Question about floating stuff

[Raki]

This was brought over from another forum where it is not getting any attention

Tank has been setup over a month, and all is well except the water is littered with particulate matter (but the water itself is still clear, not murky). To elaborate, there are white objects traveling about in the water that are not stopped by either of my two prefilters. They seem to follow the paths of the powerheads, and I cannot see in animation in them, so they do not appear to be self-mobile. I'm not even sure if they are living or not. Some of them are grain-like in appearance, and others are short white hair-like. The white hair ones concern me the most, since I've never seen them before even when I had my tank setup before. As mentioned, they look like tiny white hairs about 1/4"-1/2" in length, very thin, and white but almost translucent.

They (the white hair variety) collect on the edges of my LR in areas of high water flow and make what appear to be single strands about an inch long. They do not seem to effecting the inhabitants of the tank, but it seems like they should, since there are an estimated 25-50 of them per square inch of water. From a distance, you can't really notice anything is wrong, but up close it is quite obvious something is amiss.

Can anyone please help me identify whatever this invasion is and provide me with ways to get rid of them?

Thanks!

Hobby Experience: SW=4 yrs, Fresh=10 yrs
Current Tanks: 55g, Amiracle wet/dry, 300w heater+200w heater (backup), 2 Hagen 201 powerheads, FOLR+inverts



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03/13/2004 12:21 AM

Raki04
Reefer

Registered: Nov 2003
Location: Philadelphia
Occupation: shop manager lighting industry
Posts: 16


Yea, I have this stuff too I thought that some cat hairs had gotten in to the tank I have 3 cats so it's not out of the question. I thought that the smaller rounder? bits might just be bits of uneaten food 'cause I have noticed that some of the fish seem to eat it.
Is this stuff normal?


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Please be quiet I'm having a hard time listening to the voices in my head.

 

[mogurnda]

Are you using any additives? Maybe something is precipitating out.

Other possibilities, none very compelling: Spicules from a decomposing sponge or soft coral? A strange filamentous alga?

 

[Raki]

Other than Coral-Vital The Reef Life Energizer and calcium I don't add anything else and I've had this stuff before I started adding the energizer anmd calcium
I don't know about the fellow who posted the original description of the floaties. Hopefully he will join this list too and give us info on his tank

 

[plantman1028]

floaty things

Believe it or not I had the same thing when i set up my 30gal.My problem was two things.One Iset the tank up right across from a heater vent.Two,the tank was right under a ceiling fan.The only thing I could see being the problem was DUST.I know it sounds crazy,but im tellin you when i move the tank the floaties left in about 2 days.yours could be a different problem,but I just thought the info might help.

 

[Raki]

Personally I think most of mine are small bits of food I probably overfeed heck I know I do The things that look like hairs seem to me like some kind of algae. None of it seems to bother the fish and that's all that really matters.