HD Sand / Cloudy Water Q
- Thread starter doodle1800
- Start date
doodle1800
Active Member
Update: - put 2 outside filters on tank to get rid of cloudiness. Cloudiness is caused by very fine particles of sand, so I don't know what LR would have accomplished here. Maybe someone can enlighten me on that. Anyways - tank is almost clear after a few days, but far from crystal. Plus there is the aragonite, but with powdery sand on top in spots.
Ordered LR from SWF, that will go in next. Hopefully I won't stir tank too much. I'll also put a few scoops of LS in there from my other tank, maybe over the powdery sand on the bottom. Plus the sides need a good sponging....
Something tells me I could have done this differently though. Seems like a lot of trouble using the HD sand.
I'm thinking I should have mixed the water in a seperate container and then used a plate in the tank....
Outside filters will leave after this, and a skimmer added later this week.
Still learning.
Ordered LR from SWF, that will go in next. Hopefully I won't stir tank too much. I'll also put a few scoops of LS in there from my other tank, maybe over the powdery sand on the bottom. Plus the sides need a good sponging....
Something tells me I could have done this differently though. Seems like a lot of trouble using the HD sand.
I'm thinking I should have mixed the water in a seperate container and then used a plate in the tank....
Outside filters will leave after this, and a skimmer added later this week.
Still learning.
stillfrodo
Member
Man I love that in the wall tank GORGEOUS> Good luck....
bang guy
Moderator
Originally posted by doodle1800
Cloudiness is caused by very fine particles of sand, so I don't know what LR would have accomplished here.
Live rock provides a vast amount of bacteria and food simultaneously. The bacteria rapidly reproduce with the abundant food supply and colonize on the fine sand grains. This doesn't prevent the sand grains from blowing around but it definitely cuts down on it immensely.
Over time the fine grains (dust) make their way to the lower areas of the sand bed where they provide the perfect home for the denitrifying bacteria that convert Nitrate to Nitrogen gas.
saltypatti
Member
look cloudy or the type of glass in my tank??? I have a new 55 gallon with 95 pounds of LR and a 3-4 inch sand bed. I have done a few water changes and I used good filtered water on this last one. Even when I clean the walls, it still looks a little cloudy. Parts of the side are clear. I just wondered if lights can cause cloudiness. Many or you have clear tanks and you all have lights, so that is probably not the problem, but I thought I would ask.
Patti
Patti
nacl-man
Member
It is possible. Esp if you have a plastic/glass hood that can collect that white salt creep that they always seem to collect. That can make it a little cloudy. However, the chances are that something else is causing the cloudiness.
You should post a seperate thread with this topic. You would get more responses.
Cheers!
You should post a seperate thread with this topic. You would get more responses.
Cheers!
doodle1800
Active Member
I think people are going to ask how long the tank has been set up, what kind of sand did you use. Maybe give more details on filtering and such too. 
I'm leary to put LR right now in there because ther settling sand will get all over it. Fine sand is hard to "blow" off the LR. But its being shipped from SWF tomorrow so.. no choice really, unless I put it in tupperware until it clears.
I'm leary to put LR right now in there because ther settling sand will get all over it. Fine sand is hard to "blow" off the LR. But its being shipped from SWF tomorrow so.. no choice really, unless I put it in tupperware until it clears.
nacl-man
Member
Originally posted by doodle1800
I think people are going to ask how long the tank has been set up, what kind of sand did you use. Maybe give more details on filtering and such too.
I'm leary to put LR right now in there because ther settling sand will get all over it. Fine sand is hard to "blow" off the LR. But its being shipped from SWF tomorrow so.. no choice really, unless I put it in tupperware until it clears.
True about the extra info, that's why I suggested that she post another thread.
Doodle I would not worry about putting the LR in there... if anything it will help seed your sandbed
Good luck and keep us posted! That in-wall looks awesome!!
(I soooooooo want one)Cheers!
doodle1800
Active Member
I will - I only ordered 25 lbs to see what it looks like so I'll put it in there.
I put 3 cups of LS from my other tank in there last night to get things going also - so it stirred it up again.
I'm being impatient with the cloudiness, I know I am. uuugghhh...
I turned off filter. Letting gravity do its job.
I put 3 cups of LS from my other tank in there last night to get things going also - so it stirred it up again.
I'm being impatient with the cloudiness, I know I am. uuugghhh...
I turned off filter. Letting gravity do its job.
overanalyzer
Active Member
doodle - I have been in the process of setting up a 140 Gallon tank and I did hte same as you - though I started with only 50 gallons of water - then added the salt - then about a week later added the sand ..... added water in 5 gallon increments ..... added rock shortly on top of sand ..... added more and more water in 5 gallon increments. Forgot to drill back siphon holes - lost about 15 gallons of water ..... detailed wife's van to make up for hte mess .....
Long story shrot - it took about 2 weeks for hte main tank to settle. Then I added my refugium into the system - 6 inch DSB - took about 2 weeks for that to settle .....
MEssed with rocks last night - settled over night. patience may be a virtue - but in this hobby it is an absolute necessity!!
Long story shrot - it took about 2 weeks for hte main tank to settle. Then I added my refugium into the system - 6 inch DSB - took about 2 weeks for that to settle .....
MEssed with rocks last night - settled over night. patience may be a virtue - but in this hobby it is an absolute necessity!!
doodle1800
Active Member
wow u do have patience! I will too, unfortunately... LR will be here tomorrow, hopefully. I'll put it in and wait...
skimmer just went on btw... just got it..
skimmer just went on btw... just got it..
overanalyzer
Active Member
Yeah I keep thinkign back to that songfrom the early 80's (maybe late 70's) ....
The waiiiiiiiting is the hard'est' part!! OOOOhhhh the waiiiitttting is the haaaarrrrddddessst part!
what kind of skimmer??
The waiiiiiiiting is the hard'est' part!! OOOOhhhh the waiiiitttting is the haaaarrrrddddessst part!
what kind of skimmer??
doodle1800
Active Member
sea clone 100 - a gift for fixing someones computer... its not the best I guess but it'll do for now...
now someone stop me from buying a pair of damsels.... please stop me...
now someone stop me from buying a pair of damsels.... please stop me...
doodle1800
Active Member
why did you wait a week between 50 gals and sand?
doodle1800
Active Member
want to know how impatient I am?
I went to LFS today and bought a 8 lb chunk of LR and 5 lbs of base rock, and I have 25 lbs coming tomorrow from SWF!! I couldn't wait one day!
I went to LFS today and bought a 8 lb chunk of LR and 5 lbs of base rock, and I have 25 lbs coming tomorrow from SWF!! I couldn't wait one day!
overanalyzer
Active Member
I waited a week because I did not hae the money or time to go pick up the LR and LS. Another local reefer was tearing down his setup so I got 100 pounds of LR and 25 pounds of base rock from him plus about 275 pounds of LS from his tank. Had to wait unti a saturday to pick it up .... was nice but going through the Mcdonald's drive through with a a truck full of rubbermaids sloshing got me some wierd looks and the guy taking money @ the first window ran up and asked what I had in the rubbermaid containers .....
Pop all of that LR in the tank and get that cycle rolling!!
Today is payday and my tank tests out @ all 0's ..... thinking I might get some chromis tomorrow - but what I really need are some big snails and crabs!!!
Pop all of that LR in the tank and get that cycle rolling!!
Today is payday and my tank tests out @ all 0's ..... thinking I might get some chromis tomorrow - but what I really need are some big snails and crabs!!!
overanalyzer
Active Member
here's a picture need to get running to work but will get some more later. Need to move the heater to the sump and do something about the algea - oh and buy lights and get another heater for one of the over flows as a back-up and .....
doodle1800
Active Member
I got up this morning and mine was crystal clear. (had nothing to do with putting LR in there).. kidding Bang Guy...
anyways - its clear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
think a damsel or 2 might be in order?
anyways - its clear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
think a damsel or 2 might be in order?
nacl-man
Member
Originally posted by doodle1800
sea clone 100 - a gift for fixing someones computer... its not the best I guess but it'll do for now...
now someone stop me from buying a pair of damsels.... please stop me...
I've got that skimmer. It'll work OK... just make sure you keep in clean. Mine (after 7 months) is starting to not work so well however. If I had to buy one again it would not be that model... but as a gift, why not?
Don't buy a pair of damsels. Did that help?
Cheers!