Dusty / Not Cloudy water

[zenom73]

Still getting back into this hobby. A couple days ago I moved some rock around and yesterday I added some nassarius snails to the tank (they were huge). The water has never been crystal clear yet in this tank (2 mos old), but right now it seems like "dust" floating in it. I don't see sand blowing around. I don't think it is a bacteria bloom because it's not cloudy, just has particles in it. I have an AI Axis 40, 2 filter socks, a skimmer, bio media, live rock etc., all in there. Curious if its just maybe the snails kicking up the additional sand? I always seem to have a little film on the water, which I have been trying to take care of as well with more water movement on the surface. Socks are maybe 1 week old, I just put one fresh one in. to try and help. You can only tell when you are up on it. From a distance it's not as noticeable. Any help would be great.

Alk 8
Calcium 406
Magnesium was 1483
Temp 79
Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt
Tank is about 2 mos old.

You can see it in this white photo.

 

[Saltyreef]

Are you running GAC?

 

[Michael Hughes]

Film on the surface could be due to poor surface skimming and/or inadequate surface agitation. As for general dustiness, you may want to look into adding a flocculant (calcium carbonate powder) to clear up the particulates in your water.

 

[zenom73]

Are you running GAC?

No. Only thing I could think of is the LFS told me to add some of the Liquid Soda Ash to try and raise my alk (was 6.6 per their meter) and I added some to try and raise to 8 (i think it was like 20 ml). Is this possible precipitation?

 

[keagan]

What kind of sand are you using? Finer grained sand can do this, when disturbed it takes a long time to settle.

 

[zenom73]

What kind of sand are you using? Finer grained sand can do this, when disturbed it takes a long time to settle.

CaribSea, some of the more fine grained sand.

 

[allof fish]

My first thought was precipitation. Although if you did use a finer sand it can get blown around but wouldn’t take 2months to settle unless you have a fish or wave maker stirring it up constantly. Add some filter floss to see if that helps

 

[zenom73]

My first thought was precipitation. Although if you did use a finer sand it can get blown around but wouldn’t take 2months to settle unless you have a fish or wave maker stirring it up constantly. Add some filter floss to see if that helps

I added some filter floss. This is new, so the sand had settled. The only things that changed, were

1. I added more snails that bury in the sand (kicking up sand?)

2. I dosed Soda Ash last night. With a calcium of 480 I was starting to think precipitation myself.

 

[keagan]

CaribSea, some of the more fine grained sand.

I mentioned the sand because caribsea fiji pink did the same thing in my tank alot whenever anything disturbed the sand. The finest particles eventually get removed by mechanical filtration but it takes awhile.

 

[Saltyreef]

No. Only thing I could think of is the LFS told me to add some of the Liquid Soda Ash to try and raise my alk (was 6.6 per their meter) and I added some to try and raise to 8 (i think it was like 20 ml). Is this possible precipitation?

Could be. Idk the product you used. What salt are you using? I would be sus of your alk being that low from your salt mix.
During the first 6 months of getting your reef up and running, it would be a good plan to buy your basic test kits (i recommend salifert alk, cal, mag, nitrate and phosphate) and getting the hang of testing your water parameters.
Also get yourself a tropic marin floating glass hydrometer and a cheap coralife deep six swing arm hydrometer for testing salinity. Once you dial in your salinity in a bucket of fresh mixed salt water, make a sharpie mark on the coralife hydrometer wherever the swing arm sits (ignoring the printed values) and that will be your target value on the easy to use coralife hydrometer.

 

[zenom73]

Could be. Idk the product you used. What salt are you using? I would be sus of your alk being that low from your salt mix.
During the first 6 months of getting your reef up and running, it would be a good plan to buy your basic test kits (i recommend salifert alk, cal, mag, nitrate and phosphate) and getting the hang of testing your water parameters.
Also get yourself a tropic marin floating glass hydrometer and a cheap coralife deep six swing arm hydrometer for testing salinity. Once you dial in your salinity in a bucket of fresh mixed salt water, make a sharpie mark on the coralife hydrometer wherever the swing arm sits (ignoring the printed values) and that will be your target value on the easy to use coralife hydrometer.

I use Tropic Marine Pro. Attached was the reading from the LFS. I test with Salifert, I sometimes double check with a used Hanna Marine Master and I also take it into the LFS to try and get confirmations. I have a refractometer for testing salinity (1.026). These numbers were done right after I did a water change as well.

I used the BRS Soda Ash, 1 gallon in 1 gallon of RODI. Dosed 20ml (33 gallon tank).

 

[zenom73]

I mentioned the sand because caribsea fiji pink did the same thing in my tank alot whenever anything disturbed the sand. The finest particles eventually get removed by mechanical filtration but it takes awhile.

It is possible I suppose that it's sand. I got some snails yesterday and they are monsters. Bigger than I thought they would be. They burrow in the sand, so maybe they are just kicking up extra sediment.

 

[imnotmike]

I feel
Like this would happen time to time when my tank was new

 

[zenom73]

I feel
Like this would happen time to time when my tank was new

Right now paranoia setting in :D Been out of saltwater and aquariums for a while and trying to not freak out and over correct on stuff.

 

[imnotmike]

I feel
Like that sugar fine sand will let go and dust up until bio film or whatever kind of binds it together.
Whats size tank is it whats your goal?

 

[allof fish]

It’s not the snails. I have a ton of Nassarius snails. Are your pumps angled at sand by chance? It very well could be precipitation is calcium and alk were dosed close to each other

 

[zenom73]

I feel
Like that sugar fine sand will let go and dust up until bio film or whatever kind of binds it together.
Whats size tank is it whats your goal?

It’s a 33 gallon AIO. Goal is only a few fish and mixed reef. Mostly LPS and Softies but I am trying to keep a couple SPS but not high end type corals.

 

[zenom73]

It’s not the snails. I have a ton of Nassarius snails. Are your pumps angled at sand by chance? It very well could be precipitation is calcium and alk were dosed close to each other

I am trying to not point them at the sand. I have them pointed up at the top and I don’t see it disturbing the sand anywhere.