Small Floating Particles

Hey,

I noticed today on one of my ten gallon tanks that there’s some floating white specs on the surface. I was doing some filter maintenance stuff on my HOB Aquaclear and I’m thinking it’s from that.. there’s some white calcium deposits I think it’s called on parts of the filter and I’m thinking some must of came loose in the water? Any ideas? There’s not much surface movement because I have the filter baffled for my Betta..

 

At the LFS I work at we're currently renovating so we get little white particles in the tanks all the time from the ceiling.

Do you have any walls nearby where the paint may be peeling?

 

At the LFS I work at we're currently renovating so we get little white particles in the tanks all the time from the ceiling.

Do you have any walls nearby where the paint may be peeling?

Nope no peeling paint, maybe just some dust. It’s weird though that I just noticed it after messing with the filter. You know the white stuff that forms on filters from the water? I think it’s calcium deposits or something.. I’m thinking a little bit of that flakes off. Another thing it might be is I have a piece of filter foam where the water outtake is to slow the water down and I repositioned it yesterday so maybe it came from that..

 

Nope no peeling paint, maybe just some dust. It’s weird though that I just noticed it after messing with the filter. You know the white stuff that forms on filters from the water? I think it’s calcium deposits or something.. I’m thinking a little bit of that flakes off. Another thing it might be is I have a piece of filter foam where the water outtake is to slow the water down and I repositioned it yesterday so maybe it came from that..

It could be!

I don't usually even touch my filter these days I just clean my sponges out once in a blue moon!

 

It could be!

I don't usually even touch my filter these days I just clean my sponges out once in a blue moon!

Yeah I rarely mess with the filter too. That’s why I’m thinking it’s something from that cause I just happened to be messing with it and than saw the specs. Either way it looks like it’s going away which is good. What kind of filter do you have?

 

Yeah I rarely mess with the filter too. That’s why I’m thinking it’s something from that cause I just happened to be messing with it and than saw the specs. Either way it looks like it’s going away which is good. What kind of filter do you have?

I have a Seachem Tidal 55 on my 20 Gallon.

I hate messing with my filters because they always push a cloud of into the water even after cleaning.

The worst is my bio-wheel. I made a decorative, Aqua-scaped 5 gallon tank and every time I take the sponge out to clean it, a massive cloud of ruins my tank

 

I have a Seachem Tidal 55 on my 20 Gallon.

I hate messing with my filters because they always push a cloud of into the water even after cleaning.

The worst is my bio-wheel. I made a decorative, Aqua-scaped 5 gallon tank and every time I take the sponge out to clean it, a massive cloud of ruins my tank

I know what you mean. The filter is the my least favorite thing about fish keeping. I was messing with my filter cause I was trying to get the thing to quite down some. It’s in my room so it annoys the heck out of me. I wish I could use a Seachem brand filter but I don’t think they make one for a 10G and also I don’t know how I would switch all my seeded media..

 

I know what you mean. The filter is the my least favorite thing about fish keeping. I was messing with my filter cause I was trying to get the thing to quite down some. It’s in my room so it annoys the heck out of me. I wish I could use a Seachem brand filter but I don’t think they make one for a 10G and also I don’t know how I would switch all my seeded media..

The Tidal is great. And switching media is easy! Plop and drop

If you have cartridges it's different though...

 

The Tidal is great. And switching media is easy! Plop and drop

If you have cartridges it's different though...

I have the media bag. It looks like this. Do you think that would work? They don’t make a Tidal for a 10G right?

 

View attachment 423541

I have the media bag. It looks like this. Do you think that would work? They don’t make a Tidal for a 10G right?

I have that exact thing in my Tidal

Not sure if they make a Tidal for a 10 gallon

Mine is rated for max 55 gallons and it's on my 20 Gallon

 

I have that exact thing in my Tidal

Not sure if they make a Tidal for a 10 gallon

Mine is rated for max 55 gallons and it's on my 20 Gallon

Darn!! Too bad I don’t have a 10 gallon! I heard the Tidal’s are great filters and that they are really quiet. I wouldn’t mind paying a lot of money for a good filter that’s quiet for my ten gallon but there’s really not many options out there..

 

I just call it scum, it’s harmless. Also, I’d put the bio media in the middle of the filter basket, always before any type of carbon. In my opinion AC filters are the best HOB! Mine are completely silent so long as the water level is up.

 

I just call it scum, it’s harmless. Also, I’d put the bio media in the middle of the filter basket, always before any type of carbon. In my opinion AC filters are the best HOB! Mine are completely silent so long as the water level is up.

Oh yeah that was just a pic I got from google haha. Yeah they are prettt quiet just a slight hum but not too bad at all.

 

Have you tried taking the motor off and cleaning it out really well? And is the filter against the wall? You could definitely Put a Tidal 55 on your 10g, just turn it all the way down. Its 250 gallons per hour, so I'd never even use it for anything bigger than a 25 gallon.

 

Have you tried taking the motor off and cleaning it out really well? And is the filter against the wall? You could definitely Put a Tidal 55 on your 10g, just turn it all the way down. Its 250 gallons per hour, so I'd never even use it for anything bigger than a 25 gallon.

Nah I haven’t cause it’s only a couple months old. Do you think I should? Do you think the tidal 55 would be too much for a 10 gallon or no? It’s a HOB right? Am I able to make the flow rate really low for my Betta? Sorry for all the questions..

Have you tried taking the motor off and cleaning it out really well? And is the filter against the wall? You could definitely Put a Tidal 55 on your 10g, just turn it all the way down. Its 250 gallons per hour, so I'd never even use it for anything bigger than a 25 gallon.

Oh yeah and how’s the sound on the Tidal?

 

I have an Aquaclear 20 on my 5 gallon and an AC 30 on my 10. My betta in the 5 gallon is totally fine when I turn it down all the way. In my experience (I work at a fish store), people tend to go for the AC much more often than the Tidal because it’s cheaper and I think equally (if not more) efficient. That humming sound can happen with literally any filter, and it’s because the motor is being funny. I’ve heard it with all brands. Try cleaning it really well. Personally, I would just keep your AC, because it’s a nice filter. I’ve never owned one personally, but I do know from the few running at the store, that the Tidal might have too much flow for a Betta. More than likely you could buy a Tidal at a LFS, try it in your tank, and if it’s too powerful you could just return it. If you can’t get the humming to stop, and really want to try a Tidal.

 

I have an Aquaclear 20 on my 5 gallon and an AC 30 on my 10. My betta in the 5 gallon is totally fine when I turn it down all the way. In my experience (I work at a fish store), people tend to go for the AC much more often than the Tidal because it’s cheaper and I think equally (if not more) efficient. That humming sound can happen with literally any filter, and it’s because the motor is being funny. I’ve heard it with all brands. Try cleaning it really well. Personally, I would just keep your AC, because it’s a nice filter. I’ve never owned one personally, but I do know from the few running at the store, that the Tidal might have too much flow for a Betta. More than likely you could buy a Tidal at a LFS, try it in your tank, and if it’s too powerful you could just return it. If you can’t get the humming to stop, and really want to try a Tidal.

Thanks for the info. As far as the humming I’m talking about, it’s just the noise the motor makes. It’s not loud it’s just how it sounds. There really no HOB filter that is completely quite because the motor is going to make some sort of sound. The Aquaclears are pretty quiet though.