Water Clarity - white specks floating around in the water

Ok, I wouldn't say my tank is cloudy per say, but there are quite a few little white specks floating around in the water. It's not super annoying or anything, but I wouldn't mind knowing what they are caused by and the best way to get rid of them.

Would simply adding some filter floss into my filter get rid of this, or is this part a bacteria thing related to it being a fairly young tank?

(Details: Tank has been running for a month, water parameters according to test strips indicate the cycle has pretty much finished. gH and kH are fairly high, both sitting at 180ppm)

 

They're not air bubbles caused by your filter? If not, filter floss would help catch those particles. What size tank and what kind of filter do you have on it?

It's not bacteria as that is not something you can see floating around. Also, test strips are not very accurate. I suggest getting the liquid test like the API Freshwater Master Test Kit so you can be sure if you are cycled or not.

 

They're not air bubbles caused by your filter? If not, filter floss would help catch those particles. What size tank and what kind of filter do you have on it?

It's not bacteria as that is not something you can see floating around. Also, test strips are not very accurate. I suggest getting the liquid test like the API Freshwater Master Test Kit so you can be sure if you are cycled or not.

I do plan to get the master test kit as soon as I have money free to do so. (maybe later this week if wife will allow it, otherwise end of the month). the tank is a 20 gallon High. I am running the a marineland penguin biowheel 150 HOB filter.

I've been kinda contemplating saving the frame from the cartridge when I take the old one out (I currently have 2 of them running in there because I just put a new one in, but wanted overlap to be safe), removing the old filter material and use it to frame to put filter floss onto somehow. Not sure on that yet though.

 

I'd keep the original floss if you need to replace any of the cartridges so as not to disrupt your cycle.

 

I'd keep the original floss if you need to replace any of the cartridges so as not to disrupt your cycle.

the filter has two slots for cartridges. I meant that I have doubled up right now before changing the old one out (don't want to mess up the cycle), but when I do take the old one out, remove the old filter material from it and use it to put in straight filter floss to use for polishing the water.

 

Since most of the beneficial bacteria is in the floss material itself, I wouldn't remove it at all at this point since again, you don't want to do anything to disrupt the cycle. You can worry about floating particles later on after you're sure you're cycled.

What are your parameters with the test strips?

 

Since most of the beneficial bacteria is in the floss material itself, I wouldn't remove it at all at this point since again, you don't want to do anything to disrupt the cycle. You can worry about floating particles later on after you're sure you're cycled.

What are your parameters with the test strips?

well, the test strips I have don't have ammonia on it (wish they did) but my last check showed Nitrites at 0, Nitrates at 20, and since last week the nitrates were at like, 60-70, and nitrites were at 10... I'm pretty sure I'm closed to having cycled. I'll be picking up that master test kit as soon as the funds are available. It'll be good to have around since the wife plans to set up her own aquarium in the near future lol

 

Yeah, I'd get that test kit to check for ammonia or if your LFS uses the liquid test kit, ask them to test your water for you.