Which should I get for the cloudy water?

[hebbah]

My water got somewhat less cloudy since I put in the charcoal media about 1 week ago but now it is not really getting any better. Do you think I waited long enough? I also turned off the lights for 4 days and did 2 waterchanges. All the water is testing perfectly but it is still cloudy.

Some of you suggested a UV sterilizer and I did some reading on this board and noticed that some people also run a canister filter for a few days.

Which you do you think is better and why? Any suggestions on what brand/kind?

Thanks so much!

 

[dustin_P74]

personally i would just change the carbon, because it seems to have done its job and probably stopped cleaning the water because it reached maximum absorption

 

[hebbah]

Oh, I see! Could that happen so quickly? I just put it in there just a week ago...I thought it last 6 months?

 

[queenangel77]

Oh, I see! Could that happen so quickly? I just put it in there just a week ago...I thought it last 6 months?

+1 dustin.
I would not buy a UV for the water clarity. I dont believe that it will cure cloudy water. I use my UV to kill parisites like ich and other bad bacteria. They are very good for fish though.IMO.
I also do not know of any carbon that lasts 6 months. Most of the carbon is used up very quickly. I would try putting in some new carbon. Be sure to rinse it before you use it in your tank or it wil just be cloudier than it already is. Is it possible that your poweheads are stirring up substrate on your tank making the water cloudy?

 

[daugherty]

carbon only lasts a few weeks depending on the load of crap that it needs to take out

 

[Teixeira29]

What kind of canister filter do you have? The one i had was a marineland magnum filter and it comes with a water polisher. You can get this filter at petwhse.com!
Good Luck!

 

[dustin_P74]

depending on the quality of the carbon it can last up to a month, but if your water was very cloudy then all the pours in the carbon were probably filled up in the first day or two

 

[Bifferwine]

A UV filter will help if your cloudiness is caused by algae, but it's not a permanent fix by any means. Like others have said, I agree to keep changing the carbon. You can also try a filter media called ChemiPure. It does a great job removing crap from water.

 

[hebbah]

Thanks so much everybody! I changed the carbon and the cloudiness is much better already! I also did see that ChemiPure on Marine Depot...I think I am going to invest in it....
THANKS AGAIN!!! You are all tremendously helpful!!!

 

[Bifferwine]

Yeah, try the ChemiPure. I used to use it every few months just as part of my tank's maintenance routine.