faint cloudiness

[Htomassini]

My 210 planted has a hint of cloudiness that I cannot make go away, and I wonder if its the ADA AS that i used. Filtration consists of a 29gal tank as a sump with 2 sock filters into an inlandseas 25 micron filter.

I have used clarifiers to no use. It is easier to see in the side shot.

Thanks

Henry T

 

[Biollante]

Not Sure...

Hi Henry T.,

I am not sure, I have never used ADA AS (or any other commercial substrate), I have heard many complain about ADA AS and other “light” substrates.

I would assume a “clarifier” such as Sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) or Sodium bisulfate, (NaHSO4) or whatever, would have at least temporarily cleared the water, at least caused “clouds.”

I do not know how mature the tank is, if it is young, under a year, then some sort of bacterial bloom may be in progress, your tank seems to have a fairly high bio-load, including some serious carnivores, messy ones at that. The biological filtration may simply not be up to the task yet.

If you have or can get a hold of a 5, or 1 micron or “sub-micron” filter, say a diatomaceous earth filter and run it for a few hours or a day or so and see what happens.

Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.

Biollante

 

[Htomassini]

A couple if things: one I bought de from pool place and used it in my magnum 350 and I have left it running overnight.

If its a bio pad issue should I pu5 bioballs in my 29gal tank sump? Or should I buy a larger tank ( for more water and partition it with bioballs?

 

[Htomassini]

after 2 days of running the magnum 350 with DE, it has certainly polished the water alot. But now I wonder, every once in a while i get cloudiness and then it goes away. I wonder if that is a bacterial bloom. If so, should I change my setup?

Get a larger tank and partition it with bio balls?

 

[Gerryd]

A larger sump would be a good thing to investigate esp for your size tank and fish...

A larger trickle filter area with more bio material (rings, balls, etc) is not going to hurt...

Does your cloudiness occur after a day or two of heavy feeding?

 

[Htomassini]

No, we feed the same every day. We only feed frozen and live food, so these guys dont leave anything laying around.I wanted to avoid the typical trickle bio ball filter to avoid degassing the co2. As you know a tank this big, its hard to keep the co2 in check. Right now the 29gal tank/sump has the dual sock attachments at one end and the pump at the other, i wonder if adding a partition with balls (submerged) would increase the bacterial surface area.

To note as well is the fact that my plant growth has slowed down and due to having clown loaches i dont have as many stem plants as i did. I just added a nice manzanita piece with a bunch of anubias a java fern, so they should help in cleaning the water column. As of tonight, the tank is much clearer with the DE in the magnum (i had to change out the filter and earth this morning already as it was dirty).

 

[Biollante]

90-Gallon Sump

Hi,

What Gerry said… of course…

Slowing plant growth or losing plants will also reduce the “nutrient export,” effectively reducing the biological filtration.:gw

That is a large tank with lots of big messy eaters, adding submerged bio-balls will help.

I think as Gerry points out looking to increase the trickle area as well as volume of filtration is an excellent idea. That 90-gallon tank you are selling would make a heck of sump…

You may also wish to consider vegetative filters, depending on space and set a nice bog can really enhance a tank.

As to CO2, I am not trying to be flip or controversial; CO2 is cheap, I recommend not worrying about “degassing.” I recommend straight sparging, as in making weak soda water and injecting it after your filter, I prefer a separate circuit and favor mixing eductors, and though for all the whining and hollering the precise method really does not matter.

Biollante

 

[Htomassini]

Well given what you said maybe I'll buy a 50 gal (the largest I can fit there) haha on the 90.

I'll see about making a bio ball zone for it.

I'll also change my mag5 with needle wheel to pull after the filter


Henry t
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[Gerryd]

Hi,

I second Bio's idea to use the 90 as a sump......Just sell the stand/canopy....

I think the extra trickle will be beneficial as they are great for adding 02 to the water...

This can be offset by having to use a bit more c02, but the extra 02 will add a safety margin...sumps can also be sealed to prevent 02/air enrichment (which seems counterintuitive as they are designed to add 02 via air).

Not sure about adding soda water, but with a large tank you may want to add two sources of c02..Say instead of 1 reactor you use two or two smaller needle wheels rather than 1 large one...

I had a nice large sump with twin trickle towers on my 180 for years and I always had a high fish load and fed heavily. Water was always crystal clear and the fish and plants were healthy..

I think a larger sump or at least more bio area would be good for your tank and it's inhabitants...

C02 is fairly cheap and if you have to refill a bit more often, I think the benefits are worth it....IMO of course!

As Bio states, some terrestial plants perhaps with their roots in the water will help also with nutrient export? I have seen this done with some nice results...

I have a hydrocotyle species that is growing emersed on my loc-line but many roots are UNDERWATER... so they get c02/02 from the atmosphere plus whatever they want from the EI and fish enriched water...

Even a mat of riccia anchored in the corner (I have mine on the loc line as well) or corralled (giddyup?) will also provide some of the same benefit....fish also appreciate the cover of such a mat IME...

 

[Htomassini]

Well the 90 will not fit under the cabinet but I will get a bigger on and use fish tank dividers to create a trickle area. I do run an airdrome in the sump at night when co2 is off. Funny but drop checker are blue in the am so the co2 is definitely being diffused out.


Henry t
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[Gerryd]

Henry,

Don't forget you will get a bacteria cloud when introducing the new bio media sump sections...You can help with this by tossing a few large sponges in the tank NOW. If it takes a week or two to get the sump together, at least the sponges will get some nitrifying bacteria and can assist with seeding the new bio bed.

Increasing feeding along with the introduction of the sponges will cause a spike in nh4, thus an increase (not immediate) in bacteria...

You can simply keep the sponges in the tank until the new bed in the sump is established. Just float them in the (new and larger) sump section...

 

[Htomassini]

I have 2 bags of ceramic balls in my current sump so I'll move those over. I'll toss a sponge in there


Henry t
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[Htomassini]

I finished the 55gal sump wetdry combo. I have a video showing a "dry run". The sump chamber holds approx 29 gals of water (it will hold the 2 sock prefilters and the heater and the airstone for nighttime use (although now that I have a trickle filter I wonder if I really need it). The bio area is 11.5 x 11.5 x 13" which should hold about 4-5 gals of bio balls.

let me know what you all think as is this thing is going in on saturday.

[video=youtube;GuJnMcJKYEc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuJnMcJKYEc[/video]

 

[Gerryd]

Looks good. I don't think the airstone at night will hurt....

Keep us posted on the install.......