# brown water



## Amorakspirit (Feb 26, 2008)

I have done several water changes within the last month (new tank) but I cant seem to get the water to stay clear! It turns brown and Im not sure if what I am doing is right or is their some kinda trick that I am missing.
I use tap water for water changes, should I be treating it with something, or using distilled water instead?
help thanks


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## jehitch (Jun 8, 2007)

Amorakspirit said:


> I have done several water changes within the last month (new tank) but I cant seem to get the water to stay clear! It turns brown and Im not sure if what I am doing is right or is their some kinda trick that I am missing.
> I use tap water for water changes, should I be treating it with something, or using distilled water instead?
> help thanks


The water is probably picking up tannins from the wood it is flowing over. None of my water features is perfectly clear. This is about as close as they come:








The driftwood in one tank quickly turns the water the color of strong tea. If there is no odor, the coloration is probably not a problem other than being unsightly (I kind of prefer it looking more like pond water than aquarium water).

You should, however, age the tap water before using it to let the chlorine evaporate from it.
Jim


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## Tatooineboy (Feb 21, 2008)

So if there isn't any wood making contact with the water, then there shouldn't be any discoloration, correct? Or would drainage from bark/drift-out through the tank make contact with the pond and give it discoloration regardless?


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## topherlove (Jul 14, 2006)

bark, wood, cocoa fiber anything will discolor your water. Anything that makes contact with your pond or if your using a false bottom anything that drains through your false bottom meaning your substrate will turn your pond brown or tan.


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## jehitch (Jun 8, 2007)

Tatooineboy said:


> So if there isn't any wood making contact with the water, then there shouldn't be any discoloration, correct? Or would drainage from bark/drift-out through the tank make contact with the pond and give it discoloration regardless?


Unless there is some impermeable barrier in place, the pond and the water under the false bottom are one body of water, so anything it picks up percolating through the substrate will show up as discoloration in the pond, as well.


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## Amorakspirit (Feb 26, 2008)

I like the color of the water 10min after water change but then 2 hrs later it is too dark... So water changes and time??? I can do that  THANKS!


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## twohoops23 (Mar 1, 2008)

i am having the same problem with one of my tanks. i tore it down and found that the coco fiber was soaked, so i am assuming that it was the cause of the problem. check and make sure it is draining properly. i think i am going to change my substrate to more of a mix with some bark than just coco fiber. good luck!


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## msellers86 (Feb 17, 2008)

I'm not sure about the exact make-up of the coco fiber, but I do know that driftwood is high in tannins, which causes the unslightly brown color. While the color may be unpleasant, the tannins are actually beneficial to the vivarium.


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## barbar0 (Dec 3, 2007)

If you have any peat in the viv: that makes the water to turn brown in no time. My water is always very dark. But as msellers mentioned: Tannins in the water are a good thing, it also makes it slighly more acidic. Tap water normally is a bit on the alcaline side, which isn't ideal.

.................................
barbara


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## Rich Frye (Nov 25, 2007)

The brown you are seeing is a very good thing. People pay $ to get their tad water that color. It is from the tannins in things such a leaves, substrate and such. Don't change that water.

Rich


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## xitch (Dec 5, 2007)

i'll third (maybe fourth or fifth) the opinion that dark water = good. However, do note, that when you use tap water (even after you've let it age overnight), you're also introducing quite a bit of flourine, calcium, and other minerals (those two stand out stronger in my mind, [of course chlorine too if you don't age it!!]) that may or may not be too much for your ecosystem. I work in a lab that has a DI faucet, so I steal 3 gallons every few days to mist my frogs and refill ponds, so I can avoid the other minerals that are [probably] more than enough for the frogs.

Tannins come from basically any dead plant matter (that's why tea gets "tea colored"), and they are [in my experience] very beneficial to the overall health of the other plants.

When was the last time you saw a pond that looked like a swimming pool?


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

The dark water - again if it doesn't smell bad and also is CLEAR not cloudy - is perfectly fine. It is caused by a lot of different products we use... the products that rot slowly in tanks often have tannins in them.

Driftwood - different types have different amounts
Coconut shell products - this includes ground coco fiber like bed-a-beast, coco huts, coco panels, coco chips, etc.
Peat Moss - MAJOR tannin releaser, popular in substrate mixes which also brings me to the next...
Sphanum Moss - Often forgotten but it does have tannic properties (which is why it can't be used with some salamanders - too acidic) and guess what peat moss is made out of?
Decomposing leaves - Oak and wild almond are the most tannic rich leaves used in this hobby - particularly for tadpole tea, but many leaves will do this as well

A filter with activated charcoal will pull the tannins out of the water, so maybe sticking in a small submersible filter for a while will help the overload, or just sticking a filter bag of activated charcoal may help as well. There is such a thing as "too much of a good thing"!! Unfortunately, I haven't reached it yet with any of my tads, lol, they seem to love the dark water... they call it blackwater for a reason


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## Rich Frye (Nov 25, 2007)

^ ...and let's not forget peat brick.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

Which is made from peat moss... condensed  Like coco panels... but waaaaaaaay more tannins.

I've seen water with leaching peat bricks where you could actually see "levels" of water when the water wasn't disturbed, darker water on the bottom, lighter water on top... cool yet almost creepy!


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## Rich Frye (Nov 25, 2007)

KeroKero said:


> Which is made from peat moss... condensed  Like coco panels... but waaaaaaaay more tannins.


True , but sort of like saying diamonds are made from coal. :wink: 



KeroKero said:


> I've seen water with leaching peat bricks where you could actually see "levels" of water when the water wasn't disturbed, darker water on the bottom, lighter water on top... cool yet almost creepy!


Yup , love the stuff. I have vivs that had been misted and drained daily for years that still produce dark drained water.

Rich


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