never ending milkshak

sowellj · 01/03/2010, 01:56 PM

I am in the process of setting up a new 180. About 4 days ago I put in 200 lbs of carib sea aragonite reef grade sand. I have had the snow storm before ... but this is like looking at a tank of milk, with little to no improvement over four days. So ... skim it out? Run filter socks? Anyone had experiences along these lines?

Thanks in advance for the help.

noahm · 01/03/2010, 02:49 PM

You can try running filter socks/skimmer. Also, you might see if you can find some liquid chitosan. Sometimes it is found at the health food store, but it is also used as 'flock drop' in water systems. It can make that stuff clump together and drop out of suspension. It is made of shrimp shells and is environmentally inert. Eventually, it will settle out anyway, but maybe not for a while longer. In retrospect, rinsing in a bucket is a big help.

liquifloc link-liquid chitosan.

http://www.stormklear.com/content/st...php?id_news=99

nicknguyen · 01/03/2010, 03:12 PM

definitely filter sock and skimmer. rinse out sock often.

Sk8r · 01/03/2010, 03:15 PM

basically you've got micro-dust, and it will settle only when it acquires enough biological coating to make it clump and settle, ie, as bacteria grow, the tank will clear.

thejuggernaut · 01/03/2010, 05:42 PM

get you some 7 inch filter socks...the 4 inch are worthless, they clog up too fast. i usually run to 200 micron...they catch almost everything and wont clog as fast. It should clear it up within an hour or two. The deal is even after it clumps like everyone is saying it will be stirred up everytime you disturb the sand. When my tank clouded up like that I put a few pieces of live rock from my old tank in there in within 2-3 days it was relatively clear but everytime id clean the front bottom of the tank it would disturb it and send it back into the water. Well i got some filter socks and after a few times running them after I clouded up the water it isnt nearly as bad...now i can run one for 30 minutes after stirring the substrate and its perfectly clear again.

sowellj · 01/03/2010, 08:21 PM

thanks for the help everyone. I'll get some filter socks. Its only DI water now, so I can add salt and probably skim some of it out. On the bright side, the newly tested plumbing only had a few minor leaks to fix.

sowellj · 01/07/2010, 09:14 AM

Well ... I tried running filter socks and the suspension is just too fine. I drained the display and am refilling it, but I imagine once the pumps turn on, it will just kick up more. I think at this point I am just going to add salt and the live rock. Hopefully as the bacteria multiply it will settle out.+

noahm · 01/07/2010, 09:24 AM

The fact that it was DI might have added to the problem. There was nothing in the water to stick to the particles either chemically or physically, so it is likely going to aggravate the situation. I think salt/biological growth will help a lot. Throw a cup of live sand in there to get things going.

I've seen milky water flow right through 50 micron socks during sediment removal from city water tanks. It just has to settle out. Even with a 40,000gal settling tank and flock drop, it still took a day.

Good luck

RA · 01/07/2010, 10:02 AM

You need to add some bacteria for the small particles of sand to attach to. If you were to add a couple pieces of live rock your tank should clear up in a day.

sowellj · 01/07/2010, 10:09 AM

Thanks again. Live rock is on the way. I was waiting to see if it would clear a bit as visibility was less than an inch.

Whisperer · 01/07/2010, 10:17 AM

Turn off all pumps but one that is near the surface for agitation. However, if you have strong water current, the fine sand will aggregate in few spots and leave others shallow or even bare. I had to remove some of mine and cover the surface with a larger grain.

serpentman · 01/07/2010, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

basically you've got micro-dust, and it will settle only when it acquires enough biological coating to make it clump and settle, ie, as bacteria grow, the tank will clear.

+1

Patience is pretty much the only solution. You can run a diatom filter to help but time is your best bet.

Anemonebuff · 01/07/2010, 10:47 AM

Carbon removes it as well.

01/03/2010, 01:56 PM	#1
sowellj Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: greenwood, sc Posts: 712	never ending milkshak I am in the process of setting up a new 180. About 4 days ago I put in 200 lbs of carib sea aragonite reef grade sand. I have had the snow storm before ... but this is like looking at a tank of milk, with little to no improvement over four days. So ... skim it out? Run filter socks? Anyone had experiences along these lines? Thanks in advance for the help.

01/03/2010, 03:15 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	basically you've got micro-dust, and it will settle only when it acquires enough biological coating to make it clump and settle, ie, as bacteria grow, the tank will clear. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/07/2010, 10:17 AM	#11
Whisperer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Punta Gorda, FL Posts: 4,020	Turn off all pumps but one that is near the surface for agitation. However, if you have strong water current, the fine sand will aggregate in few spots and leave others shallow or even bare. I had to remove some of mine and cover the surface with a larger grain. __________________ The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. --------- No one is born with intellect and age guarantees wisdom to no one. Current Tank Info: 120G reef, 30G sump, 10G QT tank

01/03/2010, 02:49 PM	#2
noahm Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 2,736	You can try running filter socks/skimmer. Also, you might see if you can find some liquid chitosan. Sometimes it is found at the health food store, but it is also used as 'flock drop' in water systems. It can make that stuff clump together and drop out of suspension. It is made of shrimp shells and is environmentally inert. Eventually, it will settle out anyway, but maybe not for a while longer. In retrospect, rinsing in a bucket is a big help. liquifloc link-liquid chitosan. http://www.stormklear.com/content/st...php?id_news=99

01/03/2010, 03:12 PM	#3
nicknguyen Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: katy, Tx Posts: 134	definitely filter sock and skimmer. rinse out sock often.

01/03/2010, 05:42 PM	#5
thejuggernaut Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Lake Jackson, Tx Posts: 548	get you some 7 inch filter socks...the 4 inch are worthless, they clog up too fast. i usually run to 200 micron...they catch almost everything and wont clog as fast. It should clear it up within an hour or two. The deal is even after it clumps like everyone is saying it will be stirred up everytime you disturb the sand. When my tank clouded up like that I put a few pieces of live rock from my old tank in there in within 2-3 days it was relatively clear but everytime id clean the front bottom of the tank it would disturb it and send it back into the water. Well i got some filter socks and after a few times running them after I clouded up the water it isnt nearly as bad...now i can run one for 30 minutes after stirring the substrate and its perfectly clear again.

01/03/2010, 08:21 PM	#6
sowellj Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: greenwood, sc Posts: 712	thanks for the help everyone. I'll get some filter socks. Its only DI water now, so I can add salt and probably skim some of it out. On the bright side, the newly tested plumbing only had a few minor leaks to fix.

01/07/2010, 09:14 AM	#7
sowellj Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: greenwood, sc Posts: 712	Well ... I tried running filter socks and the suspension is just too fine. I drained the display and am refilling it, but I imagine once the pumps turn on, it will just kick up more. I think at this point I am just going to add salt and the live rock. Hopefully as the bacteria multiply it will settle out.+

01/07/2010, 09:24 AM	#8
noahm Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 2,736	The fact that it was DI might have added to the problem. There was nothing in the water to stick to the particles either chemically or physically, so it is likely going to aggravate the situation. I think salt/biological growth will help a lot. Throw a cup of live sand in there to get things going. I've seen milky water flow right through 50 micron socks during sediment removal from city water tanks. It just has to settle out. Even with a 40,000gal settling tank and flock drop, it still took a day. Good luck

01/07/2010, 10:02 AM	#9
RA Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: S. Jersey Posts: 976	You need to add some bacteria for the small particles of sand to attach to. If you were to add a couple pieces of live rock your tank should clear up in a day.

01/07/2010, 10:09 AM	#10
sowellj Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: greenwood, sc Posts: 712	Thanks again. Live rock is on the way. I was waiting to see if it would clear a bit as visibility was less than an inch.

01/07/2010, 10:47 AM	#13
Anemonebuff Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: LI,NY Posts: 3,877	Carbon removes it as well.