# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Tiny white particles in water column - Is this a CO2 crisis?



## elMichael (Nov 18, 2003)

Hi folks

Came home fr work today to find my entire water column filled with what seem like an astronomical counts of tiny white particulates that don't rise or settle but keep churning w the water currents. After careful observation w a magnifying lens, I realised they were not O2 bubbles I checked my Co2 bubbling rate and it seemed to have gone faster. Are these particulates caused by precipitation of some sort? I added in 10 ml of Tetra Flora pride plus 25 ml of Melafix yesterday after a w.c but then I have been doing these many times before without such an event. 

I don't see any fish in distress, hanging at the surface or gasping for air. Therefore I'll not be doing any water change. But I am still a bit concerned...what if something happen to the fish over the night? 

Anyone who has experienced such a phenomenon and knows what it is, please advise.

Thanks!

mike


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## elMichael (Nov 18, 2003)

Hi folks

Came home fr work today to find my entire water column filled with what seem like an astronomical counts of tiny white particulates that don't rise or settle but keep churning w the water currents. After careful observation w a magnifying lens, I realised they were not O2 bubbles I checked my Co2 bubbling rate and it seemed to have gone faster. Are these particulates caused by precipitation of some sort? I added in 10 ml of Tetra Flora pride plus 25 ml of Melafix yesterday after a w.c but then I have been doing these many times before without such an event. 

I don't see any fish in distress, hanging at the surface or gasping for air. Therefore I'll not be doing any water change. But I am still a bit concerned...what if something happen to the fish over the night? 

Anyone who has experienced such a phenomenon and knows what it is, please advise.

Thanks!

mike


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## Neal (Mar 1, 2003)

Do you use a yeast CO2 generator? If so, it may be that yeast from it has made its way into the tank. If thats the case, you have a mess on your hands. Multiple, large water changes with thorough vacuuming of all surfaces are your best bet to clean it up.


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## elMichael (Nov 18, 2003)

Hi Neal

I'm using a commercial cylinder CO2, so yeast can't be incriminated. I'm stumped by the sudden appearance of these particles. I got up this morning and do a quick check. They were still in there but appears to be slightly reduced in concentration. I've reduced my CO2 bubbling rate and hope it won't aggravate the whole situation.I don't know though if all of these particles will dissolve or be trapped in my filter media eventually. Otherwise you may be darn right that I have a mess on my hands!

mike


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Two things. Did you stir up the gravel at all during the wc. More than normal? Replanting or anything? If so then it is possible particulate of some kind from the gravel. Stuff that has settled and collected in the gravel or maybe the gravel was not washed well originally and the dust on the gravel was released now. I have had this happen before and it was after I had dosed wiht florapride. I had also stirred up the gravel a lot. I still am not sure what caused it but i am inclined to attribute it to disturbing hte substrate. it might be participate, bacteria, or some sort of nutrient "bonded" to something. Possible a combination. I know that when I pull up crypts that have been planted a lot of fine white dust is released and the roots seem ot have small white balls on them. I believe I know wha this is from and have seen it in terestial plants but can not remember what it is called or the exact cause. I believe it has something to do wiht the plant roots or anerobic conditions causing nutrients to bond wiht other nutrients and precipitate out of solution for later breakdown and use by the plant or the unused elements of compounds that the plants did not want. I can't remember. I might pos this question somewhere else. I am sure womeone here knows. Luck!

Dennis Dietz

http://webpages.charter.net/dennisdietz/Aquatic%20Endeavors.html


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## elMichael (Nov 18, 2003)

Thanks Dennis for your views.
I have not done anything to stir up the substrate. I am inclined to believe it's caused by some reactions between Tetra Florapride and maybe CO2. I did massive pruning of H difformis, the only fast-growing plt in there and afterwards I dosed w the same amt of fertiliser. Rate of CO2 bubbling was also increased. Could be excess T Florapride reacting w CO2 giving rise to some kind precipitate.

mike


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

Mike:

I've had similar problems before in a 10g tank. I was wondering the reason for those particles to appear until I took a sample and put it in a clear glass to see if they would settle over time. The result was NEGATIVE! They were tiny bugs swimming all over the water. I spend a lot of time reading and took a sample to my office (research center) and observed under the microscope. They were paramecium (plural?) and apparently they appear as a result of an increase in the organic matter decomposing in the tank. I did water changes and siphon the gravel until they disappeared.

Hope that helps.

Tony


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Interesting! Thanks

Dennis Dietz

http://webpages.charter.net/dennisdietz/Aquatic%20Endeavors.html


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## elMichael (Nov 18, 2003)

Tony

This sounds like a whole new twist! I have a feeling you may not be totally off the track judging from the fact that they are constantly moving/ churning as if they're in a whirlpool. I'll take out some water sample and let it stand and see if they would settle. If not, then they've got to some living creatures...and I'll go a step further just like you did...

And if they really are paramecia, how do I get rid of them apart from tonnes of water change and diatom filters? Mine is a 240 L setup. I did 20% w.c last night and changed my filter pad but they were still there this morning. Will they stop multiplying in clean water?? I did look up a bit on paramecium but since you'd have done more intensive reading, I thought I would just piggy back on you









mike


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## Neal (Mar 1, 2003)

Mike, if your white specks are paramecium, a diatom filter would be helpful. Large water changes, 50% or more, would knock back the population. You'll have to figure out what they are feeding on that allows them to breed beyond what the fish can eat though.


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

Mike, you can take a sample in a clear container (glass) and use a flashlight in the dark to observe them carefully. You will see if they are moving or not. If I recall correctly, one of the reasons they appear in such quantities is the amount of decaying matter in the substrate, so by vaccuming it you should reduce their numbers. Also, I switch to a different filter at that time (I was using undergravel filtration and bought a Tetra Whisper power filter) and I am not sure what took care of them, maybe the combination of substrate vaccuming and newer filter was enough. However, if you have fry they will feed on them and will grow like crazy.

Good luck with those bugs.

Tony


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

Mike, you can also check the following links:

Picture of paramecia

Live food cultures

and some extracts from those pages:

"It's a cluster (gaggle, herd??) of paramecium all bunched together and munching on micro morsels of fish poop and other assorted gastronomic delights. "

"Paramecium live in water and will eat bacteria that are generally found in aquariums. Now the paramecium won't do too well in the aquarium as there is not enough bacteria to keep them multiplying and of course the fish eat the paramecium."

"One of the great things about this food source is that they will live for a long time (days and weeks) in a fresh water tank. Of course if you over feed and the paramecium don't find enough to eat, they will die and foul the water, but the up side of the deal is that you can feed once a day and expect that the fry will be able to feed at will......The paramecium will survive in the tank until eaten. If not eaten immediately, they will feed on bacterium in the tank until the fry find the paramecium. "

"&#8230;something was growing. Something that looked like, what, a cloud? Paramecium."

Hope that helps.

Tony

Intro to paramecium


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## elMichael (Nov 18, 2003)

Phew! It's been a relief! 

I've established that they're not paramecium or any kind of swimming bugs. They did settle after a while in still water. I'm glad I need not use the mounting slides and sterile bottles that I've gotten hold of for the next step. 

They're probably just tiny inert particles that I hope could be trapped when my filter pad is more seasoned w biofilm build-up, so I won't be changing or washing it for a while. But I'm still stumped as to how such mess came abt overnight. How would prevent a similar situation again if I don't the real cause?

Thanks guys for all the helpful responses.

cheers!

mike


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## hookahh (Sep 21, 2010)

Hello, ive stumbled upon this post when i was searching for a solution for removal of strange white particles that wont settle. Ive noticed that these particles come out of my Cannister filter (fluval 205) When i turn it off my tank still have some white particles but a lot less than before. They look like dust and dont settle, really give my 10G a bad look. I will try to do what you guys have mentioned, but does anyone else have this problem?


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## TonyVideo (Aug 11, 2010)

I once used a Fluval cannister filter using their white round cylinder shaped media and found a batch that was slowly disintegrating over time. I had these very little white particles floating around and discovered it was from my filter. At that time I replaced 1/2 on every filter change and it solved my problem. Just a thought.


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## hookahh (Sep 21, 2010)

TonyVideo said:


> I once used a Fluval cannister filter using their white round cylinder shaped media and found a batch that was slowly disintegrating over time. I had these very little white particles floating around and discovered it was from my filter. At that time I replaced 1/2 on every filter change and it solved my problem. Just a thought.


Wow that sounds like it can be it. However, my filter is fairly new, i just bought it like 3 weeks ago. So by 1/2 you mean 1 out of 2 compartments (considering the fact that i have 4 total and 2 hold those cylinder shaped media) or 1/2 out of each one?

Also, since you already have experience with this filter what is the best media that you recommend i use?


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