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  1. #1
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Brown water and activated charcoal.

    Hi all, I have been getting a lot of brown water, on google it they say it is tannins in the water caused by plants and the cure is to put in some activated charcoal,anyone used this before?

    Firstly i thought it was from the food as i started using quenis ultimate mix this year maybe it is.

    The drum isnt shifting it as it is too fine and i have been using floss on top of the shower which is catching it but not doing much in clearing it.

    So is useing the charcoal the answer?


    John

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    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    What happens when you put some water in a glass and give it a few hiurs to settle? This will tell you if the colour is from suspended algae (this will settle out) or something dissolved in the water like tannins (will not settle out).

    Supposedly activated charcoal will take tannins out. But how did they get there in the first place?

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  4. #3
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Thanks for your answer Lara i will try the test,on google it says plants which i have a few can cause it if they de-compose.
    If it settles out what then?
    John

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    Junior Member Rank = Fry Grizta's Avatar
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    I always thought that tannins come from bogwood?, i'v never encountered water clarity issues from plants in the pond or any of my tanks, even when i have had plants melting.

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    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by john1 View Post
    Thanks for your answer Lara i will try the test,on google it says plants which i have a few can cause it if they de-compose.
    If it settles out what then?
    If it settles out then its algae/fines - so you need to either address nitrate and phosphate levels, or add more UV and better fines filtration.

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  9. #6
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Put some in a jar and it is clear as anything,couple of hours later the same,had a fern in my waterfall so i took it out to see if it was that as it is a bit woody.
    Could it be the food?
    John

  10. #7
    Senior Member Rank = Mature Champion 14crazychris's Avatar
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    It’s from the food 100% mines done the same thing. The only way you can get rid of it is through water changes. It’s leeched from the food and therefore soluble in the water. Mine was crystal clear after winter. Then I started chucking in 12 feeds a day and subsequently turned brown. The water is clear if you hold it up in a glass though. Water changes is the only way.
    cheers chris
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  12. #8
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Thanks Chris i was thinking down that line,what food are you useing?
    I am on Q/k Ultimate mix.
    John

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    Senior Member Rank = Mature Champion 14crazychris's Avatar
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    Used cuttlebrook and the queni Koi growth mix which gave me brown water. I have used kusuri in previous years which I don’t think gave me brown water but I cannot remember. Not sure if saki Hikari wouldn’t give up brown water? It’s frustrating but I know as it goes into winter the pond will loose the tinge due to water changes and reductions in feeding.
    Cheers Chris


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  15. #10
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Gosai Mythril's Avatar
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    Interestingly mine has got a brown tinge to it this year and it's annoying me. I've been using the same food now for four years (growth in summer and wheat germ in winter) and it never went brown. I was putting it down to using Alperex this year. Has anyone else used Alperex by chance?

 

 

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