floating particles

[chris c]

Hello, I am new to this forum and I have a question. I have a 280 gallon reef tank with 200lbs of live rock and 60 pounds of sand. I am having a major problem with lots of floating particles in my water. I am handling filtration with 2 8 inch filtration socks that are fed by 2000 gallons an hour from my overflow. I have a bubble master 250 skimmer and a 55W UV clarifier. My sump has a large built in refusium with 50lbs of live sand and macro algae. If anybody can help me out with suggestions on how to solve my water clarity problems, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris

[michika]

Can you describe the particulate? Is it actual matter or could it be microbubbles?

[chris c]

Thank you very much for the quick reply. The particles are definitely not micro bubbles but look like very small pices of sand. But the sand in my aquarium is very coarse so I don't think that it would be my sand causing the problem.
Chris

[digital-audiophile]

I have tonnes of particulate in my water, part of having a sand bed and a sleeper goby in my case.

[mark]

If not sand or micro bubbles then detritus.

Assuming the sock are reasonably fine (am running 100 microns that work)and not overflowing they should eventually get everything.

[bassman]

Atleast you should be happy it's not settling, it's staying in suspension. My tank always has some particulates floating around. It tells me my circulation is good.

What livestock do you have?

[wickedfrags]

I have a very similar system also pulling 2000GPH through my 4' sump, and with an external skimmer. The 100 micron bags I use do a great job and keep the water crystal clear.

[naesco]

Hello, I am new to this forum and I have a question. I have a 280 gallon reef tank with 200lbs of live rock and 60 pounds of sand. I am having a major problem with lots of floating particles in my water. I am handling filtration with 2 8 inch filtration socks that are fed by 2000 gallons an hour from my overflow. I have a bubble master 250 skimmer and a 55W UV clarifier. My sump has a large built in refusium with 50lbs of live sand and macro algae. If anybody can help me out with suggestions on how to solve my water clarity problems, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris

Chris is the problem that you have particles floating on the surface of the water?

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Do you dose to maintain calcium and alkalinity? I'm wondering....how much particulate is there? Like just a bit or like a snow storm? :)

[chris c]

Thank you all very much for the input. Its good to know that I am not the only one with this proplem. As far as live stock I have the following in the tank right now.
Yellow tang, Purple tang, orange sholder tang, sohal tang, cramini tang, tomato clown, fire clown, french angel, queen angel, emperor angel, and one sleeper goby.
The particles are not on the surface of the water, but in the water itself. It is not quite a snowstorm of particles, but not just a little either.
I appreciate your help,
Chris

[christyf5]

Likely its detritus. I don't even have a sandbed, run a 100um filterbag and its particle city in my tank. I also run ozone and it helps break down some of the bits but every once in awhile a fish will stir up some crud thats hanging out in the back forty and its snowglobe time. I also siphon detritus on the bottom weekly. I don't really know what to suggest other than that ozone does help (at least I think it does in my tank). :biggrin:

BTW with all those tangs in the tank they're more than likely creating a lot of, um, detritus (poo) so I would imagine its probably difficult to keep on top of unless you want to feed them less. Perhaps try a filterbag that is a smaller micron size. You will have to swap them out more often but it might help.

[skylord]

I also have a "few" tangs and tangs do 2 things. They eat and they pass what they eat so there are always particulates in the water. I use 3 of the 100 micron filter socks and cant imagine not having at least one. I don't think feeding less is the best option because (my) tangs tend to get a bit aggressive toward each other if I cut back their food. I think if I found new homes for my Rabbit and my hippo tang that all the particulates would disappear too. I swear the output on those 2 far exceeds the input. I just try to ignore it for the most part.

Scott

[christyf5]

I second that on the hippo tang, one wiggle of his butt and its smorgasbord for the rest of the fish :razz:

[Snappy]

I have a fairly heavily stocked tank which includes 4 tangs and a trigger and my water is very clear. I use two 100 micron filter socks in my sump, one for the overflow for "floaties" and one on the return from my skimmer for bubbles.