Help with new setup

psilentchild · 03/16/2008, 08:19 AM

I have a 72 gallon bow front tank.I mixed my salt and added water half way in my tank then I added live sand then I finshed adding my water.Now my water is white from the live sand.I have a sump tank and a protein skimmer underneath.I done this over 3 days my salinty is 1.023.I thought maybe the sand will settle down and my water would become clear again but it didnt.I called my LFS and they said cut everything on and let it run threw my filters and it should clear up in two days that it was going to get cloudy and that was nothing I could do about it.It has been on for about 18 hrs now and it has not change one bit.I'm not looking for it to be clear now I just thought it would be a little bit better.Should I be worried or just give a few days

seanb1 · 03/16/2008, 08:25 AM

it will clear up, just be patient.

everything in this hobby takes alot of time.

Yankees2519 · 03/16/2008, 08:26 AM

when i added sand to my tank it was cloudy for a few days until my lfs recommend using polyester fiber in my filter. i went to a fabric store and bought a bag of it, and added it to my HOB filter and the next morning it was crystal clear- not sure if you would be able to use it somehow

psilentchild · 03/16/2008, 08:29 AM

Thanks I just got worried that I messed something up.All I have is a hydrometer is there something else I should by to make sure my water quality is good.

Yankees2519 · 03/16/2008, 08:34 AM

im gonna assume that youre gonna be adding live rock to the tank, i think most people would recommend that you add all of your live rock before you consider any fish and let it cycle in your tank. you can read about cycling a tank anywhere i would do so if i were you. that being said you might want to buy test kits for ammonia, pH, nitrate, nitrite. if you are going for a reef setup you will need more kits but that wont be for a while

psilentchild · 03/16/2008, 08:40 AM

I will be adding live rocks in about two or three weeks and 5 to 10 snails and 20 crabs a week after that.I wont be added fish till about july.Its not going to be a reef tank

psilentchild · 03/16/2008, 08:42 AM

Do I need ammonia,ph, and nitrate kits now and what levels should they be at?

psilentchild · 03/16/2008, 09:00 AM

Is certain live rock better than other?If so what the best kind to get?

03/16/2008, 08:19 AM	#1
psilentchild Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Horn Lake Posts: 1,665	Help with new setup I have a 72 gallon bow front tank.I mixed my salt and added water half way in my tank then I added live sand then I finshed adding my water.Now my water is white from the live sand.I have a sump tank and a protein skimmer underneath.I done this over 3 days my salinty is 1.023.I thought maybe the sand will settle down and my water would become clear again but it didnt.I called my LFS and they said cut everything on and let it run threw my filters and it should clear up in two days that it was going to get cloudy and that was nothing I could do about it.It has been on for about 18 hrs now and it has not change one bit.I'm not looking for it to be clear now I just thought it would be a little bit better.Should I be worried or just give a few days

03/16/2008, 08:25 AM	#2
seanb1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: bettendorf, iowa Posts: 668	it will clear up, just be patient. everything in this hobby takes alot of time. __________________ he who knows how, will always work for he who knows why..... David lee Roth. Current Tank Info: 125 reef/29 gal sump/29 gal fuge 3- 175w 20k xm mh/4 65w actinic, octopus nw-200 skimmer3 k-4s mag-12. 2 returns. 2 phosban reactors, GFO/carbon.

03/16/2008, 08:26 AM	#3
Yankees2519 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West Springfield, MA Posts: 213	when i added sand to my tank it was cloudy for a few days until my lfs recommend using polyester fiber in my filter. i went to a fabric store and bought a bag of it, and added it to my HOB filter and the next morning it was crystal clear- not sure if you would be able to use it somehow

03/16/2008, 08:29 AM	#4
psilentchild Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Horn Lake Posts: 1,665	Thanks I just got worried that I messed something up.All I have is a hydrometer is there something else I should by to make sure my water quality is good.

03/16/2008, 08:34 AM	#5
Yankees2519 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West Springfield, MA Posts: 213	im gonna assume that youre gonna be adding live rock to the tank, i think most people would recommend that you add all of your live rock before you consider any fish and let it cycle in your tank. you can read about cycling a tank anywhere i would do so if i were you. that being said you might want to buy test kits for ammonia, pH, nitrate, nitrite. if you are going for a reef setup you will need more kits but that wont be for a while

03/16/2008, 08:40 AM	#6
psilentchild Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Horn Lake Posts: 1,665	I will be adding live rocks in about two or three weeks and 5 to 10 snails and 20 crabs a week after that.I wont be added fish till about july.Its not going to be a reef tank

03/16/2008, 08:42 AM	#7
psilentchild Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Horn Lake Posts: 1,665	Do I need ammonia,ph, and nitrate kits now and what levels should they be at?

03/16/2008, 09:00 AM	#8
psilentchild Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Horn Lake Posts: 1,665	Is certain live rock better than other?If so what the best kind to get?