Re: [APD] Haze

[gbooth at frii_com]

> Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2005 00:12:03 -0500
> From: David Terrell <Dave at TerrellClan_com>

> 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...

OK.  But it sounds like you are disturbing things more than needed. I've
always thought that the haze that develops in water after some disturbance
is a bacterial bloom.  We'll see this if we pull up a lot of plants
(distrubing the substrate).

Also, draining the sump will expose the bacteria on the biomedia to air
for a time. How long do you leave the pumps off? If they dry out, could
they die off or become ineffective? When we change water, we turn the
pumps off and let the sump fill with water from the back flow, mostly
covering the bioballs.

I noticed you have a ball valve on your sump inlet - I assume you close
that when you turn the pumps off so you can drain the sump.  I don't think
draining the sump is a good idea. You might be messing up the bacteria
colony.

> 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 ;-)

I must have been wearing my Carnack turban! I only post now when something
comes along that I may have unique insight on. Scott H. answers everything
else. I still read every day.

> So, George, you don't think this is where the haze is coming from?

I'm guessing the haze is a bacterial bloom following a disruption of some
kind. Rinse the filter materials in the sink. Keep the biomedia in the
sump wet. Don't uproot plants for awhile. See if the haze goes away.

Does the haze stay around for a long time?  If we get some, it goes away
in a day or two.

George B.


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