Yellow water

[bigfish]

I have noticed that my water is changing from being clear to yellow colour in a matter of 2 days after water change, someone said ammonnia?

I have a 12 watt sponge filter in the tank, plants and gravel and the fish. At the moment im having to change the water 3 times a week to stop it from going yellow.

I am overstocked ) & shortly be getting a bigger tank as soon as i find some extra space (on the hunt) can't wait for the set up of it cycling will annoy me but it will be worth it in the end when all my fishies surprise me with babies

Can some give me an idea of how to stop the yellow water from appearing?

Ph is at 7.3 is this too low for keeping guppies and platies happy?

 

[Pufferpack]

Do you have any wood in the tank? If not soaked long enough most wood for the aquarium will release tannin (I think that's what it's called) it is actually supposed to be good for the fish, it just looks terrible IMO

 

[bigfish]

No i don't have any bogwood in my tank.

 

[gadazobe]

What about any decorations that might be colouring the water. Or maybe it's algae and in reality is slightly green, not yellow. The lighting might make it appear yellow.

 

[bigfish]

Definately yellow!!! goes like that after 2 days which is strange & only happened recently, i have used melafix and fungus + finrot treatment lately. could that be the cause?

 

[Dubby]

Have you tried using activated carbon? This should get rid of the yellowing

 

[bigfish]

I got no space in the filter to put activated carbon in. I might change the filter over but transfer the sponges of course.

 

[Dubby]

Activated carbon can be put inside the tank in a bag.

 

[Pondlady]

I used to get yellow water even when using carbon. I assumed it was coming from my driftwood. Then I tried zeolite cartridges on the UGF uplift tubes and the yellow was gone overnight. Great stuff!