I have the "Snow effect" in my tank

[sh2000]

How do you get rid of the snow in your tank it's gone on the rocks and its flying very tiny through the tank it even gets on some of the scaled fish..
I have a 80 gal RT I've been dosing calcium 2-3x a month for 6 months to keep levels at 400-500 I negelected to test ALK so I'm assuming this occured as the calcium went high the AlK dropped to stabalize it my Magnesium is at 1280..so what do I do to get rid of the snowlike tiny things flying around the tank ?

 

[renogaw]

your calcium is too high, but also test your alk, and get your magnesium up.
also, what's your pH at?
if those four are out of whack, you'll get precipitation. once they are in balance, the snow will be absorbed into the water.

 

[sh2000]

PH always 8.2
Calcium always 400-500
Magnesium was recently over 3 weeks increased from 1080 to 1280 how high should it be ?
Alk was from 11.2dkh to 7.5 dkh now back to 10.4 dkh
help!

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by SH2000
http:///forum/post/2466513
PH always 8.2
Calcium always 400-500
Magnesium was recently over 3 weeks increased from 1080 to 1280 how high should it be ?
Alk was from 11.2dkh to 7.5 dkh now back to 10.4 dkh
help!

1280 is where it should be... im not sure your "snowing" is carbonate precipitation... what do you have for filter media? any changes? your levels seem to be ok and dont look dangerously high for that to happen. What about your calc test kit? Have you check it against another brand? You might have a faulty test kit.

 

[renogaw]

mag should be around 1300-1350, pH is fine, alk should be around 10dkh, and that will allow you to have around 420 calcium. anything higher will precipitate calc. lower alk= lower allowable calcium.
google : chemistry and the aquarium. there's a great write up on balancing everything.

 

[nietzsche]

i agree with Perfect Dark, i have my calcium from 460-500, magnesium at 1300, pH at 7.9-8.2 and alk at 8-9 dKH and havent gotten that snow effect

 

[sh2000]

It might be microscopic bubbles or calcium carbonite I have no idea nothing has looked stressed or fatal so I have no ckue what it is..hopefully it's the beginning of coraline algae and will go away soon. no losses of fish or coral or inverts.

 

[sh2000]

its frustrating because i have white tiny particles in my tank I have no idea how to get ride of them they are not bubbles or micro bubbles the are just dust or white tiny particles really disturbs the beauty of the tank..unfortunately there is somet hing wrong with the sump setup and the mag 12 and the skimmer so im hoping after a few months it wil lclear up but i doubt it..

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by SH2000
http:///forum/post/2512776
its frustrating because i have white tiny particles in my tank I have no idea how to get ride of them they are not bubbles or micro bubbles the are just dust or white tiny particles really disturbs the beauty of the tank..unfortunately there is somet hing wrong with the sump setup and the mag 12 and the skimmer so im hoping after a few months it wil lclear up but i doubt it..
You need to eliminate the possibility of dirty filter media. Rinse off any sponges, filter material, floss etc etc.. also do you have any sand churning or sifting or burrowing inhabitants? Sediment can take a very long time to settle if something disturbs it and a pistol shrimp, jaw fish or any other type of creature like that can give off this effect. Just throwing out some suggestions.. Good Luck.

 

[sh2000]

thanks its appreciated..sill change the filter medias and rinse the sponges from the pump and skimmers.