Whats the secret to crystal clear water?

mnestroy · #1 12/05/2006, 03:27 PM

I've tried everything to get my water as clear as what i've seen at pet shops but I cant.

Problem: I seem to have a lot of crap floating around in my water. Its not air bubbles, looks like tiny pieces of old food/sand etc.

Equipment:
40Breeder
Hang On Overflow
Remora Pro Skimmer in sump
Filter Sock, Bubble Baffles, Fuge Area
Carbon

Part of my problem I think might be to my Sleeper Goby is always picking up sand and throwing it all over the place.. But I've had this problem long before i purchased him.

I've reduced my powerheads to 1, and I've tried increasing to a ton of flow... I've done tons of water changes, i've vacumed the sand...

Any other ideas?

boxfishpooalot · #2 12/05/2006, 03:43 PM

Ozone is the secret imo. Check out RHF articles on them.My lfs uses it and has the clearest water I have seen. Carbon is lacking in removal capabilities imo.

Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 1: Chemistry and Biochemistry
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/rhf/index.php

Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 2: Equipment and Safety
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/rhf/index.php

Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 3: Changes in a Reef Aquarium upon Initiating Ozone
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-05/rhf/index.php

dcombs44 · #3 12/05/2006, 03:44 PM

I have the same issue. Most of it would have to do with the flow pattern. What you're probably seeing is being stirred up by your return, powerheads, etc. You may just have to play with your flow directions until is stops blowing sand. It is good however to have the ditritous suspended in the water column so the skimmer/filters can pull it out.

Also, just because the pet store's water is clear doesn't mean that it's good water.

RamPuppy · #4 12/05/2006, 04:42 PM

my remora pro put micro bubbles into the water when I had it hooked to a 110 gallon tank, but not when it was hooked to a 40... go figure. are you sure it's not micro bubbles?

also, how old is the tank? maybe the bacterial film simply hasn't formed on your sand. (weighs it down)

Greg 45 · #5 12/05/2006, 04:52 PM

Slow down the turn over going into the sump. Use filter bags to remove small particles. Let you skimmer do it's job.

mnestroy · #6 12/05/2006, 05:56 PM

Yah I'm sure it aint bubbles, when I had my Remora hangining on my main tank I had problems, but now thats its in my 20L Sump i dont get any bubbles.. I have baffles, fuge area.

I do have a filter sock, my sump is only putting out about 200GPH, so I dont think thats to high of a turn over (barely 5x)

reefkeeper2 · #7 12/05/2006, 06:16 PM

A diatom filter charged with vortex super-char carbon and diatomaceous earth makes your water look like air. I use mine about every other week or so.

trippyl · #8 12/05/2006, 06:20 PM

I don't know how I feel about the vortex filters. Diatoms can be converted into algae and I those filter bags can leak... not a good combination in my opinion.

reefkeeper2 · #9 12/05/2006, 06:30 PM

I have been using one for years and never noticed any algae connection. The powder is made from dead diatom skeletons from the ocean and is inert. Calcium carbonate and silicates I believe but you could ask Randy in the chemistry forum. It's the powdered carbon that really makes the difference in polishing the water.

trippyl · #10 12/05/2006, 06:33 PM

Interesting, you are the first I've heard that uses the vortex. I recently got one (out of nostalgia as I had used them 15 years ago when I worked at an LFS) but started to get concerned about the possiblity of algal blooms. I may need to reconsider my vortex...

reefkeeper2 · #11 12/05/2006, 06:54 PM

It saved me last week when I treated the tank for cyano with chemi clean and my fish started dying on the second day. The water had turned cloudy and smelled like low tide on a hot day. I lost a damsel and the clowns where gasping with rapid gill movement. Their fins looked frayed, so there must have been an ammonia spike and loss of O2. I thought they were gonners for sure. I don't think it was the chemi clean itself but the die -off of all that toxic cyano. Within 2 hours of running the vortex, the fish were breathing normally and the cloudiness was gone. That filter has saved my **!! a bunch of times.

Ben CC · #12 12/05/2006, 07:12 PM

Try a HOT Magnum with the micron cartridge. This worked for me.

mnestroy · #13 12/06/2006, 08:29 AM

I've been reading up on ozone... seems like a great product... but so expensive and complicated.... is there any cheap ozone solutions that would work for a smaller tank? 40Gallon?

lpkirby · #14 12/06/2006, 08:58 AM

mnestroy,

Here is all that you need, you add it into your skimmer. I just bought one off of ebay, it is a company out of China and others out there are using it and told me about it. ENALY OZX-300U Ozone Generator with Air Dryer.

On ebay it is:
http://search.ebay.com/ENALY-OZX-300...tsearchZSearch

Let me know if you get it and I will send you the list of supplys needed to add it to the skimmer.

Leon

mnestroy · #15 12/06/2006, 09:05 AM

That unit seems very well priced, tell me what else I'd need to make it function safely...

cubber · #16 12/06/2006, 09:07 AM

I have to agree with the vortex, I use mine on all my tanks every other week and the clarity after is amazing! They are also great to use on a QT when you are treating fish for ich or other free floating parasites. Just be careful when you are backfushing them, I put too much flow through it once and had the jar expload on me.

lpkirby · #17 12/06/2006, 09:19 AM

mnestroy,

Go to this thread: http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=7
about 3/4 of the way down by reefkeeper1 post at 12/01/06 at 11:00 and he list the part numbers and the web site to get them. You might want to read that whole page from him. I hope that helps, I have not tried it yet, i just bought the unit last night and I am waiting on it to get here.

dkh0331 · #18 12/06/2006, 09:20 AM

I bought one of those of the Enaly's off of E-bay. It crapped out after about 6 months.

IMPHO, you get what you pay for. I've been running a Red Sea, not really noted for their longevity either, but at least it has been running for about a year. I have it connected to a Milwaukee controller.

HTH

David

lpkirby · #19 12/06/2006, 09:31 AM

dkh, really? Well too late for me, already ordered it. Reefkeeper said that it works great for him and that Borneman suggested it to him. Well for under $75.00 (shipping) I will try it.

dippin61 · #20 12/06/2006, 04:25 PM

you can always try purigen.. ive heard nothing but good about it.. and just threw some in my sump on saturday.. cleared up some already