Milky Water

[BigEZ77]

So I made a bonehead move while cycling my tank and left the media basket in the tank (came with it) without washing it first. It came with sponge, activated carbon and ceramic bio rings. Now I have milky water and film that doesn't seem to be going away. Any suggestions on how to remove this? I only have live rock and live sand in there now and am running my skimmer.

...Or could it be something else?

Thanks,

Russell

 

[thelawnwrangler]

So I made a bonehead move while cycling my tank and left the media basket in the tank (came with it) without washing it first. It came with sponge, activated carbon and ceramic bio rings. Now I have milky water and film that doesn't seem to be going away. Any suggestions on how to remove this? I only have live rock and live sand in there now and am running my skimmer.

Thanks,

Russell

you sure it isn't a sand storm?

 

[BigEZ77]

Pretty sure...the sand settled pretty well this morning and this looks different. I pulled the media baskets when I read that this might be the issue and when pulling them out, all sorts of this milky water came out of each. Then, I wiped the gunk it created off the tank walls at the water surface and it hasn't subsided at all in a few hours.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

why would the media basket make it milky? the carbon not rinsed might be like a blackish tint. Do you have a picture? you had a period of clear followed by milky period?

depending on fine the sand is you might have really fine sand suspended.

Also you don't need to run protein skimmer right now. Do you have any filter floss?

 

[BigEZ77]

I'll try to get a photo shortly. I heard that the ceramic bio rings could make water milky if not rinsed properly beforehand. I didn't have the water entirely clear, but definitely getting there before this. Could see all my LR, powerhead, etc., now I can't clearly make out much.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

this is one with unsettled sand I found on facebook

 

[thelawnwrangler]

I'll try to get a photo shortly. I heard that the ceramic bio rings could make water milky if not rinsed properly beforehand. I didn't have the water entirely clear, but definitely getting there before this. Could see all my LR, powerhead, etc., now I can't clearly make out much.

I don't have any experience with ceramic bio rings maybe someone else does

 

[thelawnwrangler]

I found this

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2215393&highlight=ceramic+cloud

I would think it was a fine dust of some type- I am think some type of filter media like floss that you change out would pull it out?

 

[BigEZ77]

Yeah, it looks like the pic in the link. I'll give some filter floss a try. You don't think a skimmer would pull these particles out? And of course...thanks for the help.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Yeah, it looks like the pic in the link. I'll give some filter floss a try. You don't think a skimmer would pull these particles out? And of course...thanks for the help.

I am a newbie but no I don't think a skimmer would pull those very efficiently

what type of tank/ filtration do you have?

 

[BigEZ77]

I've got a JBJ RL45 AIO tank. Using the standard pumps that came with. Good news though...not sure if it was the skimmer running overnight but the water is crystal clear this morning!

 

[thelawnwrangler]

I've got a JBJ RL45 AIO tank. Using the standard pumps that came with. Good news though...not sure if it was the skimmer running overnight but the water is crystal clear this morning!

Cool

Nice tank

 

[BigEZ77]

Thx for the help