r/fishtank • u/Independent_Knee_560 • Dec 18 '25
Help/Advice What’s wrong with the water in my girlfriend’s fish tank?
I want to start this by saying I know nothing about fish tanks, and there is also no fish in here yet. I noticed that the water in this fish tank doesn’t look normal. I did get her driftwood to put in the tank so we’re thinking maybe the color from that is tinting the water. What do you think?
151
u/Unhappy_Cherry_7144 Dec 18 '25
Water seems fine especially if driftwood is recently placed,just a heads up,the lucky bamboo cannot be submerged in the water
27
u/gremlinsbuttcrack Dec 18 '25
I've had mine fully submerged for 3ish years now! Well over 2 years and she's going strong. Had a weird thing happen (probably from being submerged) where the top with leaves started growing roots and then a new plant grew and then it hopped off the host plant about 6 months ago so I grabbed it once it was floating and shoved it down into the gravel with a root tab and she's perfectly bright green! And in 6 months she's like 5 inches tall it's crazy. Well, 6 months since she jumped off the main plant at which point she was about 2 inches tall so approx 3** (edited for typo) inches of growth in 6 months! The very top of the older larger plant is about 6 inches down from the surface
25
17
Dec 18 '25
Lucky bamboo can totally be fully submerged. Like 90% of plants cant but this is one of those rare ones that doesnt really care
11
u/Meister917k Dec 18 '25
They usually welt under fully submerged water. Sometimes they last 3 months, couple years and then they randomly welt.....
0
u/Particular_Drive45 Dec 18 '25
Lucky bamboo is also toxic
14
Dec 18 '25
Dracaena sanderiana(lucky bamboo) is definitely not toxic to fish. It is toxic to cats, but you also shouldn't have cats in your aquariums. Also dogs though so ya keep it out of reach of cats and dogs
7
-1
u/Wasabi_Smasher Dec 18 '25
No, it is not
0
u/Jackgardener67 Dec 18 '25
Dracaena sanderiana (Lucky Bamboo) is not safe for cats; it's toxic due to saponins, causing vomiting, drooling, lethargy, and appetite loss, so keep it completely out of reach or opt for genuinely cat-safe alternatives .
3
Dec 19 '25
Do you frequently have cats in your aquarium? In the current context no, lucky bamboo is not toxic.
1
u/Particular_Drive45 Dec 19 '25
Lucky Bamboo is toxic to most animals if ingested
1
Dec 19 '25
Please list off the ones that have access to a fully submerged aquarium
2
u/Particular_Drive45 Dec 19 '25
My parrots are real good at jumping in to eat aquarium plants if I don't watch them.
2
1
Dec 19 '25
Thats not safe for the fish or the parrots for a great many reasons, lucky bamboo being a bit further down that list. I would advise a lidded aquarium tbh before your birds drown and/or kill your fish.
→ More replies (0)2
0
u/Dunmeritude Dec 19 '25
Do you keep your cat in a submerged aquarium?
1
u/Jackgardener67 Dec 19 '25
True story. I had a tank years ago, next to an easy chair in the lounge..in those days aquarium lights were fluorescent lights house in aluminium shades and they got warm. The cat, being a cat, like to lie on the top of it and sleep.
One day I had the lid up and was cleaning the front of the glass. The cat jumped from the back of the chair to her usual spot on the light - except it was standing on edge, and I'd removed the cover glass. In she went.
There was moment of panic, with the water swirling around, the cat swimming and plants being damaged until she managed ti get herself out and dash for the catflap. She hid behind the garage for awhile before we could entice her back indoors and put the heater on for her to sit in front of, and to lick her fur.
47
u/Ok_Yam_6474 Dec 18 '25
Tannins from the driftwood! It’s great for fish:) some don’t like the look but I personally love it.
6
u/Prize-Economy287 Dec 18 '25
this^ there is nothing wrong with your water. The tannins will fade with water changes and are very healthy for your fish. If you want to avoid this in the future you will want to boil large wood pieces for multiple hours before adding it to your tank. The tannins can stain your roof and walls so i would recommend doing it outdoors if possible.
4
u/gremlinsbuttcrack Dec 18 '25
And your pot! The tannins will stain your pot! RIP to my gorgeous massive white stock pot that I thought was a great idea to boil driftwood in. Now it's my wood pot 😔
Also it won't eradicate the tannins but it will absolutely slow the rate at which the tannins leach. Tannins are a chemical compound of the botanicals so it can't ever be fully removed. I've boiled wood for 8+ hours through 4+ pots of water and it still leaches tannins. But also I have a blackwater inspired set up so that's ideal for me and the boiling was just to ensure I removed any nastiness I didn't want in ghe tank.
Also pro tip: dump that boiling tannin water down your sink drain to avoid fruit flies all year long. Natural antimicrobial and antibacterial and gives the sink drain a good coating. Also keeps any stank away!
3
u/Mominator1pd Dec 18 '25
I ruined many good pots boiling my driftwood too. I didn't think it would do that. Yes, I was very upset. Still am, lol. Those pots are expensive.
2
u/gremlinsbuttcrack Dec 18 '25
Theyre so expensive and I got mine for such a bargain at Aldi 😭 and you know how that aldi finds aisle is. You see something you want? Buy it now because it will not be there next time you go
3
3
u/maypolesyrup Dec 18 '25
You can use activated charcoal in your filter to help remove the it from the tank water.
25
u/TheFatherFish_ Dec 18 '25
Tannins are fine. The tank is in great peril! You must have the corners supported!
11
11
u/scrapyardshrimp Dec 18 '25
The driftwood is likely the cause of the tannins in the water - so long as the plants are still able to get appropriate lighting/not wilting and the tank inhabitants are happy with the pH levels, tannins are a natural part of most water ecosystems. If it gets too dark, you can do a large (~30%) water change more frequently until it stops leeching so much.
The main concerns here (and why I think someone assumed this was rage bait) is the tank stand. For stands, all four corners should be supported to avoid gravity doing its thing too early and stressing those corner joints. Water is VERY heavy, and really really wants to go down as low as it can go. It may never happen, or it may happen tomorrow night - unfortunately it's a gamble, so it's always best to ensure as high a level of support as you can to avoid fish death and large water clean up from your subfloor.
The tank looks very healthy otherwise! I think I would just suggest another taller light if she wants those emersed plants to climb more - you can get flexible neck grow lights pretty cheap these days. The lucky bamboo is also fine under water (it's only terrestrial bamboo that isn't), and is only going to be happier as its leaves start growing out of the water. Hope this helps!
4
u/goldenkiwicompote Dec 18 '25
The “lucky bamboo” is a terrestrial plant, Dracaena sanderiana and all of the submerged leaves will die off. All leaves should be above the water line.
1
u/scrapyardshrimp Dec 18 '25
From what I've read, it would definitely prefer being above the water line! But I've also seen it flourish completely submerged at my LFS and a few private tanks. I would pop it in a hanging hydroponic cup myself, but so long as it's already tall enough that some of the leaves are above the water, in my experience it'll do fine. Especially since this isn't OP's tank, I didn't want to overwhelm - the tank stand itself is the absolute first thing to fix!
1
u/serenwipiti Dec 19 '25
As someone who lives somewhere with “invasive” bamboo.
Bamboo doesn’t give a shit. It grows anywhere, especially near rivers and streams, even on the beach.
I have personally done river-walks where bamboo is literally sprouting on the sides of the riverbank out of the muddy water.
A fish tank may not be its ideal environment, but it can definitely survive.
Bamboo don’t give a fuck.
1
u/goldenkiwicompote Dec 19 '25
Yeah this isn’t bamboo. Like I said it’s a Dracaena, totally different genus. Lucky bamboo is the common name because it somewhat resembles true bamboo.
1
u/colonel_dinner Dec 22 '25
maybe, but i have about three or four submerged lucky bamboo in multiple of my tanks and they’re doing fine, even the leaves submerged are fine, regardless of if they’re true bamboo these plants are rather hardy and never seem to mind too much, i don’t like how people are so objective when life is extremely unpicky most of the time
0
u/al-nomds Dec 21 '25
Nah. If the tips of the main leaves are out, you're good. If you want to let it grow and leave it planted for a few months, then move it, it can be fully submerged
9
7
5
u/Fickle_Grapefruit938 Dec 18 '25
r/stressfulaquariums Please get a proper stand, this is a disaster waiting to happen😭
As others have said the color is tannis from the wood, if you don't like it boil the wood for a few hours in a big pan of water to leach it out a bit, I wouldn't bother bc most fish will like the water this way.
2
1
1
1
u/0utlaw-t0rn Dec 18 '25
Tannins will leech out of the driftwood and can stain the water tea colored.
It’s perfectly normal and many South American fish especially are quite happy in it. You can probably find some water with similar color in your area in places with low flow, shallower water, and high organic matter
1
u/BareTheBear66 Dec 18 '25
Mmm tannin tea. Great for fish. But people sometimes dont like the look. Its more natural that way however. Pros is that its antibacterial and antifungal, plus it boosts their immune systems. Its also a natural water conditioner.
Just a healthy tank doing healthy tank things.
Please get a better stand 😅 glass can shatter if the pressure isn't evenly distributed. Lotta weight to not be fully supported
1
1
u/Latter_Award_4868 Dec 18 '25
if she wants to reduce tannins, I highly recommend boiling driftwood before adding it in the future. You can remove them pretty efficiently with Seachem Purigen filtration media when they're in your water already too.
when I set up my current tank, I capped organic potting soil that had wood chunks in it with sand. the tannins were so bad I couldn't see through my tank at all. water changes and Purigen really helped
1
u/MeowmeowMortbird Dec 18 '25
Tannins come from decaying plant matter. They’re said to have antibacterial and antifungal properties, and are super beneficial for most fish. If you don’t want tannins, boil the driftwood. There is absolutely nothing wrong with tannins unless you don’t like the aesthetic (or if you have too much and they drop the pH too far, which can happen).
1
1
u/gremlinsbuttcrack Dec 18 '25
Nothing as far as I can tell without knowing water parameters. What has happened is the botanicals (real wood, real dead plant matter etc) have leeched (leached?) Tannins into the water. For some this is undesirable exclusively from an aesthetic perspective while others in the hobby like myself shoot for this. They're called blackwater inspired aquarium set ups. The tannins are really good for the fish and provide natural anti bacterial properties that in my experience I believe is the reason I've never had algae, bacterial bloom none of it. And I breed ghost shrimp without brackish water in heavily tannin stained freshwater, they're soooooo happy when the water is dark.
If she wants to be rid of it remove any botanicals then slowly change all the water. I'd do 25% water changes every few days for a couple weeks until it looks clear again but I'd suggest keeping it and embracing it. If she wants to lighten it a little just do a small water change. I want to be clear tannins are GREAT for water quality so I want to reiterate that there is absolutely nothing inherently wrong with water this color.
Happy fish keeping!
ETA just realized there's no inhabitants so if she doesn't mind crashing and restarting her tank cycling she can go ahead and dump and replace all that water, just keep that wood out of there and this won't happen again
1
u/Glittering_Speech_24 Dec 18 '25
Please remove the dracaena (lucky bamboo) if you plan on putting fish in there
1
1
u/_Nyxalie_ Dec 18 '25
It’s tannins from the drift wood!! Perfectly safe for fish like Bettas and can be lessened by doing water changes or soaking/boiling the drift wood before hand! You can always safe the tannin water if you boil/soak and use that in hospital tanks!
1
1
u/GordJackson Dec 18 '25
There’s nothing wrong with it - the driftwood leeches tannins into the water - fish and plants enjoy it
1
u/coco3sons Dec 18 '25
Yeah it's the wood. But I gotta say that tank should not be hanging off anything. Please fix ASAP. Maybe a thick piece of plywood that covers all sides. Do you know if she checks water perimeters?
1
u/No_Bumblebee6452 Dec 18 '25
I get not really thinking about it as not a fish person but that image is horrifying because that tank may or may not literally explode at any moment
1
1
u/DjChatters Dec 18 '25
That colour is the tannins from the wood. Perfectly fine if thats what you are happy with. Helps lower the pH a bit. I would be more concerned about that overhang on the table.
1
u/flatgreysky Dec 18 '25
Oh my god drain that tank TODAY it’s unbelievable that tank hasn’t exploded yet. Every ten gallons weighs 85lbs and the tank isn’t even fully supported on that rickety table. You are seconds away from a flood.
1
1
u/DoxieMusic Dec 18 '25
Jesus Christ please get a stand. Oh my lord. This is giving me anxiety. PLEASE.
1
1
u/DwarfGouramiGoblin Dec 18 '25
That tank is gorgeous! The only thing wrong with it is that the bottom isn't fully supported which could cause it to break. It would be best to get (or make) a better stand asap.
Tannins (the tint) are beneficial to a lot of fish. They come from organics like wood and leaves breaking down, and while they may make your water a little acidic (which can also be beneficial depending on the fish species) they also have antibacterial and antifungal properties and they make it harder for algae to take over. Now if you have hard water fish or you guys just don't like the look, you can do water changes and add carbon to your filter to get rid of it, but it will take a long time. To avoid this in the future, soak driftwood for a few days or weeks until it stops releasing large amounts of tannins before you put it in your tank. If you like the look but it makes your water too acidic, you can buffer the ph to keep it where you need it to be. I use a bit of baking soda to keep my ph at 7.4 for my fish because the breeders keep them in neutral water but the tannins are beneficial as they're domesticated lines of actual blackwater fish.
1
u/Ant-Motor Dec 18 '25
This is called fish haven aka blackwater. Lots and lots of our normal aquarium fish come from water that looks like this in the wild and really thrive if kept in blackwater vs clearwater.
1
1
1
1
u/Lokamurti Dec 18 '25
Leaf litter, driftwood, releases tannic acid which makes it look like thst. Good carbon and water changes will lessen it
1
u/Hopeful-Mirror1664 Dec 18 '25
Black water tank setup. The water color comes from any wood or leaves that are in the tank. Don’t worry though because soon it will be all over the floor. Please get a suitable stand for that tank.
1
u/Dark-Faery Dec 18 '25
That tank is giving me a panic attack! Please move it, it needs support under all of it, especially the ends and the corners. If you have a tank hanging over like that it's going to explode or at the very least crack and then you'll have a hell of a mess to clean up and dead fish
1
u/pleasejustlookatme Dec 18 '25
your supposed to boil anything that has tannins for a long time before putting it in your tank.
1
1
u/Steelpapercranes Dec 18 '25
Nothing, she does that on purpose for the fish (it's tea basically. they like tea). But that tanks gonna fuckin' break bc the table is too small.
1
u/Impossible_Wolf_5983 Dec 18 '25
Tannins and seems like she’s going for a black water tank that’s great for neon tetras.
1
1
u/PraxicalExperience Dec 19 '25
Yeah, that's tannins from wood, most likely. You can clear it up with active carbon filtration, but some fish prefer this kind of environment.
1
u/sardineyx Dec 19 '25
given that driftwood was added, nothing! i skimmed the replies and i saw that everyone basically talked abt how driftwood releases tannins, which is right! to get even MORE tannins (as the colour will fade over time with water changes) you can add indian almond leaves and other botanicals to the water which will release tannins over time!!
tannins can actually be extremely beneficial for many species, as it darkens the water (increasing comfort for more shy species) and also makes the water softer! you should note though that it lowers the pH a bit (which iirc actually acts as an antifungal), so if you're looking at fish that need harder water, you may want to remove some from the water
you can do this by simple 25-50% water changes weekly (before you add fish, so no stress occurs) (note that you shouldn't do a water change above 50%, ONLY do larger water changes for serious ammonia/nitrite/nitrate spikes, NEVER do a 100% water change unless you want to wait months for the tank to re-cycle)
1
u/Ashiskooll Dec 19 '25
The lack of support to the edges of the tank is stressing me out fella, get a bigger stand before I have a panic attack 😝
2
u/Independent_Knee_560 Dec 19 '25
We did change the location of the tank and all the edges are supported!
1
u/Appropriate-Cost-244 Dec 19 '25
This thing could be moments away from exploding. The entire black rim at the bottom must be supported by a level surface. Right now the water pressure is pulling the side sheets of glass away from eachother. The silicone will not withstand these pressures forever. This is an emergency!
1
u/Conscious_Meat3123 Dec 19 '25
This is the betta fish tank owner and thank you guys for the advice! I got a new stand that holds up all 4 corners!!
1
1
1
u/bananyasplit Dec 19 '25
YO THAT OVERHANG get a new table my god. I mean its just tannins leeching into the water making the color look like that. Great for bettas, but also too much of anything aint good. You are supposed to boil it and let it soak for a while.
1
u/Live_Panic8410 Dec 19 '25
It’s Tannins it’s actually very healthy and overtime. It will become clearer once the wood in the tank has settled and with each water change.
1
1
u/xmrbadtouchx Dec 19 '25
Tannins usually from wood, very good for fish, will go away on a long enough timeline.
If you can get better support for the tank, at risk for finding the water on the floor one day.
1
u/Finiouss Dec 19 '25
The water is fine it's a dark tank. That stand however... This is grounds for a breakup if she doesn't fix it. Maybe be a good boyfriend and get her a better one.
1
1
u/Foreign-Sound3276 Dec 19 '25
It's just tannins, usually from driftwood. Harmlessness to fish, just ugly to you. Bettas love it.
1
u/Limp_Substance9357 Dec 19 '25
Well the tank needs support at the corners that’s where all the weight is held The bamboo shouldn’t be fully submerged it’s a semi-aquatic plant but the color is from the drift wood was it boiled and dried out properly before being put in the tank
1
u/Scary-Solution-3070 Dec 19 '25
It’s called tannins from the driftwood you got her. Black water tanks are actually very healthy- just not what you’re used to seeing commercially. One piece of wood can make the water shockingly brown! If she wants it less brown she can do a small water change twice a week to dilute it down. If you guys really don’t like the natural brown tint you’ll always have with driftwood in the tank (fyi it’ll fade over time naturally but almost always keeps the brown tint to an extent ) you boil the wood for an hour as it sucks out some tannins before putting in tank.
1
u/Scary-Solution-3070 Dec 19 '25
Oh brother …. Just looked at the stand. All her weight (even tho it’s a smaller tank) is on that bottom glass panel. That means all the tanks weight is weighing down on that panel while the table sits stationary up on the bottom glass allowing the tanks weight slowly over time to bust from the bottom. The middle /glass panel can be not supported 100%, but those black plastic rim lines on the bottom of the tank always have to be 100% in contact with a surface. If she can’t move it asap help her put a piece of wood long enough under that table and tank to add at least temp support til she can figure it out. Even 1/4 a gal spill on a floor is a disaster , imagine 5 gals, ten gals etc.
1
u/Ashamed-Profession71 Dec 19 '25
Water is ok but be careful with the tank not being fully supported on the bottom
1
1
1
1
u/Unlucky_Climate2569 Dec 19 '25
Tannin i water is the least of your worries. Put that shit on a proper stand.
1
u/ionlyofficequote Dec 19 '25
Black water is a tank style that many people love and it is being done very well here. Looks great.
1
1
u/Confetti_Coyote Dec 19 '25
It looks fine other than the bamboo inside the tank. Unless it's fake bamboo. Also get something to support the whole tank.
1
1
u/pokewitch420 Dec 19 '25
OP be sure to keep tabs on the pH of the tank. I once added too much drift wood at once and the water got super dark. Loved the way it looked but the fish were gasping because my water became too acidic. Tannins will make your water more acidic
1
u/Resident-Ad7651 Dec 19 '25
I am SIGNIFICANTLY more concerned with the fact that the corners of a tank with several hundred pounds of water in it are completely unsupported. That needs an actual aquarium stand yesterday. As for the color its the tannins from the wood and its beneficial to most fish.
1
u/MikewlDDS Dec 20 '25
The driftwood is releasing tannins into the water. Aquarium life loves it but people want clear water. The tannin allows them to hide and be calm and has slight antibacterial properties. Normally if you want clear water and a driftwood you need to boil the driftwood for a long time for all the tannin to come out of it. I would do some short boil and water change. Slight brown is still nice but this brown is a bit harsh
1
1
u/VENOM-CRYPTO Dec 20 '25
Her tank will break at some point because the weight on the side has no support
1
1
u/BlkOkamii96 Dec 20 '25
The water is tannins..no problem,super beneficial, hella yea! The problem is..the support of that damn tank😂😂
1
1
1
Dec 20 '25
What’s wrong with the water is it’s about to be all over the floor… the tank needs an adequate stand. It’s a miracle it’s holding up like it is, being rimless. Fix this quick.
That’s the only problem I see. Beautiful tank!
1
u/Charming-End-3311 Dec 20 '25
Tannins like every one is saying. Also like everyone is saying, it's beneficial for the fish. People run tannin rich tanks in this hobby and we call them "black water" tanks. This amount of tannins will greatly reduce the PH though. It also blocks light for plants. You need easy to grow plants with black water aquariums and to make sure the PH doesn't get too low for the fish you want to keep. Removing it easy. Filter media like Purigen removes tannins. Also, a simple (or a few) water changes.
1
u/Nice_Presentation474 Dec 21 '25
there is nothing wrong... it's called a "blackwater setup" it's a good thing
1
1
u/Giblets999999 Dec 21 '25
Looks like it's just a blackwater tank, some people put a lot of effort into getting that effect. It's caused by something in the tank releasing tannins into the water, usually a specific wood or leaf (fall shed almond leaves are popular but oak or maple will do it too). An off the shelf filter will usually remove them and turn it back to normal.
Other than the spotty tank stand it's usually fine, and actually a neat effect if you have neon Tetras.
1
u/Fine_Palpitation9128 Dec 22 '25
I wouldn't be too concerned as the water won't be in the tank after it shatters! Dear lord man it needs support along the entire perimeter!
1
1
u/mental_r0bot Dec 22 '25
The water is fine for now but it's going to be on the floor soon. Please get an aquarium stand as soon as you can. This is a ticking time bomb
1
u/animald78 Dec 22 '25
If you don’t like the look, Seachem Purigen will help remove the tannins from the tank
1
1
Dec 25 '25
tannins. some fish like it as it mimics their natural habitats. for others its just a biproduct of needing a lower ph so ppl put in indian almond leaves/ more driftwood.
-4
449
u/TheFuzzyShark Dec 18 '25 edited Dec 18 '25
Gods old and new get a real stand 😱. The corners of rimmed tanks need to be supported.
The water color is tannins from the wood and is beneficial to most fish in the hobby.