"Dusty" water - how do I get crystal clear?

Mini Coop · Jan 20, 2017

I have noticed it, but tonight my husband commented on it specifically. My water seems to have little specs of dust or particles floating through it all the time. I cannot get it to clear up. Lots of dust, little white specs floating around everywhere. At Christmas I installed a reef octopus protein skimmer, and a tunze ATO. The sump is open, with the water draining into a large filter sock, it is set up to flow next to the protein skimmer and then to the return pump. I have included pictures of my powerheads and the flow that they are creating, along with the one drain that I have. I am not sure if my set up is the problem, or if it is something else. I did just run fallow For a while because of an ick outbreak, could I have that many copepods floating around? Lord knows I have about a thousand stomatellas!

Any advice on the set up that I have is welcome, whether it has to do with clearing the dust or not, but I would love to address this I have some corals, obviously, two clowns and a fox face and A sailfin about to come out of QT.

Humblefish · Jan 20, 2017

Are you sure the specks aren't microbubbles coming from the new skimmer?

Frop · Jan 20, 2017

Humblefish said:
Are you sure the specks aren't microbubbles coming from the new skimmer?

I agree. I don't see any baffles either. You'd use the baffles to trap bubbles from going back into the DT.

Mini Coop · Jan 20, 2017

Humblefish said:
Are you sure the specks aren't microbubbles coming from the new skimmer?

Yes sir. They are white. Don't look like bubbles at all. I did set up a sponge type baffle from protein to return. It's debris of some sort. I just can't figure it out!

Mini Coop · Jan 20, 2017

Here. Tried to get a pic. Little white particles, like when a crab will knock some stuff into the water from a rock, and you see a puff of white stuff come off of it, dust or sand, but All over the tank all the time. All parameters are reading just fine. Not so much worried as annoyed. LOL

Humblefish · Jan 20, 2017

Jena Cooper said:
Yes sir. They are white. Don't look like bubbles at all. I did set up a sponge type baffle from protein to return. It's debris of some sort. I just can't figure it out!

Could be pods blowing around. Although the fish usually eat those.

Nothing in your tank or sump breaking apart, right? Like maybe that sponge.

Frop · Jan 20, 2017

My only other guess would be to turn the sump off for 2 hours (or some time). See if it stops. If it stops then you'd know if its related to the sump or not.

justjimarri · Jan 20, 2017

Filter floss !

Humblefish · Jan 20, 2017

justjimarri said:
Filter floss !

+1 Or a fine mesh filter sock

Mini Coop · Jan 20, 2017

Humblefish said:
Could be pods blowing around. Although the fish usually eat those.

Nothing in your tank or sump breaking apart, right? Like maybe that sponge.

Nope - all good. Went and looked and made sure. Some pieces look too big to be pods. Kind of looks like sand blowing around my tank, but that doesn't make sense.

Mini Coop · Jan 20, 2017

Hahah. The sumo water looks really clear!

Mini Coop · Jan 20, 2017

justjimarri said:
Filter floss !

What is filter floss?

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 20, 2017

justjimarri said:
Filter floss !

Uhh Yea!!!
A simple baffle would help a lot

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 20, 2017

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...xeLrHyCzSjNbjbwpXSLRs75dH-rx_3UhK8aApWc8P8HAQ

justjimarri · Jan 20, 2017

Jena Cooper said:
What is filter floss?

Best stuff ever I just stuff some in the over flow , crystal clear.

Coronus · Jan 20, 2017

First thing is, by the looks of it, the right powerhead is pointed at the sand bed. The coral on the bottom, looks like a multi head Duncan possibly is getting a ton of flow by the way it looks. I would change the direction of the powerhead. Not sure if you have fine grain sand or not. That could help.