbles, the water looks like someone has added a dash milk to it.

I have no air stones, and I have has this problem for years with different filters, most of them Eheim which don't get microbubbles, different media and different type of water.

The first filter I'm using that could possibly have a microbubbles problem is the fx6 I have now, but I can assure you it's not that, I have applied plumbers grease to every seal and join, my hoses are tiny less than 1m in length for intake and output.

A perfect example of what it looks like is if you get a 300ml glass of water and add 1-2 drips of milk and give it a stir