yellowish water color.

[unckeyherb]

I just got a 150 Gallon tank (48x24x30) with an Amiracle W/D filter and sump.
It has been running now, with my fish in it, for about 2 weeks. All was fine until this weekend the water color quickly began to look quite yellowish. It is an acrylic tank, and I have heard that they can tint yellow over time, but not this quickly. Any ideas on why this is? More importantly, how to fix it? Any additions to the filter?

 

[rallysman]

Do you have any driftwood in the tank?

 

[messiner]

def sounds like harmless tannins

 

[Sunpoe]

Activated carbon can remove the color but will not remove the cause.

 

[unckeyherb]

I do have drift wood, but it was in my old 55 gallon for a long time. Not sure that is it. However, I recently added a clay plant pot, which I did clean prior to putting it in. Now that I think about it that would probably be the reason. Will it eventually go away? Is it harmful to the fish? Will active carbon work for that?

 

[elevatethis]

The tannins are, believe it or not, actually beneficial to some fish. It will go away eventually with regular water changes, and active carbon will remove it from the water until the carbon is exhausted, so you'll have to keep replacing the carbon to keep getting rid of the tannins.

I have a piece of root wood in my tank that leaches tannins like a mo-fo. I've gotten used to it, and the yellowish earthy look is kinda growing on me. Give the tank a little life and looks less sterile than pure, crystal clear water.