"Dust" floating around the tank

[Floyd-]

Are you carbon dosing? Vodka or vinegar?

I dont dose anything. Just normal water changes weekly and my parameters are where they need to be. No hungry SPS or anything in my tank. Just fish and simple easy corals. Mainly LPS and sofies with some mushrooms and zoas.

 

[CoralClasher]

I normally don’t carbon dose because I don’t have a skimmer. But for the last two nights I’ve been dosing just a little vodka and today I see some green hair algae in my 7 year old tank . I don’t know if this is helping the break down of detritus?

 

[gbroadbridge]

I normally don’t carbon dose because I don’t have a skimmer. But for the last two nights I’ve been dosing just a little vodka and today I see some green hair algae in my 7 year old tank . I don’t know if this is helping the break down of detritus?

If there is stuff floating around you need to look at your filtration and flow,.

perhaps the stuff never ends up in the filter so you need to look at flow

 

[dadnjesse]

I believe it's bacterial also. You don't need a huge UV to clear the water. As previously stated a 40 to 50 watt will work.

 

[CoralClasher]

If there is stuff floating around you need to look at your filtration and flow,.

perhaps the stuff never ends up in the filter so you need to look at flow

I’ve tried many different filters and I have two MP40S. Lately I’m using two magnum polishers with DE in the display. During the day it looks like a constant shedding of dandruff. I can see the flecks go into the overflow box. I even put a 100 micron sock on the return pump outlet.

 

[Nemosis]

Take a clean, clear glass and fill it with tank water from your display while the particles are floating. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so and whatever it is will be more visible and settle to the bottom of the glass. If nothing can be seen, you probably have micro bubbles being pumped back into your display.

 

[CK00020]

Try running mesh socks, I had a similar problem. I think my socks were getting worn out, I now prefer the mesh just way easier to clean.

 

[CoralClasher]

I do micro bubble almost every night but these specks are definitely different. I don’t know if it makes a difference but my clogged socks are gray color.

 

[Floyd-]

Ill try the glass of water and let it settle tonight and see what happens. I have a ton of flow in the tank. Maybe even too much I think at times for LPS and Softies.

 

[Floyd-]

I believe it's bacterial also. You don't need a huge UV to clear the water. As previously stated a 40 to 50 watt will work.

I dont really want to spend that sort of cash on a hunch that it might work. $500+ for a crap shoot isnt worth it for me.

 

[CoralClasher]

I just did the glass of tank water test and my stuff will settle but not disappear. I’m thinking bacteria or maybe some kind of sponge?

 

[Nemosis]

I bought a cheap reactor from BRS and used a 1 micron sediment filter with an old pump and set it up in my sump. Let it run for a few hours and it should trap those particles without a problem. Crystal clear water. If you have a reactor with carbon or other media, just swap it for a 1 micron sediment filter temporarily then go back with your media once you’re satisfied. You can also run smaller micron filter socks. They will clog faster but will also work.

 

[Floyd-]

I did the glass of water "test" and very quickly everything went away. I went and turned off the 4 rear pumps on my max tank and all my "dust" went away. I think they were micro bubbles.

 

[Floyd-]

Well after a day with the 4 pumps off im still having stuff floating around like crazy so its not those. Back to square one again.

 

[gbru316]

Bacterial blooms look like fog in your tank or clearish fuzz/slime (biofilm) on tank surfaces. This isn't bacterial. It's particulate matter -- detritus, fine sand particles, old fish food, poop, etc. I suppose it could be microbubbles, but I'd expect to see them sticking to some surfaces in your tank. That doesn't appear to be happening.

I run both UV and ozone on my tank yet I observe similar particulate matter -- but I currently don't use mechanical filtration so it's expected. I have thrown a HOB power filter on the tank and it's cleared the particulates right up overnight.


If it bothers you, increasing your mechanical filtration should solve the issue -- and that might require increasing flow through your sump via larger return pump. Though, there's nothing inherently wrong with floating particulates as these exist in nature, too.

 

[Garf]

I’ve had dusty stuff floating around before (seemed too big for bacteria). They seemed to multiply with lights on, would disappear by first thing in the morning. Don’t know what it was but a UV got rid within 24hrs.

 

[Floyd-]

If it bothers you, increasing your mechanical filtration should solve the issue -- and that might require increasing flow through your sump via larger return pump. Though, there's nothing inherently wrong with floating particulates as these exist in nature, too.

I have just grown to accept it and let it go. Tank is doing well so why bother "fixing" something thats not really broken.

 

[gbru316]

I have just grown to accept it and let it go. Tank is doing well so why bother "fixing" something thats not really broken.

Good philosophy. Too often, issues are self induced by trying to correct some perceived flaw in search of the "perfect" tank.