Carbon with Discus

[KageBunshin]

Im so sick of my cloudy water... Are discus ok with carbon filtration. I have a fluval 404 and was thinking if it is ok to use carbon to clear up the water? Any suggestions?

 

[Synirr]

I don't think carbon would help much... you'd probably do better with some kind of microfiber filter media. What's the cloudiness due to? My 80 gallon was cloudy for a while because I was stupid and didn't rinse my sand very well when I set the tank up, but I popped the micron cartidge into my canister filter and it cleared the water right up in no time flat . It was clear as crystal within two days.

 

[KageBunshin]

Bacteria Bloom...

 

[Tolak]

How long has the tank been running for?

Tolak

 

[KageBunshin]

about a month

 

[Tolak]

It's a common problem on a newly cycled tank. Make sure you are not overfeeding, and doing regular gravel cleaning. It's generally caused by more nutrients than the good bacteria can handle.

It should run it's course & clear up on it's own, usually within a week.. Keep an eye on ammo & nitrites with that discus in a newly cycled tank.

Activated charcoal may help, but some studies have been done showing charcoal has been suspected as one of the factors of HITH in discus. It has also been discounted in other studies. It's up to you if you want to take the chance.

Tolak

 

[Origami Gourami]

I had a similar situation. I found Accu-Clear gave great results for a one-off clarity boost, but I wouldn't use it as a regular thing (don't know exactly what's in it), you need to get the filter balancing on it's own. But for a quick aesthetic boost, e.g; a couple of hours before VIPs descend to inspect your new tank, it certainly worked for me. I was reluctant at first, but I thought I'd give it a go. I certainly wouldn't rely on it as part of a regular regime.

Far better to keep this to a minimum/one-off and use the advice already mentioned, plenty of regular clean water (discus love it), gravel/sand cleaning, etc, etc. And as Tolak says, ammo and nites...

Not a big fan of artificial stuff like that, but it's an option.

 

[John_Nicholson]

Carbon is a bad thing for discus. It will often lead to hole in the head disease. I would suggest more water changes. I do not know how much water you are changing but most discus folks change water each and every day.

-john