Particles are Driving Me Insane!!!

Brandon McHenry · Jan 15, 2016

Hi guys,
I figured this would be the best thread to help me solve my problem. So I have a 150 gallon SPS tank and I am having issues with particles floating throughout my display tank. I know for sure they are not bubbles because I have already shut the system down to see if they disappear and they do not. They are very fine in size and are white, tan and occasionally I see a darker orange/brown particle floating around. Ive got 2 MP40QD set on 100% Nutrient Transport mode to try to help flush it into the overflows. Both overflows feed into a brand new 200 micron filter sock into my sump. Inside my sump I have my carbon and gfo mesh bags, my skimmer and my return pumps with the filter sponge recently put back on to my MagDrive (never used to run it but I'm hoping this helps filter the particles out). No matter what I try I can't seem to get these particles to go away. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

twilliard · Jan 15, 2016

How about a smaller micron sock?

Brandon McHenry · Jan 15, 2016

twilliard said:
How about a smaller micron sock?

I am using an eshopps sock because that is the hanger that I have from my old eshopps sump. Im not sure if eshopps makes a smaller micron sock but if not do you know of one that might fit that footprint?

Brian Kim · Jan 15, 2016

I had the same problem awhile back and it was my salt (Reef Crystal) , I switched to Kent and now they are all gone.

twilliard · Jan 15, 2016

Depending on how you are set up is it just one sock?
Whats your return flow at?
Can you get a 100 micron sock? Will plug faster so requires more attention

Brandon McHenry · Jan 15, 2016

Brian Kim said:
I had the same problem awhile back and it was my salt (Reef Crystal) , I switched to Kent and now they are all gone.

Recently Ive been using Red Sea reef salt. Not sure if you have any experience with that or not.

twilliard said:
Depending on how you are set up is it just one sock?
Whats your return flow at?
Can you get a 100 micron sock? Will plug faster so requires more attention

Yes just one sock with both returns flowing into it.
According to the tank specs each side should be at 700gph so thats a total of 1400gph.
I think eshopps only sells the 200 micron sock as far as I can find. That would mean I would need to find a 100 micron sock to fit the same footprint due to my particular setup.

Lenny_S · Jan 15, 2016

Well 200 microns is already getting to the range of household dust, so that's pretty fine as it is. I have white and tan particles too, but I know mine are copepods and juvenile amphipods. You can really only tell when the tank is in feed mode and all the pumps are off. Then you can see them twitching. Could that be it?

Brandon McHenry · Jan 15, 2016

Lenny_S said:
Well 200 microns is already getting to the range of household dust, so that's pretty fine as it is. I have white and tan particles too, but I know mine are copepods and juvenile amphipods. You can really only tell when the tank is in feed mode and all the pumps are off. Then you can see them twitching. Could that be it?

Unfortunately not. Ive already done a solid inspection with the entire system shut off and nothing is moving on its own free will. Definitely some type of particulate matter which is why Im going crazy lol. I want my water as crystal clear as it can be for my SPS (and of course my viewing pleasure

)

Lenny_S · Jan 15, 2016

Brandon McHenry said:
Unfortunately not. Ive already done a solid inspection with the entire system shut off and nothing is moving on its own free will. Definitely some type of particulate matter which is why Im going crazy lol. I want my water as crystal clear as it can be for my SPS (and of course my viewing pleasure )

Bummer, how big are they? Can you clearly make out individual particles? If so maybe they are getting filtered out but whatever they are coming from just keeps making more?

Brandon McHenry · Jan 15, 2016

Lenny_S said:
Bummer, how big are they? Can you clearly make out individual particles? If so maybe they are getting filtered out but whatever they are coming from just keeps making more?

Large enough to see easily. Some are smaller but its really a mix. Id have to say they are somewhere in the range of fine sand maybe a tad smaller, which is why I don't know why they aren't being filtered out. My only thought is they aren't making it into the overflows and simply being blown around.

TheEngineer · Jan 15, 2016

I have a similar complaint. In my case I determined the source of the particles to be my hermit crabs. They toss stuff out as they eat and it gets suspended in the water column.

Lenny_S · Jan 15, 2016

Could it be whatever you use in your tank for flow? If I put my Gyre at more than 50% I get sand blowing around. Otherwise sorry, I'm out of ideas.

FranklinDattein · Jan 15, 2016

You could try Coral snow or the DIY equivalent: http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/364821-diy-kz-coral-snow-with-97-purity/

Brandon McHenry · Jan 15, 2016

Lenny_S said:
Could it be whatever you use in your tank for flow? If I put my Gyre at more than 50% I get sand blowing around. Otherwise sorry, I'm out of ideas.

My flow is significant but I have it set so that it should stir up the detritus and push it out to the overflow. The sand however does not get blown around where I have the pumps positioned.

fsamir said:
You could try Coral snow or the DIY equivalent: http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/364821-diy-kz-coral-snow-with-97-purity/

So if I read that right it is simply calcium carbonate? Mixed with D/O it should act as a binding agent for the particles and then become filtered out correct? Have you tried this particular method?

FranklinDattein · Jan 15, 2016

That is correct. I haven't tried it yet, mine hasn't arrived yet. I know a few guys who did try.
Also, plenty of people use Coral Snow.

Brandon McHenry · Jan 15, 2016

fsamir said:
That is correct. I haven't tried it yet, mine hasn't arrived yet. I know a few guys who did try.
Also, plenty of people use Coral Snow.

I don't think I mentioned but I am beginning a product line called Aquaforest, similar concept to Zeovit. It appears that they have a product that seems to state the same thing that KZ Coral Snow does. I already have this product but maybe Im not dosing enough? I just recently began the program and I am taking it slow. Here is the link:

http://aquaforest.eu/en/product/coralb/

Brandon McHenry · Jan 16, 2016

So particles are still floating around even after the dosage of the CoralB. Maybe it doesn't work in the same way as coral snow or maybe just not as well. Regardless I tried watching the particles and it does not seem like many are making it into the overflows on the sides. Any idea on a way to rectify this?

cmcoker · Jan 16, 2016

Brandon McHenry said:
So particles are still floating around even after the dosage of the CoralB. Maybe it doesn't work in the same way as coral snow or maybe just not as well. Regardless I tried watching the particles and it does not seem like many are making it into the overflows on the sides. Any idea on a way to rectify this?

Start a siphon hose into a filter sock in the sump, maybe..

Salty1962 · Jan 16, 2016

With the 2 MP-40s at 100%, you may be stirring up debris from your tank. How old is it? If it's older, you'll have more debris. You do want your pumps on high enough to export debris but not high enough to keep everything stirred up. Just my $.02.

Brandon McHenry · Jan 16, 2016

Salty1962 said:
With the 2 MP-40s at 100%, you may be stirring up debris from your tank. How old is it? If it's older, you'll have more debris. You do want your pumps on high enough to export debris but not high enough to keep everything stirred up. Just my $.02.

Upgraded last September. So little over a year. My thought was eventually the particles would all get filtered out. I didn't think the tank could produce enough debris to keep up with the filtration. Plus my SPS need the flow.