New tank turned into a Snow Globe?

[Old_Moe]

I am not sure how else to describe it, but it seems like my new tank has just turned into a snow globe... hmmm

I am curretly cycling my tank.

Water:
Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 77.2
Ammonia: 0ppm ( high of 4ppm )
Nitrite: 2ppm ( high of 5ppm )
Nitrate: 10ppm ( highest reading so far, has not come down in 5 days )
High Range Ph: 8.0

FYI, I did lose power for 2 days and the temp in the tank dropped to 71 before it was restored. I was not running my lights until yesterday ( took delivery so I wanted to test them out )

any idea on what this is and what caused it? everything has a coating of white on it. 2 of the pics is the coating on the rocks and the other pic is the flakes floating on the surface.

thank you!!!!

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

How are your powerheads positioned? They could be blowing your sand around.

 

[Old_Moe]

I have double outlet loc-line return from sump ( one is bouncing off the back glass, other is more or less flowing just below the surface )

I only have one 750 powerhead on at the moment ( that is pointed about half way up the front glass aimed accross the tank )

It doesn't appear to be blowing the sand around.

thanks.

 

[Old_Moe]

I was thinking that it might be some type of Algae, thats why i posted it hear.

Should I try to just siphon it out when I do a water change? Still waiting on my cycle to complete before I do a water change.

thanks.

 

[Marines_Wife]

I have no idea, I would think sand as well but if nothing is close enough to the sand to disturb it then I would guess not......but Ill post to bump it..

 

[little_fish]

Just new tank dust, dont worry about it

 

[Marines_Wife]

Just new tank dust, dont worry about it

What causes it? Is it in brand new tanks only?

 

[BL1]

Just use the powerheads to blow it off the rocks. For the stuff on the surface of the water, one of your flow devices are either blowing water away from your overflow or are creating a dead spot that isn't circulating the waters surface in that area.

 

[little_fish]

Its the small particles in the sand and rocks, which will get removed as you do water changes because it gets up into the water column with good flow. If you rinse your sand before you start the tank up or rinse off any dry rock you put into the tank, you dont tend to see this happen.

 

[Old_Moe]

Thanks to everyone!!!!

Good News.... Back to testing water :)

( since this is not an Algae issue, maybe it should be moved to new to reefing )

 

[Toolman]

I get it every week after my water change I just put some filter floss in over night and next day crystal clear. so you live in NJ what mile post :mrgreen:

 

[Old_Moe]

Filter Floss?

I am north of meadowlands.. up in the 160's

 

[Toolman]

Filter Floss?

I am north of meadowlands.. up in the 160's

Work off 109 live off 105

 

[little_fish]

You shouldnt have that happen when you do a water change, that means you have stuff precipitating out. You should do a through check of your water chemistry.

 

[Toolman]

not as smart as I think I am re-read your info and see you have a fuge I do not so I can run Floss as a filter medium in addition to using the filter sponge I am not 100% but is there a filter sock on your set up?

 

[Toolman]

You shouldnt have that happen when you do a water change, that means you have stuff precipitating out. You should do a through check of your water chemistry.

So when you stir up your sand nothing gets stirred up?

 

[little_fish]

Oh, i see then. No, i dont touch my sand bed. But if you are stirring your sandbed, you should be sucking up the stuff as you do the water change and not afterwards like it sounds like you are doing.

 

[Old_Moe]

Good exchange here, thank you both!

I do not have any filters in my sump besides the octopus skimmer. After reading the post I did put a little filter sock on the drain to hopefuly catch some of the dust.( short term will remove it soon )

after looking at my flow a little more closely ( powerhead and return ) I did notice that it creates a crap-trap in the upper right hand side on the surface. I am playing with the heads to try and push the stuff down the drain, to the sump, where hopefully it will settle and I can eventually suck it out.

quick question:

since there is a chance of me disturbing the dust for a little while, does this affect Fish or inverts? ( I dont have anything in the tank yet, but hopefully soon )

thanks again!!!

 

[Toolman]

Oh, i see then. No, i dont touch my sand bed. But if you are stirring your sandbed, you should be sucking up the stuff as you do the water change and not afterwards like it sounds like you are doing.

I take the 5 gallons out of the main tank after scraping and such and after suction the sand with that hokey tool it's not as bad as it sounds the goby makes more of a mess then I do.