Dust?? What’s this stuff???

[toor.attar]

Hey, I have this 15 gallon aquarium I started a month ago. It’s all cycled and has a clownfish in there. One issue I’m having is constant dustyness, like my aquarium is very dusty. As you can see on the top, the surface of tank it’s very grey and has lots of particles besides the spot where the pump is positioned. I have this white bubble everywhere on top of my tank, when I wipe them with my algae scraper, they turn into this white foam thing in my tank, it kinda dissolves. I also have this grey stuff all over my rocks, I’m figuring it’s just dust. But I don’t know what this dust particle stuff is?? Is this something too sorry about?? It’s kind of hard too see in pictures but it’s definitely very noticeable r in person, I just don’t wanna hurt the fish. Let me know what to do, thanks.

 

[19Mateo83]

Try running with a lower water level in the return section of the AIO and see if you get better surface skimming.

 

[ReefingDreams]

Agree with surface skimming. Also it's pretty normal for a new tank. As a side note, I highly recommend moving the heater to the chamber next door. Your water level will drop in the return chamber. Can cause your heater to be exposed to air and could cause some issues.

 

[toor.attar]

Agree with surface skimming. Also it's pretty normal for a new tank. As a side note, I highly recommend moving the heater to the chamber next door. Your water level will drop in the return chamber. Can cause your heater to be exposed to air and could cause some issues.

Thing is tho it’s very cloudy, there is particles floating around everywhere, white bubbles all over the top, etc. In the picture you can see how cloudy the aquarium is.
Will a surface skimmer fix the dustyness in the aquarium? Which surface skimmer do you recommend for a small AIO tank.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Whoa that back chamber is way too high. That's basically stagnat. You need to use the weirs. Your water level should be an 1/8th or so below the final weir.

Lower your heaters physical position accordingly.

 

[toor.attar]

Whoa that back chamber is way too high. That's basically stagnat. You need to use the weirs. Your water level should be an 1/8th or so below the final weir.

Lower your heaters physical position accordingly.

Should lower the water level in the back chamber with the heater up till the second chamber with like my filter media (next to the first chamber with the filter sock)
What is the weir lol

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Give me a second. I'll grab a photo of an AIO and make some notes on it.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Should lower the water level in the back chamber with the heater up till the second chamber with like my filter media (next to the first chamber with the filter sock)
What is the weir lol

The purple lines are weirs. The water level (blue line) needs to be about 1/8 of an inch below the lowest weir. That will be where your return pump (black) is also located.

Your heater(red), after lowering the water level, will be too far out of the water and will need to be lowered and located in the middle chamber. Or better yet, in the tank itself.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

The purple lines are weirs. The water level (blue line) needs to be about 1/8 of an inch below the lowest weir. That will be where your return pump (black) is also located.

Your heater(red), after lowering the water level, will be too far out of the water and will need to be lowered and located in the middle chamber. Or better yet, in the tank itself.

It will likely clear up your "dust" issue.

 

[toor.attar]

The purple lines are weirs. The water level (blue line) needs to be about 1/8 of an inch below the lowest weir. That will be where your return pump (black) is also located.

Your heater(red), after lowering the water level, will be too far out of the water and will need to be lowered and located in the middle chamber. Or better yet, in the tank itself.

This makes a lot more sense! Thank you!
In the middle chamber I have bio media like a filter foam and ceramic balls. Where should I place those after adding the heater in the middle chamber?? I have a filter sock in the first chamber where the water is sucked in.
I’m thinking of getting another filter caddy so I can add the filter media in there and make that the third chamber (if that makes sense) if necessary I am gonna add carbon in the future and same goes for a protein skimmer.

 

[Rocktron1]

You can actually sit the heater in the filter sock if you don't have enough room in middle chamber

I run mine in last chamber but keep an eye on water levels daily, but my heater is small so only comes up half the height of chamber

As the other guys have stated you need to be able to clearly see the baffles between each chamber so that the water is forced thru each chamber. The way you had it the water was just going over the top then back into tank

You already have the surface skimmer - that's the grate where water enters the filter section in back

Once you lower your water level, you'll find the water rushes through this which will clean the bubbles up from top of your tank

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

This makes a lot more sense! Thank you!
In the middle chamber I have bio media like a filter foam and ceramic balls. Where should I place those after adding the heater in the middle chamber?? I have a filter sock in the first chamber where the water is sucked in.
I’m thinking of getting another filter caddy so I can add the filter media in there and make that the third chamber (if that makes sense) if necessary I am gonna add carbon in the future and same goes for a protein skimmer.

Put your media in the first chamber with the over flow.

Don't put your heater in your filter sock. Put it in your main display. If something happens with your pump and it stops working, your main display won't be heated if you place the heater in a back baffle. It's safer for your stock if it is placed in the main display.

I use a caddy in my 14 gallon AIO so that I can use layers of media and filter floss. It will polish that dust out of your water as well as provide more area for bacteria.

 

[toor.attar]

Put your media in the first chamber with the over flow.

Don't put your heater in your filter sock. Put it in your main display. If something happens with your pump and it stops working, your main display won't be heated if you place the heater in a back baffle. It's safer for your stock if it is placed in the main display.

I use a caddy in my 14 gallon AIO so that I can use layers of media and filter floss. It will polish that dust out of your water as well as provide more area for bacteria.

I under stand you. If I were to add a caddy in the back of my tank, would the last chamber of water be adjusted to that heir then? Would it be adjusted to the heir of the caddy I would add?

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Last chamber is always the one that will fluctuate levels. The one with the pump.

 

[toor.attar]

Last chamber is always the one that will fluctuate levels. The one with the pump.

So I did what you said to do, I lowered the last chambers water volume according to the last weir. But my tank is so very cloudy, and dusty. There is white bubbles EVEYRWHERE and when I pop them they turn into this stringy white stuff. The filter sock is grey, the tank is very cloudy, and clouds up really fast, what’s wrong with it?? Out of all the fish tanks I’ve kept I’ve never seen a tank so grey, and dusty with particles everywhere. In the photos you can see I lowered the last chambers water and the second chamber slowly drizzles into the last chamber. In the photos it’s a lil hard too see but still visible how dusty and cloudy my tank is. I don’t want anything happen to my fish in here what should I do

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

You got those chambers filled perfect.

Now, Rinse your filter sock in rodi or distilled water and put it back. When you start out a new tank with new sand. The sediment tends to drift around until it's captured by the filtering mechanisms or settles to the bottom.

Because your tank was so over filled for so long, you didn't ever surface skim and filter that sediment out. But now that you are surface skimming, it's a little murky in there.

It WILL clear up. Just keep your filter sock rinsed daily. It won't take very long to clear up. The stuff floating around isn't going to hurt your fish at all. You could speed things up by stuffing a loose rolled up piece of filter floss into the sock. It will provide more surface area to catch that debris.

Do please keep an eye on parameters. You may start a secondary cycle now that your water is moving correctly. Don't worry. Just monitor your parameters.

Rough hobby to start on your own. But you are gonna get it. You have a nice tank by the way.

 

[19Mateo83]

Looking good now! Give it a few days and it will clear up.

 

[toor.attar]

You got those chambers filled perfect.

Now, Rinse your filter sock in rodi or distilled water and put it back. When you start out a new tank with new sand. The sediment tends to drift around until it's captured by the filtering mechanisms or settles to the bottom.

Because your tank was so over filled for so long, you didn't ever surface skim and filter that sediment out. But now that you are surface skimming, it's a little murky in there.

It WILL clear up. Just keep your filter sock rinsed daily. It won't take very long to clear up. The stuff floating around isn't going to hurt your fish at all. You could speed things up by stuffing a loose rolled up piece of filter floss into the sock. It will provide more surface area to catch that debris.

Do please keep an eye on parameters. You may start a secondary cycle now that your water is moving correctly. Don't worry. Just monitor your parameters.

Rough hobby to start on your own. But you are gonna get it. You have a nice tank by the way.

Thank you so much for your help!!!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Thank you so much for your help!!!

Any time I am able to do I so I will. If I don't know, we will find someone who does. Good luck and I hope you get years of enjoyment out of this hobby. Stick with it. It gets easier. One day you will look back at this thread laugh.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Oh, one more thing.

Your heater is in the chamber with a fluctuating water level. It is possible that if your heater becomes exposed it will break it, or worse send stray voltage through your tank.

Please put it in a safe place. Either second chamber or in your display.