Dusty Water?

[audia4]

Hi All,

Was wondering if someone could help shine some light on my problem.

The water in my tank seems 'dusty', although its not so bad that I cant see through to the other side, but is noticable under the lights.

The tank has been running for 7 weeks now and readings are Ammonia=0, Nitrite=0 and Nitrate=40, pH=7ish. I have a bunch of endlers in the tank and that is all, they have given birth to some fry which are doing ok. The tank is a 350 litre with two external filters. I do 30% weekly water changes and use prime. Dont use any other products. I feed fish flakes, and frozen foods , 2-3 times a day.

Ive read a few places that this 'dusty' look can be a bacterial bloom? Some poeple have described it as when the sunlight shines through a window you can see suspended dust in the air, kind of like that but in the water.

I was thinking that it may have been the gravel, as when I bought it the stuff was dirty as anything, i rinsed it like mad, but did not get rid of all the dust, so when I started the tank up, water seemed murky, but now i have this issue, and cant quite my finger on what it is. I used some of the fluval fine polising pads, but no differnce.

I have noticed the glass gets quite dirty, with what just seems to be, dirt , this is what kind of led me to think its just the dust or dirt floating in the water from the gravel, but i dont know!

Hope someone can help me figure this out....

 

[audia4]

Anyone?

 

[the biffster]

sounds like a bacterial or algal bloom
have you done any water changes lately

 

[audia4]

I do a once a week water change 30%, one is due tomorrow.

Also forgot to note, that the tank only has artificial lighting, no sunlight at all.

 

[Skins]

I do a once a week water change 30%, one is due tomorrow.

Also forgot to note, that the tank only has artificial lighting, no sunlight at all.

Does the 30% water change include a good gravel vac?
How often do you perform filter maintnance?

Keith.

 

[audia4]

I have not done any filter maintanance yet, as the flow is fine. Should i clean them out, maybe there is a lot of dusty or crap from the gravel in there being circulated?

Also havent done any gravel vacs as i was told by an avid fish keeper to let the bacteria grow....

 

[Skins]

I have not done any filter maintanance yet, as the flow is fine. Should i clean them out, maybe there is a lot of dusty or crap from the gravel in there being circulated?

Also havent done any gravel vacs as i was told by an avid fish keeper to let the bacteria grow....

Since you have only had the filter running for 7 weeks i would be inclined to leave alone for now unless it is a mature filter brought in from another tank. I would certainly perform a gravel vac as routine when doing your water change. As for bacteria, yes your substrate will be home to some but no way as much as which will colonise in your filters media.

Keith.

 

[the biffster]

only wash your filter sponges out
in old tank water never tap water
also up the amount you change say maybe
40% what are the stats on your tank
at the moment

 

[audia4]

Stats are:

Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=40 or just a little less, hard to tell
pH=7.6

Done using the API freshwater liquid test kit.

Ive heard of some folk who dont vaccum their gravel. Is this not a good thing at all?

 

[the biffster]

no your OK to gravel vac

 

[audia4]

so is there any idea what is causing the dust look?

 

[G-skrilla]

See if reduced feeding helps. Continue with frequent water changes.

 

[the biffster]

so is there any idea what is causing the dust look?

i am thinking its a algal bloom
give it a few days it should settle
down but keep an eye on your stats
keep your once a week water changes up
and maybe reducing your feeding might
help

 

[snowball pleco]

Hi
when i started up my tank ai had a simarler problem, but as far as i remember it just went away .i didnt do anything with it at all

 

[audia4]

Thanks for the replies guy.

biffster: In reply to the algae bloom, is that possible even without the contact of natural sunlight, as the tank is in a room with no windows.

g-skrilla: I do the water changes without fail. Were keeping water not fish right well thats whay they say.

snowball pleco- how long was your tank running before you noticed it went away? Mine is going for seven weeks.

For display i have grey slate in the tank. Brought from a garden centre, like large pieces, is there anyway this is causing the dusty-ness. i havent had problems with it before. Thought it would a hell lot cheaper than buying it from LFS which would charge more than double for the same thing.