Newly cycled tank - floating white particles?

Thanks to the lovely people here (who amongst other pointers have highlighted the importance of reading all instructions )I now have a tank that has completed its first few nitrogen cycles and is showing 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite within 24 hours of a 3ppm dose. I'm continuing to keep the ammonia topped up until we're as sure as possible the water is safe to add fish.

I added some plants on Monday and they seem to be doing ok. so far, but in the last few days I've noticed a significant number of white particles floating around. A bit of research makes me think this is most likely tiny bits of calcium carbonate (aquarium water is measuring at a GH of 14), or possibly a bacterial bloom, but I would be very grateful if the experts here could take a look! There is a small amount of white 'dust' forming on the inside of the tank lid, which again makes me think this is calcium deposits, but given my recent 'no ammonia problem' I am not keen to trust my own judgement here .

The aquarium is filled with black sand substrate and I added echinodorus amazonicus, alternanthera rosacea and two catappa leaves earlier this week. Done a couple of small water changes (c. 10%) and the particles seem to have increased after the latest one on Monday.

Aquarium water currently has the following measurements:

GH - 14 (German scale)
KH - 7
pH - 7.7

Pics attached, and thank you for any and all input!

What kind of filter(s) is on the tank? What type of media within the filter?

Ah sorry - canister filter, Fluval 207, containing all media that comes with it, which I'm pretty sure includes carbon. I'm thinking that we should possibly have removed the carbon given that we're trying to run a planted tank, but don't want to start messing about with the filter until it's had a few more weeks to settle!

The tank is 125l (c. 33 US gallons).

ElizaRome said:

Ah sorry - canister filter, Fluval 207, containing all media that comes with it, which I'm pretty sure includes carbon. I'm thinking that we should possibly have removed the carbon given that we're trying to run a planted tank, but don't want to start messing about with the filter until it's had a few more weeks to settle!

The tank is 125l (c. 33 US gallons).

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Yes, do not mess with your canister while cycling; you can always take out the carbon once the tank is established.

I've not used that filter in the past, does it have ceramic media? Many times, new ceramic media is very dusty, and needs a good rinse before using in the filter on a new setup...no harm if you didn't rinse, but you may get some particles/dust in the water column if you don't pre-rinse first.

Thank you so much for your reply - yes, it does come with ceramic rings. We gave all the media a thorough rinse when we set up the filter three weeks ago, and these particles are relatively new (at least in their current concentration - haven't noticed them before), so not sure whether that could be the cause here.

The water is remaining pretty clear, no clouding apart from when the substrate is disturbed, but within an hour of first filling the tank (dosing the tap water with Seachem Prime) I noticed a fair amount of white foamy looking substance forming on top of the black sand (I'd given the sand a thorough rinse prior to adding to the tank). I tried fishing it out with a net, but it just disintegrated on touch and looks to have settled in amongst the substrate. It seemed much too soon for any kind of bacteria/mould/mulm, and given the water was measuring pretty hard, I guessed it was probably calcium deposits. I'm wondering whether these are what are now floating about, possibly after being disturbed when planting a few days ago?

Hmmm...maybe it IS calcium deposits, or silicates/detritus from the substrate...

It seems to be one of those phenomena that could be lots of very different things! The water quality itself doesn't seem to be affected, I just want to make sure it's not some toxic substance. The plants don't seem to mind it thus far...

Thanks so much again for your input, I really do appreciate it

More than welcome

If the water params are unaffected, I wouldn't stress over the particles much...they should eventually be filtered out of the water column, anyway...and gradually removed during WC's

Does seem a little bit unsual to have these particles coming out into the water column after several weeks going though the fishless cycling.

The addition of the plants and IAL may be somehting that you disturbed in the substrate perhaps, unlikely though to be honest.

Also I have hard water as well, 12dGh which is not far off what you have and I have not had this occuring, will get hard water line marks evetually which is one of my pet hates but nothing we can do about that except have a good routine to keep on top of that.

I wonder if you disturbed this and that is what you're seeing in the water column?

ElizaRome said:

There is a small amount of white 'dust' forming on the inside of the tank lid, which again makes me think this is calcium deposits

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But other than that and from the answers you gave slaphappy7, there is very little else that I can think of that could reasonably explains this.

Don't think its something to unduly worry about but worth keeping an eye on and hopefully this will clear up once tank is established in near future.