amahler
Aquarium Advice Activist
The last few days (after adding 45 pounds of live rock last week) have brought a pretty good load of floating particulate to my tank.
The water itself is quite clear - but the particulate is like a light sandstorm when you look closely. I think it's stuff coming off all the rock (which always looks like it has a dusty, almost cobwebby appearance to it right now).
The problem is that I've got no real means of filtering this kind of stuff. The water goes into the wet/dry which passes through a rectangular, relatively porous sponge as it hits the sump and the skimmer. On closer inspection, though, I can see the same sort of fine particles in the sump on their way back to the return pump.
Basically, I think I'm cycling the stuff and not really stopping it anywhere.
I did throw a mesh bag of activated carbon in a few days ago which is great for the clarity - but it has no impact on this kind of particulate.
I've read a good bit about micron filters and micron socks being placed in sumps, etc. I was hoping somebody might give me a more precise description of what kinds of filters they are using (examples or products I might seek at my LFS) and where they are being placed in the water flow.
Just sink it in the sump? Put it in front of the bulkhead/inlet for the return? Between the wet/dry and the sump where the sponge sits now?
The link below goes to a picture I took a week or so ago that happens to show my wet/dry arrangement. It might help in describing the placement.
http://sparhawk.sbc.edu/tank/new-rock/source/7.html
Thanks!
- Aaron
The water itself is quite clear - but the particulate is like a light sandstorm when you look closely. I think it's stuff coming off all the rock (which always looks like it has a dusty, almost cobwebby appearance to it right now).
The problem is that I've got no real means of filtering this kind of stuff. The water goes into the wet/dry which passes through a rectangular, relatively porous sponge as it hits the sump and the skimmer. On closer inspection, though, I can see the same sort of fine particles in the sump on their way back to the return pump.
Basically, I think I'm cycling the stuff and not really stopping it anywhere.
I did throw a mesh bag of activated carbon in a few days ago which is great for the clarity - but it has no impact on this kind of particulate.
I've read a good bit about micron filters and micron socks being placed in sumps, etc. I was hoping somebody might give me a more precise description of what kinds of filters they are using (examples or products I might seek at my LFS) and where they are being placed in the water flow.
Just sink it in the sump? Put it in front of the bulkhead/inlet for the return? Between the wet/dry and the sump where the sponge sits now?
The link below goes to a picture I took a week or so ago that happens to show my wet/dry arrangement. It might help in describing the placement.
http://sparhawk.sbc.edu/tank/new-rock/source/7.html
Thanks!
- Aaron