55 gallon tank

[cbiscuit]

Hey! I have just started my 55 gallon salt water fish tank! Yesterday I put live sand in the bottom of my tank, and filled it with water mixed with 15lbs of instant ocean salt. Today I added about 40 pounds of live rock. My tank is very cloudy, is there a problem with anything in the tank or how long will it take to settle? Also should my filter be running? I read that it will only suck up the sand and clog. Any help or tips would be great!
Thank!

 

[bang guy]

The silt will settle once it is fully coated with bacteria. Should be a few days. Be sure to have a lot of waterflow to help out the bacteria. No need to run a filter.
Do you have a good reference book or are you flying blind at this point?

 

[cbiscuit]

Ok thank you, and I have no books, but I have been doing a lot of research.

 

[flower]

Welcome to the site!
Make sure the rock is on the bottom and not resting on shifting sand. If you did...since it's all cloudy anyway, move the sand to one side and stack the rock, then push the sand back around the rock.

 

[cbiscuit]

Thank you! My rock is on the bottom not the sand, also does anyone know of a good protein skimmer (reasonably priced)

 

[bang guy]

Are you handy enough to make your own?

 

[cbiscuit]

Maybe, my dad is really good at making things like that, I'll have to check that out, how do the instant ocean skimmer, or the coralife super skimmer do?

 

[bang guy]

That's a good question for our "Lighting, Equipment, & DIY Forum". I've never used anything other than a homemade skimmer so I don't know how those two perform.