Cloudy water need advice

Txboi · 05/30/2013, 01:15 PM

Hi all I started my tank on Saturday and have cloudy water I think it might be from the sand and the base rock I used I poured water into a bowl to prevent stirring up the sand bed and every thing was ok till I poured the salt in and turn the power heads on I the by dumping the salt in and turning the power heads on it stirred up the sand bed I've turned of the power heads of but leaving the return pump from the refugium on hoping it will help to clear the water up is there anything else I could do to help or will it take time? And how long does it usually last?
Thanks in advance

Allmost · 05/30/2013, 01:18 PM

well, sorry to say, but you did it wrong !

how is the salt going to mix in ?

you need to make salt water, and pour it into tank.

or make the water in sump salt, and then pour it to main DT, then make more salt water in Sump.

right now, you have alot of sand + salt, and alot of salt undissolved within the sand !

fishgate · 05/30/2013, 01:24 PM

LOL - I never tire of reading that. Oh well.

Anyway, not to worry. ALL of your salt will dissolve soon if it has not already. Salt will not sit on your rock and sand without dissolving. I have done that LOTS of times and the salt ALWAYS dissolves usually within a few hours.

Your cloudiness might be from a bacteria bloom but it seems too early for that. Give it a few days and see if it clears up.

Txboi · 05/30/2013, 01:26 PM

I had the power heads on when I put the salt in

Allmost · 05/30/2013, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishgate

I have done that LOTS of times and the salt ALWAYS dissolves usually within a few hours.

Your cloudiness might be from a bacteria bloom but it seems too early for that. Give it a few days and see if it clears up.

how do you know the salt ALWAYS dissolves ? this method will not give you a stable salinity.

about bacteria ... its not even salt water yet for bacteria to bloom.

its not good to advocate doing things wrong.

OP ... you have salt + sand on water column, at this point, you should wait and measure salinity often, and give it a week or so and measure salinity again. you might want to move the sand around as well, for salt that's within the sand, which will take longer to dissolve.

take a bucket and see how long it takes for salt to dissolve.

ska d · 05/30/2013, 01:29 PM

Keep em on it'll clear up.

Txboi · 05/30/2013, 01:34 PM

I have tested salinity for the past four days and it has remained th same every day

ahmer1781 · 05/30/2013, 01:35 PM

just wait, I did the same mistake a few years ago, powerheads on and my tank cleared up in 2 days

Txboi · 05/30/2013, 01:45 PM

Just worried because it doesn't look like its getting better

Txboi · 05/30/2013, 01:58 PM

Is it possiable that it could take more than a week

fishgate · 05/30/2013, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allmost

how do you know the salt ALWAYS dissolves ? this method will not give you a stable salinity.

about bacteria ... its not even salt water yet for bacteria to bloom.

its not good to advocate doing things wrong.

OP ... you have salt + sand on water column, at this point, you should wait and measure salinity often, and give it a week or so and measure salinity again. you might want to move the sand around as well, for salt that's within the sand, which will take longer to dissolve.

take a bucket and see how long it takes for salt to dissolve.

Wrong because it isn't the way you do it? I think not. That is wonderful that you do it a different way. There are 1000 ways to skin a cat. Dumping salt into a new aquarium is not the "wrong" way and many people do it this way. I have never had an issue doing this.

You do not need saltwater to have a bacteria bloom. Bacteria will grow anywhere in any level of salinity.

And how do you get salt "in the sand"? Is that like getting mud "in your tires"? I doubt he poured in salt and then carefully placed the sand on top of the salt so it is highly unlikely that salt is buried in the sandbed where it would take longer to dissolve.

Allmost · 05/30/2013, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishgate

Wrong because it isn't the way you do it? I think not. That is wonderful that you do it a different way. There are 1000 ways to skin a cat. Dumping salt into a new aquarium is not the "wrong" way and many people do it this way. I have never had an issue doing this.

You do not need saltwater to have a bacteria bloom. Bacteria will grow anywhere in any level of salinity.

And how do you get salt "in the sand"? Is that like getting mud "in your tires"? I doubt he poured in salt and then carefully placed the sand on top of the salt so it is highly unlikely that salt is buried in the sandbed where it would take longer to dissolve.

ok

I assume if 1000 ppl jumped off a cliff, you would follow them, having faith that they knew something. my bad for providing help.

I am not gonna get into an argument with you, but you can ask ppl like me who have had alot of experience in the hobby, and you will know what I mean. sure bacteria grow in every condition, but not the same bacteria

anyways,

fishgate · 05/30/2013, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allmost

ok

I assume if 1000 ppl jumped off a cliff, you would follow them, having faith that they knew something. my bad for providing help.

I am not gonna get into an argument with you, but you can ask ppl like me who have had alot of experience in the hobby, and you will know what I mean. sure bacteria grow in every condition, but not the same bacteria

anyways,

It sounds like you are the one following the crowd and I am the one doing it "my" way. And your advice, as I already stated, is fine. It is your adversarial approach to other ways of doing something that is at issue here. This hobby has been around a long time and people are successful doing thing many different ways.

Railcar79 · 05/30/2013, 03:30 PM

My water was cloudy for what seemed like forever. I stuck a couple pieces of filter floss (ok I used the filter bags from some old Whisper filter carts) and let it run its course. clouds will settle eventually.

As to adding salt without mixing, I am sorry but basic 3rd grade chemistry states that all salt will dissolve, it just might take some time to do it, as long as you don't have crusted salt mounds on the sand, the salt will all dissolve. After all adding sugar to Koolaid, the sugar doesn't sit on the bottom and stay there, it all dissolves.

Allmost · 05/30/2013, 03:39 PM

this is like a family guy episode ....

the girl tells the guy, that he can not come in the house with dirty shoes.

the guy comes into the house with dirty shoes, and sais " seeeee ! I CAN do it

"

some stuff are wrong practice, sure, it might work and there might be a way to correct it, like long while and unstable salinity, and dirty shoes making carpets dirty, so need for replacement. But advocating wrong practice is not the purpose of these forums

good night everyone.

05/30/2013, 01:15 PM	#1
Txboi Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Richardson Tx Posts: 163	Cloudy water need advice Hi all I started my tank on Saturday and have cloudy water I think it might be from the sand and the base rock I used I poured water into a bowl to prevent stirring up the sand bed and every thing was ok till I poured the salt in and turn the power heads on I the by dumping the salt in and turning the power heads on it stirred up the sand bed I've turned of the power heads of but leaving the return pump from the refugium on hoping it will help to clear the water up is there anything else I could do to help or will it take time? And how long does it usually last? Thanks in advance

05/30/2013, 01:24 PM	#3
fishgate Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Damascus, MD Posts: 3,340	LOL - I never tire of reading that. Oh well. Anyway, not to worry. ALL of your salt will dissolve soon if it has not already. Salt will not sit on your rock and sand without dissolving. I have done that LOTS of times and the salt ALWAYS dissolves usually within a few hours. Your cloudiness might be from a bacteria bloom but it seems too early for that. Give it a few days and see if it clears up. __________________ 125RR in-wall, 40B Sump, CS180 BM Skimmer, ATI 4x80 watt, eheim 1262, custom wrap around rock wall, ReefKeeper Elite 120g in-wall, 40B Sump, PC 54wx4, Jabao DC-6000 (full siphon), future seahorse t Current Tank Info: 125g, 120g, 2x40b sumps, ATI 4x80 T5HO

05/30/2013, 01:35 PM	#8
ahmer1781 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Quincy, MA but work in Tewksbury, MA Posts: 71	just wait, I did the same mistake a few years ago, powerheads on and my tank cleared up in 2 days __________________ starting up a 90 gallon with a 30 gallon sump

05/30/2013, 01:18 PM	#2
Allmost Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: canada, toronto Posts: 8,161	well, sorry to say, but you did it wrong ! how is the salt going to mix in ? you need to make salt water, and pour it into tank. or make the water in sump salt, and then pour it to main DT, then make more salt water in Sump. right now, you have alot of sand + salt, and alot of salt undissolved within the sand !

05/30/2013, 01:26 PM	#4
Txboi Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Richardson Tx Posts: 163	I had the power heads on when I put the salt in

05/30/2013, 01:29 PM	#6
ska d Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: toronto Posts: 508	Keep em on it'll clear up.

05/30/2013, 01:34 PM	#7
Txboi Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Richardson Tx Posts: 163	I have tested salinity for the past four days and it has remained th same every day

05/30/2013, 01:45 PM	#9
Txboi Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Richardson Tx Posts: 163	Just worried because it doesn't look like its getting better

05/30/2013, 01:58 PM	#10
Txboi Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Richardson Tx Posts: 163	Is it possiable that it could take more than a week

05/30/2013, 03:30 PM	#14
Railcar79 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Colton South Dakota Posts: 229	My water was cloudy for what seemed like forever. I stuck a couple pieces of filter floss (ok I used the filter bags from some old Whisper filter carts) and let it run its course. clouds will settle eventually. As to adding salt without mixing, I am sorry but basic 3rd grade chemistry states that all salt will dissolve, it just might take some time to do it, as long as you don't have crusted salt mounds on the sand, the salt will all dissolve. After all adding sugar to Koolaid, the sugar doesn't sit on the bottom and stay there, it all dissolves.

05/30/2013, 03:39 PM	#15
Allmost Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: canada, toronto Posts: 8,161	this is like a family guy episode .... the girl tells the guy, that he can not come in the house with dirty shoes. the guy comes into the house with dirty shoes, and sais " seeeee ! I CAN do it " some stuff are wrong practice, sure, it might work and there might be a way to correct it, like long while and unstable salinity, and dirty shoes making carpets dirty, so need for replacement. But advocating wrong practice is not the purpose of these forums good night everyone.