Still having issues with water clarity.

[kgriffith]

Hey guys, I posted a while back and have changed several things but my water has not cleared up... I still have small white particles in my water... I have:
removed overflow filter sleve
changed drip tray filter to a pura pad (2 days ago)
drained wet/dry and cleared all possible detritus from the bottom.
cleaned venturi on skimmer

my levels are

ph 8.0 (added buffer today)
salinity 1.26
nitrate 10
nitrite 0
amonia 0
calcium 420-440
temp 80


Any other ideas?

Edit- The last picture makes it look worse than it is, I just added ph buffer but it gives you the idea. Lots of white particles.

 

[austinsdad]

Stop addding calcium buffer first of all. How often do you? For what corals?

What did you do different just before the water went south? Do you "add" anything else? Other than Ph buffer?

 

[kgriffith]

Stop addding calcium buffer first of all. How often do you? For what corals?

What did you do different just before the water went south? Do you "add" anything else? Other than Ph buffer?

To be honest that is the first time I have added ph buffer in four months. The water problem has been around for a while. I dont add anything else.

 

[Ruel]

Clarity

hello sir,
Have you tired methylene blue? 1 tsp per 10 gallons. as I experienced it enhanced the clarity of my water, it also disinfects the water, thus it makes your fishes healthy and away from any possible fish diseases.

 

[ThrowedToad]

Particles? Or bubbles? Either way they have to be coming from somewhere
Particles would come from a power head or a pump too close to your substrate maybe. Bubbles, I have found tiny leaks in my plumbing that let super tiny bubbles into my tank that kinda look like particles.It is obviously a physical issue that I don't think any chemicals will fix. It looks like my tank after I blow the detrius off my live rock. That's all I have! good luck

 

[kgriffith]

They are definitely particles. I am beginning to think it is ca precipitate. I have been using oceanic salt and am switching that out as I know it has a lot of ca in it. What can I do to prevent this from happening and remove it from the system? Or am I off track?

 

[austinsdad]

Good possibility - even though I know nothing about ca precipitate. Possible since Oceranic is notoriously hihg in calcium anyway, And some - likely too much added on top of that.

I'd consider 20 to 25% water changes over the next couple days. Changing salt should be a gradual thing anyway done thru water changes.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

At those ca levels, I wouldn't expect it to be Ca precipitating out. What is your alkalinity?

 

[kgriffith]

I will check alkalinity later on today, I was surprised that my ca levels were so low, usually I am up above 500ppm but I was a bit since my last water change. I did a water change yesterday morning and I will check all my levels today and re-post. I Would really like to clear up my water.

 

[kgriffith]

Here are my updated levels as of today.
Phosphate .5
KH 8 DKH 143.2 ppm kh/gh
ca. 400
ph 8.2
sg 1.026
temp 77
nitrate 20

 

[kgriffith]

bump*

 

[Ziggy953]

Do you have a spare HOB filter or canister filter? If you do fill it with filter floss and run it on the system for a few days. That should help remove particles from the water. I agree with Kurt I don't think it is CA precipitate in the water.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

With that alkalinity, pretty sure it isn't calcium. Not sure what's going on, but don't do the methylene blue idea someone posted. Really bad idea.

 

[kgriffith]

Do you think it is my power head placement? I will try to do an ascii drawing to show you locations...

____________________________
0: P'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' P :
:--''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' :
: K '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''R :
: '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' :.
: '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' :
---------------------------------

0= 1" overflow pipe
p = 350 gph powerhead aimed towards middle front glass (Both are)
K = Koralia 4 1200 gph which is set 8" from top of water aiming towards center of live rock in the tank
R = Return which is angling slightly downward 1" below the water surface.

I have a pura pad in my trickle filter and was hoping that would help. Is it a good idea to have a pad in the top of the drip tray or is it a nitrate factory?

Edit, ignore the apostrophes I put them in so the drawing would not be distorted.

 

[kgriffith]

What do you guys think about it? I am pretty sure my substrate is being blown around more than it should.

 

[austinsdad]

If it is, you should be able to see it clearly - not just assume so becasue dust is blowing. Can ya tilt the PHs up more towards the surface instead of at the sand?

 

[jay182009]

why it can't add calcium?what would be the effect?


____________________
Ukf8001axx

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

why it can't add calcium?what would be the effect?

Huh?

Oh... and you might want to take the link out of your post that looks like a signature line. Someone might think you're trying to spam the board or something.