Could my Powerhead stop my tank from skimming? or getting clear

asonitez · 01/16/2009, 08:00 PM

Weird Question,
Could my Power-heads be stopping detrius from going into the sump? View this PIC. Under t-5's I see NOTHING at all in the water column. Maybe is my bulbs or something. I'm running, ozone, filtersocks, and carbon. I just don't know what to do to keep the darn water crystal clear. It seems everyone else is able to.

Roy Arena · 01/16/2009, 09:02 PM

What are the tank specs? ph ,alk ,etc.

ganjero · 01/16/2009, 09:48 PM

The powerheads actually help the detritus go in the sump. Are all those things in the water or the glass? If they are on the glass everbody gets things on the glass and the reason you see cristal clear is becuase they clean the glass before pictures or visits, etc.

How old is your tank? do you use ro/di water? what are the tds levels on your ro/di water? can you take a full tank shot?

asonitez · 01/16/2009, 11:10 PM

I'm uploading the pic now.

asonitez · 01/16/2009, 11:12 PM

theres a fts. i only have 1 overflow. do i need another?

JNye · 01/16/2009, 11:13 PM

what fish you got, could be a fish constantly turning the sand, my GSM clown and an engineer goby are always making a mess.

asonitez · 01/16/2009, 11:17 PM

I got a sandsifting goby but I don't think its him. He sifts sand but I dont think he sifts THAT much. you can see him in the bottom right corner.

Fish list is

1 Yellow tang
1 Rabbit fish
2 Firefish
4 chromis
2 Sunburst Anthias
1 Hippotang
1 Sailfin Blenny
1 Fridmani Pseudo Chromis
1 6 Line Wrasse
1 Cleaner Wrasse
1 Sandsifting Goby
1 Red Coris Wrasse

asonitez · 01/16/2009, 11:19 PM

I'm gonna Reposition my Power heads Put 2 In the Lower Bottom of the Back Pointing Forward and 2 In the Front Corners Pointing to the Back.

flat broke · 01/16/2009, 11:19 PM

Are you sure they aren't microbubbles? Even a small amount of microbubbles in the display will make the water look like there is a bunch of particulate matter floating around.

If you think it might be microbubbles, check to make sure your powerheads aren't pulling a vortex every so often. If you're one hundred pecent sure it's not the powerheads, shut off the return pump for an hour or so, and see if the bubbles clear. If they do, then you'll know the bubbles are orriginating from the sump or return plumbing.

Chris

asonitez · 01/16/2009, 11:20 PM

Ok ill shut off the Return pump and see what happens.

asonitez · 01/17/2009, 12:24 AM

nothing still looks like lots of particles. I think i need a new skimmer or perhaps another overflow box. I don't know many tanks that don't have 2 overflow boxes.

flat broke · 01/17/2009, 09:50 AM

If you have enough flow to keep detrius in suspension, it should be able to be removed from the water column. Do you run a filter sock on your drain? How much GPH are you running through your sump?

Assuming it really is dirt/debris in your water, the fact that the powerheads seem to keep it suspended is a good thing. You just need to figure out why it's getting from the tank, into the sump, and then back up into the tank again (if that's what's happening)

I know you don't feel the sandsifting goby could be to blame, but do you find sand on top of rocks? If so, he's cropdusting and could be part of the problem.

In the middle picture of your first post, what is the gray strainer and pipe feeding? HOB skimmer? If so, shut it down for a couple hours and see what happens.

Can you also post a pic (or a few pics) of your sump? Is there any detrius acumulating in the sump?

It's probably something simple, it's just hard for us to spot it without being there in person.

Chris

asonitez · 01/17/2009, 11:27 AM

I'm gonna post a few pics of the Sump Just now.

asonitez · 01/17/2009, 09:14 PM

I think it might be calcium particles. I use coralife Marine which comes naturally with high calcium. I forgot to turn off my reactor and I had been dosing purple up like a idiot. I think it might be Precipitate. I hope a Few waterchanges will fix it.

E.intheC · 01/18/2009, 07:08 PM

good luck.. your tank looks clean in the FTS for what it's worth

asonitez · 01/18/2009, 07:36 PM

Yeah I know the Tank does look clean lol. Maybe its me being stupid.

Today I'm gonna try a different Salt and not dose calcium until.

01/16/2009, 08:00 PM	#1
asonitez Floodicus Maximus Flooris Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,643	Could my Powerhead stop my tank from skimming? or getting clear Weird Question, Could my Power-heads be stopping detrius from going into the sump? View this PIC. Under t-5's I see NOTHING at all in the water column. Maybe is my bulbs or something. I'm running, ozone, filtersocks, and carbon. I just don't know what to do to keep the darn water crystal clear. It seems everyone else is able to.

01/16/2009, 11:13 PM	#6
JNye Moved On Up Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lansing, IL Posts: 2,230	what fish you got, could be a fish constantly turning the sand, my GSM clown and an engineer goby are always making a mess. __________________ Joe Current Tank Info: it don't matter just don't bite it

01/16/2009, 11:19 PM	#9
flat broke Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Long Beach Posts: 762	Are you sure they aren't microbubbles? Even a small amount of microbubbles in the display will make the water look like there is a bunch of particulate matter floating around. If you think it might be microbubbles, check to make sure your powerheads aren't pulling a vortex every so often. If you're one hundred pecent sure it's not the powerheads, shut off the return pump for an hour or so, and see if the bubbles clear. If they do, then you'll know the bubbles are orriginating from the sump or return plumbing. Chris __________________ "We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we may always be free." - Ronald Reagan 6/6/1984 Normandy Current Tank Info: 45 Cad Lights shallow with mixed corals. Reef Breeders LED, SCA 302, WP25, WP10, , AC jr. etc... To think that someone told me this hobby could be kept simple ;)

01/17/2009, 09:50 AM	#12
flat broke Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Long Beach Posts: 762	If you have enough flow to keep detrius in suspension, it should be able to be removed from the water column. Do you run a filter sock on your drain? How much GPH are you running through your sump? Assuming it really is dirt/debris in your water, the fact that the powerheads seem to keep it suspended is a good thing. You just need to figure out why it's getting from the tank, into the sump, and then back up into the tank again (if that's what's happening) I know you don't feel the sandsifting goby could be to blame, but do you find sand on top of rocks? If so, he's cropdusting and could be part of the problem. In the middle picture of your first post, what is the gray strainer and pipe feeding? HOB skimmer? If so, shut it down for a couple hours and see what happens. Can you also post a pic (or a few pics) of your sump? Is there any detrius acumulating in the sump? It's probably something simple, it's just hard for us to spot it without being there in person. Chris __________________ "We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we may always be free." - Ronald Reagan 6/6/1984 Normandy Current Tank Info: 45 Cad Lights shallow with mixed corals. Reef Breeders LED, SCA 302, WP25, WP10, , AC jr. etc... To think that someone told me this hobby could be kept simple ;)

01/18/2009, 07:08 PM	#15
E.intheC Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 5,373	good luck.. your tank looks clean in the FTS for what it's worth __________________ -Eric

01/16/2009, 09:02 PM	#2
Roy Arena Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Chandler AZ. Posts: 202	What are the tank specs? ph ,alk ,etc.

01/16/2009, 09:48 PM	#3
ganjero saiperchémibatteilcorazon Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 4,027	The powerheads actually help the detritus go in the sump. Are all those things in the water or the glass? If they are on the glass everbody gets things on the glass and the reason you see cristal clear is becuase they clean the glass before pictures or visits, etc. How old is your tank? do you use ro/di water? what are the tds levels on your ro/di water? can you take a full tank shot?

01/16/2009, 11:10 PM	#4
asonitez Floodicus Maximus Flooris Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,643	I'm uploading the pic now.

01/16/2009, 11:12 PM	#5
asonitez Floodicus Maximus Flooris Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,643	theres a fts. i only have 1 overflow. do i need another?

01/16/2009, 11:17 PM	#7
asonitez Floodicus Maximus Flooris Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,643	I got a sandsifting goby but I don't think its him. He sifts sand but I dont think he sifts THAT much. you can see him in the bottom right corner. Fish list is 1 Yellow tang 1 Rabbit fish 2 Firefish 4 chromis 2 Sunburst Anthias 1 Hippotang 1 Sailfin Blenny 1 Fridmani Pseudo Chromis 1 6 Line Wrasse 1 Cleaner Wrasse 1 Sandsifting Goby 1 Red Coris Wrasse

01/16/2009, 11:20 PM	#10
asonitez Floodicus Maximus Flooris Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,643	Ok ill shut off the Return pump and see what happens.

01/17/2009, 12:24 AM	#11
asonitez Floodicus Maximus Flooris Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,643	nothing still looks like lots of particles. I think i need a new skimmer or perhaps another overflow box. I don't know many tanks that don't have 2 overflow boxes.

01/17/2009, 11:27 AM	#13
asonitez Floodicus Maximus Flooris Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,643	I'm gonna post a few pics of the Sump Just now.

01/17/2009, 09:14 PM	#14
asonitez Floodicus Maximus Flooris Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,643	I think it might be calcium particles. I use coralife Marine which comes naturally with high calcium. I forgot to turn off my reactor and I had been dosing purple up like a idiot. I think it might be Precipitate. I hope a Few waterchanges will fix it.

01/18/2009, 07:36 PM	#16
asonitez Floodicus Maximus Flooris Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,643	Yeah I know the Tank does look clean lol. Maybe its me being stupid. Today I'm gonna try a different Salt and not dose calcium until.