Jesse, can you describe the particulates a little more? Are we talking
about decaying plant matter or bacteria?

How recently was the tank planted? The reason I ask is because frequently
(usually?) when I've planted out a new tank I planted some plants that
didn't take well - I remember one tank in particular where I had six bunches
of didipls diandra and six bunches of foxtail fril which, for reasons never
determined (maybe snails?), over the course of two months just deteriorated
and disintegrated. The overall effect was similar to what you are
describing. Assuming that it's not snails which are causing the problem,
they would probably be the most effective at cleaning it up.

If it's bacterial, periodic use of the micron filter is probably interfering
with getting the biologic filter established. Add two teaspoons per gallon
of A.C.T., clench your teeth, and turn off the micron filter. Only use it
when you have company coming.

There are several liquid products available which supposedly cause small
particulate to "clump" together and be more effectively filtered out
(mechanically). The brand names escape me but your LFS can direct you, I'm
sure.

kush

"You can't have everything - where would you put it?"

SlimFlem wrote in message
news:SoiR9.543957$WL3.146175@rwcrnsc54...
OK guys, please see if you have any ideas about this. Starting about a
week
ago, my tank water is filled with particules when I wake up in the
morning.
It looks like you took a stick and ran it through the Florite and released
all kinds of crap. I use a Magnum 350 Micron filter cartridge during the
day and its back to normal. But the next morning, bam!, the same thing.
I
don't understand. Do you think either the Clown Loaches, Brochis
Splendens,
or Whiptail catfish could be doing this during the night? I see them
rooting around during the day and stirring up a little stuff, but nothing
to
the extent of what I get in the morning.

I have vacumed the Florite pretty good over 1/2 of my tank during the last
water change, but I cannot vacum certain parts because of plant tickets or
driftwood. Does anyone have Florite and any of these fish that may be
causing something like this?

My normal filter is an Ehiem 2028 Pro with 2 trays of ceramic tubes and
one
tray of the course rock substrate. My tank has never done this before.
Do
you think maybe I should alter the contents of the filter? Maybe replace
the 2 sponge layers? I rinsed them out during the last water change about
a
week ago. It just seems like this stuff is not being sucked in by the
filter or either it's too much for the filter to handle or either its
passing through the filter somehow.

Any ideas, please?!?!?

thanks,
jesse