Re: [RML] Water Clarity

Christopher Philip Benes (beneschr at pilot.msu.edu)
Wed, 29 Jan 1997 03:04:30 -0500 (EST)

Roy wrote:
> It sounds like a bacteria bloom. I have seen this in a good friends fish
> room and he had no clue to what was causing it to happen. He eventually
> changed his filtration from a tower of bioballs to basic SPONGE (that is
> for unmack) filtration and the blooms went away..... So I dont really know.
> It could be something in your water as well. Have you tried to polish it
> with a diatom filter? Sometimes these filters actually have a purpose and
> this could be one of them. If you were to polish the water after a water
> change and the milky look returned then it is definitely a bacteria bloom
> of some kind and I would disable the bio wheel first to see if it goes
> away. Other than that........
> Roy Hunter

A bacterial bloom is a definite possibility, however disabling the Bio-Wheel
wouldn't solve that kind of a problem, it would compound it. Such a bloom
would be caused by the presence of excess nutrients, ammonia, etc. in the tank.
Normally nitifying (spelling?) bacteria grow attached to some sort of a
substrate, they only take to the open water when there is an incredible excess
of ammonia, nitrite, or whatever. This is why when people set up their brand
new 10 gallon tank with 12 fish its not clear for weeks. Removing the
Bio-Wheel would only compound this kind of a problem, as you would then reduce
the tank's biological filtration (hence ammonia, nitrite, all that would build
up, you get the idea). Judging by the results of Larry's water tests I'd say
that bacteria aren't to blame, I'd look at it being something in the water. Go
with the diatom filter. Here if I don't diatom my tanks after a water change
they'd be cloudy all the time, the water is so nasty.

Later...

If you didn't see it, you missed it.

Chris Benes
beneschr at pilot.msu.edu
http://www.msu.edu/user/beneschr/

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