Why does it look dirty?

[t_larz]

I have a 90 gallon tank w/90 lbs of LR, wet/dry, and just have a quick question.
why doesn't the water ever look very clear.Should I get some charcoal and if so How do you add it to the sump? I also use a dinky skimmer until I can get a good one. One 50/50 and one actinic blue on fourescant lights. 7000k and 6100k. Thanks!
Lars

 

[mr . salty]

How big is your pump(gph)? Do you have any powerheads for added circulation?? STEVE

 

[t_larz]

I mean cloudiness(sorta like bubbles almost it seems) rather than I yellow tint, I have two Rio pumps a 2500 and a 2100, one more different brand power head. Thanks!
By the way, I do use floss filter in the sump and am also using a poly filter for the time being.
~Lars

 

[krazzydart]

get a mesh bag and add the charchoal and juts set it in the sump that should help. Is there any smell coming from the water???

 

[t_larz]

Actually there, is a little kind of smell coming off of the water, sorta rotten but not really. So what is that from? The tank has been set up for about four months so I don't think that it is the bacteria,I thought that carbon might be a good thing to get. What kind of mesh bag do you mean? Thanks!
~Lars

 

[broomer5]

Lars,
You can get the mesh bag at LFS - it's just a small nylon or polyester mesh bag with a cotton drawstring. Get some decent activated charcoal like Coralife Coconut Carbon, or any good quality stuff ( make sure it's phosphate or nitrate free ) and follow the instructions. Make sure to rinse it first under cold water to get rid of carbon dust. Then put the bag/carbon in the flowstream of your water ( wet/dry is an ideal place ).
This will help "polish" your water, removes heavy metals and organic waste from the water. It will help make the water very clear.
As far as the small particals, it sounds like what I have occasionally. The LR can collect detritus and what appears to be a sort of dust. The water currents can pick up this dust and you'll see it floating around. About once or twice a month, whenever I am messing around in the tank at night, I take a turkey baster and blow the dust off the rock ... get it stirred up a little, and quite a bit of it gets pulled into the overflow, prefilter and eventually is removed. By morning the tank will look great !
Good luck, Brian

 

[purplepuffer]

When was the last time that you had a water change? I would definetly change the water, especially if it has a bad odor. What is your ammonia level at? Check that, as lots of times ammonia spikes have an odor to it.
~~Megan