Small debris/particles suspended in water, why?

[Rob P]

I have recently noticed small debris particles blowing around inside the tank.

I don't think i'm under filtered - Aquamanta EFX200 external (800lph) on a 125L tank + Koralia 900, and can't be accused of slack maintenance (currently at 3 x 40-50% water changes per week with substrate vac each time).

I clean the filter fortnightly and regularly replace the wool pad (monthly). I've also added 100ml bagged purigen recently (this week). In the 3 trays at the minute i'm running: tray 1 - coarse sponge only, tray 2 - ceramic noodles, tray 3 - finer sponge, wool pad & purigen.

It would seem this has been noticable since putting co2 diffuser onto filter intake. Could it be that the flow of co2 bubbles through the filter is dislodging cack caught in the various media and recirculating it??

I see on a daily basis fine particles resting on the leaves of some plants which is causing confusion when i'm trying to assess if I have recurring diatom issues or if i'm actually getting somewhere (my TMC's have been on 20% for a few weeks now). Most days I get a planting prong in the tank and shake the debris off but it's there the next day.

Any ideas?

Rob

 

[mlgt]

I think its always the case with tanks and filtration.
You are bound to get some disturbance which causes the debris to move about.

What I used to do is add some filter floss and then added a koralia. this kept the water crystal clear. Althought my tank is a 350l and lots of shrimps and cories.

In the end I just let it be as the current deemed to be too strong for the community fish.

 

[James D]

Have you tried cleaning your glasses Rob?

Those particles on the plants sound like the ones that get on my leaves when I disturb the substrate (amazonia AS) too much.

 

[Rob P]

Don't wear em bud lol Got a damaged contact lens in today though which is a beatch, coupled to one too many last night it's making today hard work lol

Don't think it's disturbed subsrate, i've shaken the filter in the past to release air and noticed same effect afterwards (then twigged i've probably stirred up all the rubbish in the filter) and it clears up in a couple of hours. This is why I wonder if it's gas build up in the filter doing the same thing.

 

[NatureBoy]

I've lowered the flow in my tank (switched off koralias) and just let the filters create current, I reckon too much flow lifts some mulm / debris from the substrate like how James D says. This keeps some debris constantly suspended I think. Since lowering the flow I don't see any suspended particles: crystal clear....let substrate / particles settle, more like a crystal clear lake than a crystal clear mountain stream. ps I removed all filter floss and am almost 100% biological with a dash of purigen, and have not turned off the filters for months, so will say filter floss only a secondary benefit compared to relaxing the flow for me. Not seeing any probs with CO2 issues, in fact lowering the flow means I keep more CO2 in the water....having doubts about that 10 times rule.