Ok guys, Need Some Help - Fine Particles In the Tank

layer3switchguy · 07/11/2008, 01:19 PM

Folks,

Since I brought my new 120g tank on-line, I've been dealing with an odd problem not encountered in my previous 54g tank. I seem to have a fair amount of fine particles floating around in the tank...

The tank has been up and running for about a month now...

At first I thought my Tunze's might be kicking up some sand, so I shut them down to see what happens, but the problem persists. In addition, I get fine bubbles rising to the top of the tank, almost like my water is very slightly carbonated. The bubbles mostly rise off the sand bed, but it does occur from the rocks occasionally too. In addition, I see a fine "slick" of this particulate at the top of the water. If I stir it it will break up, but not dissipate. I don't think it's microbubbles, but really have no idea... I have tried large water changes to see if that helps, but it doesn't. With the powerheads on, it is somewhat noticeable. I have shut down just about everything (skimmer, carbon, etc) thinking something was pumping air into the tank, but doing any of those things doesn't alleviate the problem. Any ideas what's going on? Is this some sort of precipitate? I'm dosing Kalk...

All the fish and inverts are doing great, so that isn't a factor, but this issue is making me nuts!

Any ideas on what to look for would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
L3

little_squid · 07/11/2008, 01:25 PM

my guess is it cause of the tank being new but then i have seen this issue with before with people using instant ocean salt

layer3switchguy · 07/11/2008, 01:40 PM

Thanks... I'm uisng Tropic Marin Reef Salt. I wonder if thats part of the problem?

little_squid · 07/11/2008, 01:45 PM

all i use is TM so that is not your issue imo

i do wonder how your getting build up on the surface of your water. are you not running a overflow? or not enough water movment?

Tswifty · 07/11/2008, 01:45 PM

Sounds like the surface is not being agitated or skimmed well enough.

Angle a powerhead at the surface slightly, that should help break the film up enough so your filtration can remove it.

What type of skimmer are you using? Is it HOB or In-Sump

Here' what they water's surface on my tank looks like:

nickts40 · 07/11/2008, 01:52 PM

I am on my fourth tank and it's 6 weeks old. I have a ton of pods in the water stream and all over the glass.

nickts40 · 07/11/2008, 01:53 PM

I am usiing IO salt as well... its the pods...

layer3switchguy · 07/11/2008, 01:58 PM

I don't think it's pods... As for gear, my skimmer is an AquaC Evo240 and I have 3 Tunze 6055 Nanostreams for water movement. I just drained about 30+ gallons of water and still see this stuff floating on the surface! UGH!!! I will try and position the powerheads so that one is agitating the water at the top of my tank, but not sure that will help... This one has me baffled!

little_squid · 07/11/2008, 02:05 PM

yea not sure if nanos will do the trick

they well help but not like a larger tunze would

layer3switchguy · 07/11/2008, 02:38 PM

Thanks, so you think perhaps the 6055's don't have enough horsepower and that may be the problem? I have a Tunze 6100 i could try out... I would be thrilled if that did the trick!

little_squid · 07/11/2008, 02:52 PM

this is a 6' tank right? yea what would it hurt right?

layer3switchguy · 07/11/2008, 02:54 PM

Actually the tank is 4x2x2...

Thanks!

joshkennedy07 · 07/11/2008, 04:10 PM

What's you Ca level? Alk? Mg?

layer3switchguy · 07/11/2008, 04:12 PM

Hi,

Going to check them tonight and will report back.

Thanks!
L3

layer3switchguy · 07/11/2008, 05:30 PM

Ok, so just did the following tests using Salifert:

CA - 490
MG - 1470
Alk - 9.9 dKH

My Mg may be skewed, as I added mag earlier today...

Other than my CA being high, any ideas?

layer3switchguy · 07/12/2008, 06:40 AM

AM bump...

otrlynn · 07/12/2008, 06:48 AM

Are you dosing Ca? Could it be higher than you think and precipitating out?

layer3switchguy · 07/12/2008, 07:07 AM

Hi,

I'm dosing Kalk, and a few times a week add Liquid Reef from Brightwell Aquatics. I thought it might be precipitate. I'll stop dosing the Liquid Reef and see if that makes a difference...

At this point I'll try anything!

Quote:

Originally posted by otrlynn
Are you dosing Ca? Could it be higher than you think and precipitating out?

07/11/2008, 01:19 PM	#1
layer3switchguy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 843	Ok guys, Need Some Help - Fine Particles In the Tank Folks, Since I brought my new 120g tank on-line, I've been dealing with an odd problem not encountered in my previous 54g tank. I seem to have a fair amount of fine particles floating around in the tank... The tank has been up and running for about a month now... At first I thought my Tunze's might be kicking up some sand, so I shut them down to see what happens, but the problem persists. In addition, I get fine bubbles rising to the top of the tank, almost like my water is very slightly carbonated. The bubbles mostly rise off the sand bed, but it does occur from the rocks occasionally too. In addition, I see a fine "slick" of this particulate at the top of the water. If I stir it it will break up, but not dissipate. I don't think it's microbubbles, but really have no idea... I have tried large water changes to see if that helps, but it doesn't. With the powerheads on, it is somewhat noticeable. I have shut down just about everything (skimmer, carbon, etc) thinking something was pumping air into the tank, but doing any of those things doesn't alleviate the problem. Any ideas what's going on? Is this some sort of precipitate? I'm dosing Kalk... All the fish and inverts are doing great, so that isn't a factor, but this issue is making me nuts! Any ideas on what to look for would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! L3 __________________ 120g Oceanic Tech (48x24x24) 90lbs of Live Rock ATB Small Cone ATI 8 Bulb Powermodule (T5) 2 Vortech MP40W Prodibio Profilux P3ex Controlled Current Tank Info: 120g Oceanic Tech

07/11/2008, 01:40 PM	#3
layer3switchguy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 843	Thanks... I'm uisng Tropic Marin Reef Salt. I wonder if thats part of the problem? __________________ 120g Oceanic Tech (48x24x24) 90lbs of Live Rock ATB Small Cone ATI 8 Bulb Powermodule (T5) 2 Vortech MP40W Prodibio Profilux P3ex Controlled Current Tank Info: 120g Oceanic Tech

07/11/2008, 01:45 PM	#5
Tswifty Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: PA Posts: 14,022	Sounds like the surface is not being agitated or skimmed well enough. Angle a powerhead at the surface slightly, that should help break the film up enough so your filtration can remove it. What type of skimmer are you using? Is it HOB or In-Sump Here' what they water's surface on my tank looks like: __________________ "Enough light? Heck I could go barebottom and grow SPS in the stand!" - DiscoReefRover

07/11/2008, 01:52 PM	#6
nickts40 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Gillette, NJ Posts: 181	I am on my fourth tank and it's 6 weeks old. I have a ton of pods in the water stream and all over the glass. __________________ Current Tank: 220G , 50G Sump, 3x400 12K Reeflux, Orca 250 skimmer, 4x6100 Tunze, GEO Kalk and 612 Calcium Reactor, ACIII Controller, Chiller

07/11/2008, 01:53 PM	#7
nickts40 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Gillette, NJ Posts: 181	I am usiing IO salt as well... its the pods... __________________ Current Tank: 220G , 50G Sump, 3x400 12K Reeflux, Orca 250 skimmer, 4x6100 Tunze, GEO Kalk and 612 Calcium Reactor, ACIII Controller, Chiller

07/11/2008, 01:25 PM	#2
little_squid Moved On Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: joliet,il Posts: 2,395	my guess is it cause of the tank being new but then i have seen this issue with before with people using instant ocean salt

07/11/2008, 01:58 PM	#8
layer3switchguy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 843	I don't think it's pods... As for gear, my skimmer is an AquaC Evo240 and I have 3 Tunze 6055 Nanostreams for water movement. I just drained about 30+ gallons of water and still see this stuff floating on the surface! UGH!!! I will try and position the powerheads so that one is agitating the water at the top of my tank, but not sure that will help... This one has me baffled! __________________ 120g Oceanic Tech (48x24x24) 90lbs of Live Rock ATB Small Cone ATI 8 Bulb Powermodule (T5) 2 Vortech MP40W Prodibio Profilux P3ex Controlled Current Tank Info: 120g Oceanic Tech

07/11/2008, 02:05 PM	#9
little_squid Moved On Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: joliet,il Posts: 2,395	yea not sure if nanos will do the trick they well help but not like a larger tunze would

07/11/2008, 02:38 PM	#10
layer3switchguy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 843	Thanks, so you think perhaps the 6055's don't have enough horsepower and that may be the problem? I have a Tunze 6100 i could try out... I would be thrilled if that did the trick! __________________ 120g Oceanic Tech (48x24x24) 90lbs of Live Rock ATB Small Cone ATI 8 Bulb Powermodule (T5) 2 Vortech MP40W Prodibio Profilux P3ex Controlled Current Tank Info: 120g Oceanic Tech

07/11/2008, 02:52 PM	#11
little_squid Moved On Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: joliet,il Posts: 2,395	this is a 6' tank right? yea what would it hurt right?

07/11/2008, 02:54 PM	#12
layer3switchguy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 843	Actually the tank is 4x2x2... Thanks! __________________ 120g Oceanic Tech (48x24x24) 90lbs of Live Rock ATB Small Cone ATI 8 Bulb Powermodule (T5) 2 Vortech MP40W Prodibio Profilux P3ex Controlled Current Tank Info: 120g Oceanic Tech

07/11/2008, 04:10 PM	#13
joshkennedy07 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: California Posts: 248	What's you Ca level? Alk? Mg?

07/11/2008, 04:12 PM	#14
layer3switchguy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 843	Hi, Going to check them tonight and will report back. Thanks! L3 __________________ 120g Oceanic Tech (48x24x24) 90lbs of Live Rock ATB Small Cone ATI 8 Bulb Powermodule (T5) 2 Vortech MP40W Prodibio Profilux P3ex Controlled Current Tank Info: 120g Oceanic Tech

07/11/2008, 05:30 PM	#15
layer3switchguy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 843	Ok, so just did the following tests using Salifert: CA - 490 MG - 1470 Alk - 9.9 dKH My Mg may be skewed, as I added mag earlier today... Other than my CA being high, any ideas? __________________ 120g Oceanic Tech (48x24x24) 90lbs of Live Rock ATB Small Cone ATI 8 Bulb Powermodule (T5) 2 Vortech MP40W Prodibio Profilux P3ex Controlled Current Tank Info: 120g Oceanic Tech

07/12/2008, 06:40 AM	#16
layer3switchguy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 843	AM bump... __________________ 120g Oceanic Tech (48x24x24) 90lbs of Live Rock ATB Small Cone ATI 8 Bulb Powermodule (T5) 2 Vortech MP40W Prodibio Profilux P3ex Controlled Current Tank Info: 120g Oceanic Tech

07/12/2008, 06:48 AM	#17
otrlynn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chester County PA Posts: 1,508	Are you dosing Ca? Could it be higher than you think and precipitating out? __________________ Lynn 1 horse, 1 dog, 2 cats, small pond with a few koi. The fish tank is gone.