HD Sand / Cloudy Water Q

[doodle1800]

I just filled my 55 without sand - mixed in salt, and then added "rinsed" sand.. Water is extremely cloudy. Don't know whether to run external filter with pad, or just let is settle. Looks like it might take awhile. Also - foam on top of water, tryign to get rid of that also.
Anyone have a better procedure? Should I have just bought the LS instead of cheating with HD caribbean playsand?

 

[lesa]

It will clear up. Cb ran her filters and kept rising them in water and had no troubles. I put sand in first and then a small bucket in there and poured my water in and mine cleared up in 3 hours.

 

[doodle1800]

before sand - filling

 

[doodle1800]

think I should run the outside filter?

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by doodle1800
I just filled my 55 without sand - mixed in salt, and then added "rinsed" sand.. Water is extremely cloudy. Don't know whether to run external filter with pad, or just let is settle. Looks like it might take awhile. Also - foam on top of water, tryign to get rid of that also.
Anyone have a better procedure? Should I have just bought the LS instead of cheating with HD caribbean playsand?
basically, putting in the sand first and pouring the mixed water onto a plate on the sand, would have prevented about 75% of you current cloudiness.
I have heard on this board that southdown is prone to cloudiness. My recommendation is just to let it settle down and not run any filtration for a couple of days. In my experience with the above procedure, any cloudiness settles out in no more than two days. There is a surface scum for a few weeks. That goes completely away in four weeks with filtration. It also goes away quickly with surface feeding fish especially mollies.
You are experienceing normal start up things. welcome to saltwater. And be patient

 

[aarone]

macro algaes are good for reducing sand cloudiness, among lots of other things! (just kidding)
I have heard on this board that southdown is prone to cloudiness
any sand is prone to cloudiness

 

[doodle1800]

Not new to saltwater - just bigger tanks. I didn't have anything to mix my salt in, so I used the tank itself, then poured the sand in.
I'm thinking maybe I should have 2 things. Mix the salt in a 10 or 15 gal tupperware and pump it in my tank with sand already in it.
2nd thing - buy LS from SWF instead of HD sand? I do have some LS from my 10 I'm putting in there to seed things, but...

 

[nacl-man]

yup. my 44 was cloudy for about 1.5 weeks after I added my southdown. Just one of those things... gotta wait it out. No matter what you do you'll get the sand storm IMO.
Cheers!

 

[doodle1800]

Kip (or anyone) - would you empty tank, buy some LS from SWF and start over? Not doing a DSB btw - 2 inch sand bed is fine for me.

 

[escape2thewater]

I did the same thing when setting up my 120 2 weeks ago. I mixed the salt and then added sand via pvc pipe. After 6 days it was still fairly cloudy. I could NOT run my filtration due to the filter media getting clogged after a few hours. The only thing I found that helped was adding LR. The bacteria on the LR very quickly wieghed down the silt particles from the arragonite. Overnight the water became crystal clear! BTW when putting in the LR I stirred the sand all up again & almost looked as bad as when it first started! HTH
Kyle

 

[madd catt]

Nice looking in-wall tank!

 

[doodle1800]

thanks!!

 

[doodle1800]

Last question.. (right)... will a diatom filter hurt? Will it remove vital elements in the saltwater? I'm thinking this would quicken the clearing up process.

 

[buzz]

I really wouldn't worry about the tank clearing. It will. It just takes a little time. Mine took about a week. Kip was right on in that. But once it settles, you will be happy with it.
Get the tank cycling. You aren't going to be doing anything with it during that time anyway, right?

 

[bang guy]

To set up your tank correctly is going to take months. What's a few more days for the cloudiness?
If you're going to add rock, now would be the perfect time. The sand will remain finicky until it gets coated with bacteria. It'll settle down quickly after that.

 

[doodle1800]

yep - you guys are right.... wait it out - get some LR in there, cycle the tank.
ok - I'll be patient...

 

[wamp]

How much rock you gonna add to the tank? I ask this because, If it were me, I would change the background to blue and have the purple on the rock really stand out!
Looks Very nice in the wall like that!!!

 

[doodle1800]

I'm thinking the same thing you are... but black instead as there are blue fish... we'll see..
thanks for the tank compliment!
yes there are black fish too, I know...

 

[doodle1800]

ok - blue back.. blue water, talked me into it..

 

[doodle1800]

Don't mean to have this be a chat session.... but....
Kip - did you get a poster from the Shedd when you were here? The same one hanging near my tank? I went to the Florida Aquarium last month and they had no posters!!! All I wanted was a poster! Instead I got a shot glass...