water clarity

Question
Hi Paul.

My tank has been set up for just under 3 months.

Tank Setup:  110 gallon marine, Wet/Dry filtration treating for phosphates (no carbon), big pump (13X/hour), Protein Skimmer in sump, 100lbs live rock, 2" live sand bed (100lbs?), 440 watt T5 HO lighting (4 X 54 watt 10x's and 4 X 54 watt actinic), Ammonia=0, Nitrites=0, Nitrates<5ppm, Phosphates=.10, Calcium=400-450, Alkalinity=3.2-3.5 meql, Ph=8-8.3, Temp=76.5F-77.5F

Stock:  1 tank raised Percula Clown, 5 Green Chromis, 1 Australian Saddleback, 2 Bangii Cardinals, 1 BiColor Blenny, 1 Emerald Green Crab, about 100 Blue leg crabs, 1 Sea Hare, 1 Banded shrimp, 6 Mexican Turbo Snails

Corals:  about 10 assorted corals

Question:  The snow in my tank will not go away.  A constant shower of very small white particles suspended in the water.  They do not float as I would suspect bubbles would.  Recently I noticed a white film formed on the the surface of the water.  I read a post that suggested moving water jet to agitate the surface.  I did. It cleared up.  

But still with the particles in the water.  What are they?  How do I get rid of them?  I am hesitant to keep cleaning the filter pad (50 micron) in the Wet/Dry as I read that doing so strips the biological filter of necessary bacteria.  

Thanks for your help!

Greg  

Answer
hi, sounds like you have a great setup there! all the white particles are is marine snow, if you were to look under the sea its always there. more than likely its your blenny digging up the sand somewhere and ite making particles float up in the water. it brings food to your filter feeders and corals, i stir up my sand once a day to get the same effect.