# water keep turning yellow the next day after water change?



## vangster (May 10, 2012)

Hi, All

I'm new to this npt setup so im not sure if i did everything the right way. I setup a 20g tank 4 days ago using Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting Soil 2'' and black sand from petco 1'' it's seen my water keep turning yellow the next day after i water change, I did like 75% water change everyday so does anyone know why my water keep turning yellow the next day? i even put my aquaclear filter on too.


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## The Trigger (Apr 23, 2012)

I don't use soil based substrates, but does the soil contain peat? peat tends to stain the water a yellowish brown. Also makes the water more acidic.


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

Welcome to APC. 

Do you have any wood in the tank? Keep in mind that the color won't hurt the fish, and they may even appreciate it. With enough water changes it will eventually lessen, but sometimes that takes a while - depending on the wood or amount of peat.

Your soil layer is a bit deeper than recommended. Make sure you have some heavy root feeding plants, like a couple swords. But in a 20 they will need a fair amount of pruning to stay manageable. The soil should release CO2 bubbles - this is normal. But if the releasing gas smells like rotten eggs (sulpher) you need to take more action. Keep a skewer or stick handy to poke holes in the substrate and release the gas if it starts going anaerobic. To effectively use that much soil you need a *lot* of plants. This is a bigger concern than the water color. 

Good luck and keep posting.


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## vangster (May 10, 2012)

it contain peat moss so i don't know if that the same as peat.


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## vangster (May 10, 2012)

@vicky yes, i have a dirtwood in there which i take out from my other tank. so far i have like 5 different plant in there. i have hygrophila difformis, hygrophila corymbosa stricta, jeva fern, java moss which is tie around the dirtwood, and argentine sword. also i just added 2 snail yesterday and both seen to be runing around fine in there. my water is not smells at all.


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## DerekFF (Nov 21, 2011)

That soil will stain the water for a while as there is peat and poo in it

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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

I've had pleasant results doing a mineralization process with organic based substrates. You lose a LOT of the volume, but you also lose a lot of the things you don't necessarily want, but keep enough of the remainder to have CO2 gassing out while the organics naturally build up in the system.


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## vangster (May 10, 2012)

because of the color of the water yellowise brown im scared to add fish in there so i will keep do 75% water change everyday and hoping it will go away in the next coupe week. The snails seen to be ok in there so maybe fish will be fine too but just a little too scared to add it cuzz those galazy rasbora fish cost me too much money. 25buck for 5...


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

Ammonia and nitrites will harm your fish, but the tannins that color the water will not. Test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH. I've had healthy fish in water so dark I could hardly see them. Some driftwood releases an amazing amount of tannins. You might try removing the driftwood to a bucket of water for a few days to see if the color is coming from the wood or the soil.


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## vangster (May 10, 2012)

thanks for the reply i will this it


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## vangster (May 10, 2012)

just redo my tank yesterday. this time i put 1'' soil and 1'' sand and also take out any little wood chips in the soil so far the water is super clean.


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## vangster (May 10, 2012)

got another problem with water turning yellowise agian. here the problem if i dont turn on my aquaclear 30 filter the water is crystal clear for a week but if i turn on the filter and let it run for over night the next day the water is yellowise brown. anyone with this problem?


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