Can't seem to get my water crystal clear

[Johnny M]

The one thing that cleaned up my system pretty good was ozone. I had gotten to my last step. Other considerations if you don't have a protein skimmer consider getting one and see if it makes a difference.

I have an Aquamaxx HOB 1.5 skimmer hooked up to a CO2 scrubber. Ozone - really have no experience with it and cannot afford a setup now or foreseeable future.

 

[MissyTwitch]

Did you check to see if your UV Bulb was still working, they do go out sometimes and need to be replaced. What type of UV light are you running? Brand Name and Model?

 

[Johnny M]

Ok went with an almost white light with 70% intensity - have a kessil ap700. 1st 2 photo's is from same position taken last night.
3rd is from other side. 4th & 5th pic taken of bottom of rear sump showing some detritus taken from each end. Notice how clear water is in sump!

 

[MnFish1]

That white haze looks bacterial to me. Normally if you just leave the tank alone it will clear up within a week or 2 max. Messing with things and trying to fix an issue that not really an issue can and will cause issues. Bacterial blooms are normal and they just can happen. When my tank has one I just leave it be, normally by the next couple of days water has cleared up.

I was wondering - how long its been 'active' (cloudy). If its nutrient related (unless your overfeeding everyday) - a bacterial bloom should 'burn itself out' since the doubling time is so fast in a couple days with less feeding and doing nothing more. Did you wash your sand when you put it in the tank? Did you change the flow (i.e. could this be 'dust' thats just being persistently blown around). Are you sure that the water isn't bypassing your filter pads?

PS the UV also makes a bacterial bloom less likely - assuming its working and appropriately sized for your tank.

PPS - here is a DIY water polisher - that uses the floss mentioned above - and is super easy - to make, use, and clean - and is effective.

 

[Johnny M]

Did you check to see if your UV Bulb was still working, they do go out sometimes and need to be replaced. What type of UV light are you running? Brand Name and Model?

AUQA Shield UV Sterilizer - Innovative Marine AUQA Gadget - Universal 10W. Checked bulb it is working. Have been removing it - carefully - and cleaning off any scum buildup every week.

 

[Johnny M]

I was wondering - how long its been 'active' (cloudy). If its nutrient related (unless your overfeeding everyday) - a bacterial bloom should 'burn itself out' since the doubling time is so fast in a couple days with less feeding and doing nothing more. Did you wash your sand when you put it in the tank? Did you change the flow (i.e. could this be 'dust' thats just being persistently blown around). Are you sure that the water isn't bypassing your filter pads?

PS the UV also makes a bacterial bloom less likely - assuming its working and appropriately sized for your tank.

PPS - here is a DIY water polisher - that uses the floss mentioned above - and is super easy - to make, use, and clean - and is effective.

Cloudy since almost at beginning, ~9 months ago. Have a Rainford's goby & McCosker wrasse with about 10 snails and 2 red blood shrimp. Feed only once per day lightly. Check my 1st post since media baskets were custom fit there is about 1/16" space on ea. side so i don't have problems removing the basket to clean. Also to stop any bypass i used some filter floss pushed in on the sides of the basket where the water overflows onto the filter pads. So i think it's sealed up pretty good. *Thanks for the diy video on polishing water.

 

[MnFish1]

AUQA Shield UV Sterilizer - Innovative Marine AUQA Gadget - Universal 10W. Checked bulb it is working. Have been removing it - carefully - and cleaning off any scum buildup every week.

It says that its rated for tanks up to 50 gallons. Does your 66 gallons include the sump? PS - you're tank doesnt look 'that' hazy to me *does it come and go?

 

[MnFish1]

Cloudy since almost at beginning, ~9 months ago. Have a Rainford's goby & McCosker wrasse with about 10 snails and 2 red blood shrimp. Feed only once per day lightly. Check my 1st post since media baskets were custom fit there is about 1/16" space on ea. side so i don't have problems removing the basket to clean. Also to stop any bypass i used some filter floss pushed in on the sides of the basket where the water overflows onto the filter pads. So i think it's sealed up pretty good.

You would be surprised where the bypass can happen. BTW does your water go through your media baskets before going down to your sump - or some other configuration - sorry its hard to completely understand the pictures - and I don't know this system.

The fact the your polishing felt clogs the way it does to me makes it unlikely thats its bacteria - but rather some other particulate from your sand, etc thats being blown around.

 

[Johnny M]

I was wondering - how long its been 'active' (cloudy). If its nutrient related (unless your overfeeding everyday) - a bacterial bloom should 'burn itself out' since the doubling time is so fast in a couple days with less feeding and doing nothing more. Did you wash your sand when you put it in the tank? Did you change the flow (i.e. could this be 'dust' thats just being persistently blown around). Are you sure that the water isn't bypassing your filter pads?

PS the UV also makes a bacterial bloom less likely - assuming its working and appropriately sized for your tank.

PPS - here is a DIY water polisher - that uses the floss mentioned above - and is super easy - to make, use, and clean - and is effective.

I have a Marineland HOT (hang on tank) canister filter that comes with a micron cartridge that i used for my FW tanks maybe i should try that to see if it can 'polish' the water & clear it up? Just have to make sure i have new cartridges.

 

[MnFish1]

PS - I would try that DIY water polisher - if it gets 'plugged' nothing bad will happen to the tank. PS - any chance one of your fish is digging?

 

[MnFish1]

I have a Marineland HOT (hang on tank) canister filter that comes with a micron cartridge that i used for my FW tanks maybe i should try that to see if it can 'polish' the water & clear it up? Just have to make sure i have new cartridges.

Yes - try it - they get clogged so fast. IMHO (or is it one of the bigger ones) - it will definitely clear it.

 

[Johnny M]

You would be surprised where the bypass can happen. BTW does your water go through your media baskets before going down to your sump - or some other configuration - sorry its hard to completely understand the pictures - and I don't know this system.

The fact the your polishing felt clogs the way it does to me makes it unlikely thats its bacteria - but rather some other particulate from your sand, etc thats being blown around.

The sand was prewashed - Caribsea arag-alive fuji pink thoroughly b4 adding and once i saw some blowing around i reduced powerheads ( 2 Nero 5's) from 70% to 37% and that seemed to help, plus i added a top layer of coarser arag-alive sand ( prewashed) to help stop any blowing sand.

There are two overflows on each end with the water flowing into the baskets and thru the padding where its 'cleaned' and then drips down and flows into next chamber. As far as I can tell there is no other way for DT water to flow into rr sump.

 

[WVNed]

4 feet of water with no filtration except a skimmer.

 

[Johnny M]

Yes - try it - they get clogged so fast. IMHO (or is it one of the bigger ones) - it will definitely clear it.

It's one of the bigger ones. always worked great for my FW tanks. Don't know why i didn't think of that b4.

 

[Johnny M]

You would be surprised where the bypass can happen. BTW does your water go through your media baskets before going down to your sump - or some other configuration - sorry its hard to completely understand the pictures - and I don't know this system.

The fact the your polishing felt clogs the way it does to me makes it unlikely thats its bacteria - but rather some other particulate from your sand, etc thats being blown around.

The 1st pic of the rr sump you see 2 cubes of MarinePure and a little detritus/sand?, is the chamber that the water flows into after it runs thru the media basket.

 

[MnFish1]

Sorry for all of the questions and potential answers - the thing that confuses me is how the sump is so clear. If it were bacteria - due to nutrients - the sump should be just as cloudy (IME). Another thing to consider is going back to filter socks.

 

[MnFish1]

4 feet of water with no filtration except a skimmer.

Do you use filter socks?

 

[Johnny M]

It says that its rated for tanks up to 50 gallons. Does your 66 gallons include the sump? PS - you're tank doesnt look 'that' hazy to me *does it come and go?

Tank was custom built from SC aquariums in CA. 66g ( 32" x 24" x 20" ) total volume but take away the glass thickness - 1/2" on all sides; 3/8" for glass wall for rr sump plus thickness - 3/8"- for baffles to seperate chambers plus ~1" of space at top of tank to water surface, plus sand and rockwork, the total volume comes out to about 50-52gal.

 

[Johnny M]

Do you use filter socks?

No never liked filter socks. That's why when i had tank custom made the chamber was made to fit the media baskets and not socks. Last month I called the owner of SC and asked if i could get filter socks for the tank but he said since it's custom made there aren't any that can fit unless I get custom ones and I really can't afford that right now.

 

[Johnny M]

Tank was custom built from SC aquariums in CA. 66g ( 32" x 24" x 20" ) total volume but take away the glass thickness - 1/2" on all sides; 3/8" for glass wall for rr sump plus thickness - 3/8"- for baffles to seperate chambers plus ~1" of space at top of tank to water surface, plus sand and rockwork, the total volume comes out to about 50-52gal.

Doesn't really come & go. seems like it's always been there. Months ago when i added the McC. wrasse he dug a little cave/home under one of the rocks but it really didn't seem to add any sand blowing around and like i mentioned that was several months ago. He hasn't done anymore digging. *U mentioned how strange the water in sump is very clear, I know, I don't understand that either. If DT is hazy the sump should be also.