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Re: [APD] Haze



George Booth wrote:
> Overflow meaning "trickle filter overflow"?
Yes, trickle filter, by sponge I mean the prefilter in the skimmer thing 
in the back-left corner...details ;-)

>>I then take off the sponge and 
>>gently squeeze it in the sump tank water. 
>
> Eh?
> Rinse it out in the sink and DON'T return all the
> gunk to your tank!  
I don't return the gunk.  I squeeze it into the sump water with the pump 
off so as to rinse it in aquarium water (in the sump) instead of tap, 
then drain the sump...
>>After which I replace the sponge in the overflow, drain the 
>>sump and do my regular water change, fill and hope for the best.  
>
> Yow.  Way to much work, dude.  
> 
> Here's a tip.  Much less hassle than cleaning the sponge thing.
Absolutely, but I only have to do this so often and I only do it during 
a water change, its really not that bad.  It just seems such a 
correlation between this process and the haze in my tank.  Its almost as 
if my trickle filter isn't working as I thought, like most of the work 
is done by the prefilter and I'm damaging it by rinsing it.

> Another tip.  If you have felt like stuff in the drip tray and the felt is
> laying directly on the drip tray, you probably noticed that the water only
> goes through the teeny bit of felt directly over the holes in the drip tray.
Yup, it is...
> To cure this...<snip>...
I'll give it a shot!
> 
> This is based on experience with an Amiracle trickle filter.  If yours is
> different 
Mine is different, but still applies I think.  Thanks!

There must be some weird thing here, because I've spent the past two 
days reading everything on your web site (unrelated to the haze) and I 
haven't seen you post for a while ;-)

Anyway, I found a good design for a cheap trickle filter online that 
uses two 5g buckets, the 'egg crate' stuff Jerry mentioned, a bin (from 
Target) and a pump.  I made this thing with ~5g bioballs, some vynil 
tubing and PVC pipe.  I also made my own reactor from the above 
mentioned materials (which apparently works well).  Minus the CO2 
canister, regulator, needle, and pump one could make this setup for 
<$100!  I've had this running for I think 4 years now and I've always 
had the same result from rinsing the prefilter in the overflow.  You can 
see (very early) pics of the filter setup here:
http://www.terrellclan.com/hobbies/Tank/Tank_archive/Tank_Filter/P2200076.jpg.html
Since then I've taken the return line, split it and run half through a 
reactor for CO2 (no pics of that yet).

One thing that has bothered me (but I've talked myself out of) is that 
the lid over the trickle (on the 5g bucket) has no holes in it.  I was 
thinking it doesn't let in enough air for the bacteria.  BUT, there is 
plenty of air (I think?) that comes down the trickle line, the lid and 
hose that goes into it, are not exactly sealed anyway...

So, George, you don't think this is where the haze is coming from? 
Thanks for reading ;-)  Typing fast definitely has its downsides.  Can't 
wait until I have that perfectly clear water back!

-Dave

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