My Dirty Water

[demodiki]

OK...I know this has probably been beaten to death but I think my dirty water needs particular attention :)

The tank has been set up now for...3 months I think. It cycled quickly. We have about 100 lbs of LR and a 4-6 inch DSB. We have a variety of inverts and one coral beauty angel (so much for corals :( ).

We have an Aquaclear 110 HOB to provide flow. We also have 3 other PHs in the tank for current. None of these are pointed at the SB...one is even pointing towards the surface.

So..the problem is...the tank water has so much suspended particles that it looks terrible! The top of the water looks like an oil slick. It has so much "stuff" suspended in it. I put some polyester fiber in the Aquaclear to grab it but it really hasn't done anything. I think it's actually worse.

So...my question is...what have you guys done to clear up your water?

Thanks!

[Polkster13]

You need something that will skim the surface. Your aguaclear filter is pulling the water in below the surface. You can put a stong powerhead at the top of the surface to try and mix the water so the aquaclear can pick it up. You also have protiens being built up (causes the slick look on the surface) and you need a protien skimmer to take care of that stuff.

Call me on my cell and I can go over in detail some things you can do.

Frederick

[witecap4u]

Have you tried a skimmer? It doesnt sound like you have a sump, so I'd look for a HOB skimmer like a bak pak or a remora. Both of these have an optional overflow box around the intake, which will remove the oilslick look to the top of the water.

As far as the suspended particles in the water, are you sure its not microbubbles? Turn off your HOB filter but leave your powerheads on and see if they go away after like 30min. HOB filters tend to dump water into the tank and cause microbubbles due to the splashing.

Fresh carbon will also help clear the waters color too.

cs

[Thunderkat]

I had the same problem with the surface of my water but I installed one of those little emperor filters with the biowheel that hang on the side, I got one that was just rated for 20 gallons but its more than enough to break up the surface of my 50 gallon tank.

[demodiki]

Thanks for replying so fast guys...a couple of things i left out.

We do have a cheap skimmer...a Berlin Airlift InTank skimmer...doesn't work great but I get about a cup of junk a week. The new skimmer keeps getting pushed to the backburner.

I have used carbon a couple of times but had no success. I did get a diatom outbreak afterwards, though!

Oh yeah...no sump either. This isn't a reef ready tank and the whole concept of putting a HOB sump kinda makes my head all swimmy.

[brewercm]

Was just curioud why you said so much for corals. If it is because of the Coral Beauty I had one in my reef with no problems for several years.

[Reef69]

Yeah, you need something that sucks water from the surface and cleans it. My AquaMedic Turboflotor T1000 (my skimmer) needs an overflow to work properly, so it sucks water right from the surface of the tank, i also have 2 Power Heads making constant movement on the tank's surface, so i have no "film" on the water.

[GaryP]

Organic waste products are lighter than water (think of cooking oil) and have a tendency to float to the surface. I deally an overflow will take a thin layer of this material off of the surface and run it through the filtration system. That's the theory behind a calfo overflow, to take a very thin layer of water off the surface that has the highest possible concentration of waste. In your case, with an HOB, this isn't really possible. I don't know what to suggest, unless you can find an HOB that skims the surface instead of taking water from deeper. This layer is going to continue to build up as time goes on. I have heard of people using paper towels or newspaper to blot up this organic layer.

[Thunderkat]

As bad as my aquarium is I don't want to put newspapers in it. I don't know what that ink is made of and some of those fancy paper towels might have antibacterial chemicals added.

That little hang on back emperor filter might look terrible but my surface water is very clean.

[demodiki]

I hope my wife sees this...maybe she'll open up the purse strings for the new skimmer and the sump that I guess we need now.

BTW...I said no corals due to the coral beauty we have...in my research AFTER my wife bought her fish I found out that they could nip/eat corals...wasn't it here that I just read about a coral beauty nipping at something? May have been another forum.

[freeman.matt]

With a HOB filter, you could make an in tank overflow. Get a plastic cup and (magnet, glue, clamp, whatever) it just below the surface of the water. Stick the input pipe of the filter in the cup and have the filter return back into the main tank as usual. You'll probably have to play with the cup level a little to find a nice equilibrium, but it can be done.

While this won't let the filter skim the surface, it will at least concentrate the film and gunk out of sight. The cup is just a suggestion, you could use some plexiglass panels and make a nicer looking box.

Good luck.

[hobogato]

the last idea of the cup is a good one for a quick fix. on my first reef, the tank wasn't drilled so i used a plastic bread box (about a 5 inch square by 12 inches deep). i cut notches in the top like the overflow on a RR tank. i was using a magnum canister filter at the time. it actually worked pretty well. now, on the 125 that i have set up as a reef (also not RR) i made a continuous syphon overflow box out of acrylite that is working great with my wet dry filter. i would be glad to help you make one if you are interested.

[GaryP]

The ink in newspaper is made from Soy beans. Your LR is shipped wrapped in newspaper. There's no antibacterial agent in any paper towels that I know of, unless you buy some special kind. If there was some there, by law (Federal Fungicide, Insecticidie, & Rodenticide Act) it would have to be disclosed to the consumer. They do use some antibacterial compounds in the manufacturing process, such as ozone and chlorine dioxide, but there is no residual in the paper and if there was it would be depleted very rapidly.

[demodiki]

Wife here and yeah I've been keeping an eye on the thread. The junk IN the water that he's crying.. err talking :innocent about are microbubbles. At least that's sure what they look like to me!

And as for the research after I bought our fishy - my instructions from the hubby were thus: "Buy something pretty". So I better not hear complaining!!! :lol

I think we'll need pictures or something if we're going to try to make some kind of overflow/sumpish/skimmy contraption. Our skimmer isn't the best, but it's better than none at all!

Thanks for all the help guys :D

[demodiki]

Husband back in control...the microbubbles are IN the tank...they're not the things floating at the top that "part" when I put my finger in the water.

My wife wears strong contacts you see...

[Shark_Bait]

Eheim makes a suface skimmer for HOB filters. I know if you go to DrsFosterSmith.com and search for surface in the fish section it will be there. They might work for you. Was going to post the links but way to long.

<<<Aside note how do we turn HTML codes on in a post? >>>

[GaryP]

they're not the things floating at the top that "part" when I put my finger in the water.

That's the organic waste I referred to in the previous post. Its not unusual in tanks lacking surface skimming.

[Thunderkat]

Husband back in control...the microbubbles are IN the tank...they're not the things floating at the top that "part" when I put my finger in the water.

My wife wears strong contacts you see...

Welcome to the dog house :lol