Water not clearing up

Eric Noa · 04/26/2013, 05:15 PM

I just set my tank up about 5 days and the water is still not "crystal clear" I used reef crystals as my salt mix and ro/di water. I just started running carbon yesterday to see if that helps but not sure why the water hasn't clear up. It was crystal clear before adding the salt mix.

Fish_Kid99 · 04/26/2013, 07:26 PM

Do you have power heads kicking up sand? That could be a problem if you do.

hollister · 04/26/2013, 07:36 PM

What other equipment you have ?

bnumair · 04/26/2013, 08:26 PM

if everything else is fine (like power heads not kicking up debris or prespitation) then give sometime to carbon to take effect. yesterday is too early.

Eric Noa · 04/26/2013, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish_Kid99

Do you have power heads kicking up sand? That could be a problem if you do.

No power heads just the return pump for circulation for now as the tank has only been setup for 5 days or so

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollister

What other equipment you have ?

Return pump, carbon reactor and skimmer

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnumair

if everything else is fine (like power heads not kicking up debris or prespitation) then give sometime to carbon to take effect. yesterday is too early.

Yea I know a day is not enough for the carbon to work. Well see if it takes effect in a few days.

hollister · 04/26/2013, 08:57 PM

So no powerheads for water flow? And are you running your lights full time?

zibba · 04/27/2013, 12:32 AM

Same thing happened to me with IO. Might take about a week to clear up, but let it run it's course. Not a big deal...just mixed too much salt too quickly. No drastic measures necessary

Eric Noa · 04/27/2013, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollister

So no powerheads for water flow? And are you running your lights full time?

As I mention before just set the tank up, it hasn't even been a week and I'm not running my lights since there's no need plus I don't want any unnecessary algae growth while the tank cycles.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zibba

Same thing happened to me with IO. Might take about a week to clear up, but let it run it's course. Not a big deal...just mixed too much salt too quickly. No drastic measures necessary

Yea maybe that's what it was idk. I guess I'll just give it some time.

SoLiD · 04/27/2013, 07:22 AM

1) What type of sand did you put in there?

2) Did you rinse out all of the fine particles from the sand\rocks before you put it in the tank?

Eric Noa · 04/27/2013, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoLiD

1) What type of sand did you put in there?

2) Did you rinse out all of the fine particles from the sand\rocks before you put it in the tank?

I put Aragonite sand and yes I rinse the sand so many times I lost count of how many and same with the rocks.

dkeller_nc · 04/27/2013, 08:16 AM

Eric - This might interest you, b/c it's a similar situation. I just set up a 50G cube (package from CADlights). Because all of the equipment was new (heater, skimmer, return pump, lights, vortechs), I filled the tank with all of the pre-condtioned saltwater I had, about 35 gallons), filled the rest with RO water, and added Instant Ocean until I got the density correct at 1.026.

All of the visible salt dissolved within 12 hours, but even after 4 days with a 100 micron filter sock, the water was still only translucent and it wasn't appreciably clearing up.

Since the motor on my diatom filter is dead and a replacement won't be available until June, I installed a leftover Hagen aquaclear 70 with a sponge and about a cup of Seachem matrix carbon. That did the trick - within 24 hours the water is crystal clear.

My take on it is that Instant Ocean has some nearly undissolvable components in it, which are probably excess calcium and/or magnesium that reacts with the high alkalinity to form micron-sized calcite aggregates.

Eric Noa · 04/27/2013, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkeller_nc

Eric - This might interest you, b/c it's a similar situation. I just set up a 50G cube (package from CADlights). Because all of the equipment was new (heater, skimmer, return pump, lights, vortechs), I filled the tank with all of the pre-condtioned saltwater I had, about 35 gallons), filled the rest with RO water, and added Instant Ocean until I got the density correct at 1.026.

All of the visible salt dissolved within 12 hours, but even after 4 days with a 100 micron filter sock, the water was still only translucent and it wasn't appreciably clearing up.

Since the motor on my diatom filter is dead and a replacement won't be available until June, I installed a leftover Hagen aquaclear 70 with a sponge and about a cup of Seachem matrix carbon. That did the trick - within 24 hours the water is crystal clear.

My take on it is that Instant Ocean has some nearly undissolvable components in it, which are probably excess calcium and/or magnesium that reacts with the high alkalinity to form micron-sized calcite aggregates.

I've heard that reef crystals are high in magnesium but I've used this mix before and never experience this thats why it was strange to me but I am running carbon so hopefully it'll clear up in a few days.

SoLiD · 04/27/2013, 02:14 PM

It could also be a bacterial bloom. Run your skimmer wet until it pulls the junk out. UV or Ozone might work (on bacteria not sediment), but that could be counterproductive to your cycle. Just give it a week or so.

Eric Noa · 04/28/2013, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoLiD

It could also be a bacterial bloom. Run your skimmer wet until it pulls the junk out. UV or Ozone might work (on bacteria not sediment), but that could be counterproductive to your cycle. Just give it a week or so.

Well I think it might be too soon for a bacterial bloom since its been like that after I added the salt but who knows... Just gotta give it time I guess

dkeller_nc · 04/28/2013, 06:58 AM

By the way - I suspect the result I got (water crystal clear after running a Hagen Aquaclear 70 for 24 hours) was for two reasons - the mechanical filtration of the sponge for micro precipitates of calcite and/or magnesite and carbon to remove remaining oils/grease from the manufacture of the hardware and tank.

I would think you would need to run some sort of high efficiency mechanical filtration along with the carbon to get a good result.

Eric Noa · 04/28/2013, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkeller_nc

By the way - I suspect the result I got (water crystal clear after running a Hagen Aquaclear 70 for 24 hours) was for two reasons - the mechanical filtration of the sponge for micro precipitates of calcite and/or magnesite and carbon to remove remaining oils/grease from the manufacture of the hardware and tank.

I would think you would need to run some sort of high efficiency mechanical filtration along with the carbon to get a good result.

I was out of town yesterday and when I got home a few minutes ago the water was crystal clear. I guess the salt just needed more than a couple of days to dissolve or the carbon helped.

Eric Noa · 05/16/2013, 08:19 PM

Okay so I'm having this problem again but weeks after the initial setup of the tank. I'm wondering is this is due to the cycle process. I notice this morning that my water was really cloudy and it has been like that throughout the day. Yesterday my ammonia was around 8ppm and I just tested the water now and it's at 0 but there was an increased in my nitrite and a major spike in nitrates. Could that be the reason why the water is so cloudy?

tanked37 · 05/16/2013, 08:28 PM

A cycling tank is not the cause of cloudy water (necessarily). It could be a bacterial bloom (maybe). Not sure. If you want to know more about bacterial blooms and cycling...http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?...oms-explained/.

If you never want cloudy water again...

1) Install UV sterilizer
2) Use chemi pure elite bags.
3) Use 'Salinity' salt mix by Seachem

Do those three things and you won't be able to see the water bc it will be so clear. Nevertheless, let your tank finish cycling for now. All of those tests results you posted is completely normal for a cycling tank. After that, do 3 steps above and never look back.

04/26/2013, 05:15 PM	#1
Eric Noa Moved On Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 782	Water not clearing up I just set my tank up about 5 days and the water is still not "crystal clear" I used reef crystals as my salt mix and ro/di water. I just started running carbon yesterday to see if that helps but not sure why the water hasn't clear up. It was crystal clear before adding the salt mix.

04/26/2013, 07:26 PM	#2
Fish_Kid99 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 207	Do you have power heads kicking up sand? That could be a problem if you do. __________________ You know your addicted when you go to an aquarium and tell them how to run their tanks. Current Tank Info: 55 gallon green torch, nuclear green shroom, green hairy shroom, Astreas, Turbos, Hermits, Spider decorator crab (aka Cuddles), two scarlet skunk shrimp and two scissor tail damsels.

04/26/2013, 08:26 PM	#4
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	if everything else is fine (like power heads not kicking up debris or prespitation) then give sometime to carbon to take effect. yesterday is too early. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

04/27/2013, 12:32 AM	#7
zibba Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,605	Same thing happened to me with IO. Might take about a week to clear up, but let it run it's course. Not a big deal...just mixed too much salt too quickly. No drastic measures necessary __________________ 84x42x30 (~450g) A.G.E. and ADA 90-P (~45g).

04/27/2013, 07:22 AM	#9
SoLiD -=Snake=- Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 999	1) What type of sand did you put in there? 2) Did you rinse out all of the fine particles from the sand\rocks before you put it in the tank? __________________ -David 40 Gallon Breeder on Steroids!!! Current Tank Info: Where you'll find an Acan and Orange Ricordea Garden in Bloom...

04/26/2013, 07:36 PM	#3
hollister Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,037	What other equipment you have ?

04/26/2013, 08:57 PM	#6
hollister Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,037	So no powerheads for water flow? And are you running your lights full time?

04/27/2013, 08:16 AM	#11
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	Eric - This might interest you, b/c it's a similar situation. I just set up a 50G cube (package from CADlights). Because all of the equipment was new (heater, skimmer, return pump, lights, vortechs), I filled the tank with all of the pre-condtioned saltwater I had, about 35 gallons), filled the rest with RO water, and added Instant Ocean until I got the density correct at 1.026. All of the visible salt dissolved within 12 hours, but even after 4 days with a 100 micron filter sock, the water was still only translucent and it wasn't appreciably clearing up. Since the motor on my diatom filter is dead and a replacement won't be available until June, I installed a leftover Hagen aquaclear 70 with a sponge and about a cup of Seachem matrix carbon. That did the trick - within 24 hours the water is crystal clear. My take on it is that Instant Ocean has some nearly undissolvable components in it, which are probably excess calcium and/or magnesium that reacts with the high alkalinity to form micron-sized calcite aggregates.

04/27/2013, 02:14 PM	#13
SoLiD -=Snake=- Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 999	It could also be a bacterial bloom. Run your skimmer wet until it pulls the junk out. UV or Ozone might work (on bacteria not sediment), but that could be counterproductive to your cycle. Just give it a week or so. __________________ -David 40 Gallon Breeder on Steroids!!! Current Tank Info: Where you'll find an Acan and Orange Ricordea Garden in Bloom...

04/28/2013, 06:58 AM	#15
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	By the way - I suspect the result I got (water crystal clear after running a Hagen Aquaclear 70 for 24 hours) was for two reasons - the mechanical filtration of the sponge for micro precipitates of calcite and/or magnesite and carbon to remove remaining oils/grease from the manufacture of the hardware and tank. I would think you would need to run some sort of high efficiency mechanical filtration along with the carbon to get a good result.

05/16/2013, 08:19 PM	#17
Eric Noa Moved On Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 782	Okay so I'm having this problem again but weeks after the initial setup of the tank. I'm wondering is this is due to the cycle process. I notice this morning that my water was really cloudy and it has been like that throughout the day. Yesterday my ammonia was around 8ppm and I just tested the water now and it's at 0 but there was an increased in my nitrite and a major spike in nitrates. Could that be the reason why the water is so cloudy?

05/16/2013, 08:28 PM	#18
tanked37 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 262	A cycling tank is not the cause of cloudy water (necessarily). It could be a bacterial bloom (maybe). Not sure. If you want to know more about bacterial blooms and cycling...http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?...oms-explained/. If you never want cloudy water again... 1) Install UV sterilizer 2) Use chemi pure elite bags. 3) Use 'Salinity' salt mix by Seachem Do those three things and you won't be able to see the water bc it will be so clear. Nevertheless, let your tank finish cycling for now. All of those tests results you posted is completely normal for a cycling tank. After that, do 3 steps above and never look back. Last edited by tanked37; 05/16/2013 at 08:45 PM.