why is my tank still cloudy?

Steven0000 · 06/13/2007, 03:29 PM

i recently put livesand (40ibs) in my 75g tank
i know that it will be cloudy for a day or so, but it's been three days
and its still cloudy
i turned off the powerheads and it all settled in about a day
but there was a thick film over the sand
so i turned them back on and almost immediately it was cloudy again
i filled a filter up today with some bio filtration stuff and a filter pad

heres what i put in it

as well as a filter pad

is there anything else i can do without spending any money?

salty55 · 06/13/2007, 04:00 PM

i don't know about the bio pucks. or whatever you call them. but the flose pads should work great for catching the excess dust. just take them out several times a day and rinse them out. they will stop up very fast.

Steven0000 · 06/13/2007, 04:22 PM

well the floss i am using is like 800 micron
not to great for 200 micron stuff

kuoka · 06/13/2007, 05:33 PM

You can try activated carbon too but make sure you take it out after it's clean (if you're building a reef tank).

kwaters · 06/13/2007, 05:52 PM

My Octopus NW150 cleaned up my sand storm in about 12 hours. When I blast out the rocks during cleaning, it takes about 4 hours to "clean" up the junk.

Justin James · 06/13/2007, 07:16 PM

Add a skimmer. The skimmer will take it all out. The bio media wont do anything except cause nitrate problems. The pad will trap it and then you will have to wash it daily but once your tank is clean remove it or it too will cause nitrate problems.

pledosophy · 06/13/2007, 07:33 PM

Just give it time and it will settle itself out. If you turn the powerheads off to let it settle, you will get a second storm when you turn them back on IME. It will settle in time.

Steven0000 · 06/13/2007, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Justin James
Add a skimmer. The skimmer will take it all out. The bio media wont do anything except cause nitrate problems. The pad will trap it and then you will have to wash it daily but once your tank is clean remove it or it too will cause nitrate problems.

i wasn't planning on keeping the filter on
i just wanted to get rid of the blur so i could add live rock
i am 20 building a sump for it
and i don't have my skimmer yet

kwaters · 06/13/2007, 08:33 PM

Again...skimmer. This was one of the first pieces of equipment I bought, and so far, the most valuable in keeping my tank clean.

Steven0000 · 06/13/2007, 09:24 PM

im getting one
just don't have the $$$ yet

chaseracing · 06/13/2007, 09:32 PM

Add some nylon or a micron bag over the exit side of a powerhead. This will also trap a lot of the dust in the water.

Also (you may have done this already) wipe down the inside of the glass frequently. Its amazing how much of the sand dust sticks to the glass.

-=E=-

jenajet · 06/13/2007, 10:37 PM

Yeah try carbon and filter pad. What is the hob rated at? might not be strong enough.

Steven0000 · 06/13/2007, 11:26 PM

i have no idea what its rated
but its getting the job done
i checked it today and it had caught a lot of sand dust
i also cleaned it out and added some carbon

chaseracing-thanks for the tip about wiping the glass.
didn't think of that

chaseracing · 06/14/2007, 02:49 PM

Surprisingly the glass cleaning may solve a lot of your cloudiness issues.

;-)

-=E=-

danceswithfish · 06/14/2007, 04:10 PM

why don't you let it settle, then gravel vac it out? Seems like you will get alot of the stuff that way.

nomadnumber29 · 06/14/2007, 06:51 PM

until you get a skimmer it may stay cloudy...it will settle but a skimeer will help out tremendously.

Steven0000 · 06/14/2007, 08:18 PM

thanks guys

those all sound like great ideas
i will try all of them

kwaters · 06/14/2007, 09:10 PM

I paid less than $150 for my Octopus. It is rated for more than my 55 gallon and works great.

Steven0000 · 06/14/2007, 09:39 PM

yeah im getting an octopus 110(rated 125g) for $112

06/13/2007, 03:29 PM	#1
Steven0000 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 522	why is my tank still cloudy? i recently put livesand (40ibs) in my 75g tank i know that it will be cloudy for a day or so, but it's been three days and its still cloudy i turned off the powerheads and it all settled in about a day but there was a thick film over the sand so i turned them back on and almost immediately it was cloudy again i filled a filter up today with some bio filtration stuff and a filter pad heres what i put in it as well as a filter pad is there anything else i can do without spending any money?

06/13/2007, 04:00 PM	#2
salty55 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: where the wind comes sweeping down the plains Posts: 509	i don't know about the bio pucks. or whatever you call them. but the flose pads should work great for catching the excess dust. just take them out several times a day and rinse them out. they will stop up very fast. __________________ sent from my laptop while sitting on the couch! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon display, 20 gallon sump, 20 gallon display fuge, vertex IN100 skimmer, apex, tunze 6055x2, tlc kalkreactor/phosreactor, APEX controlled LED

06/13/2007, 05:33 PM	#4
kuoka Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NorCal Cali Posts: 713	You can try activated carbon too but make sure you take it out after it's clean (if you're building a reef tank). __________________ They say don't talk about someone unless you've walked a mile in their shoes.. But if you do, at least you'll be ahead of them AND have their shoes! :) Current Tank Info: 72gal glass bow front reef, mostly LPS with some SPS, tangs, anthias, blenny, paired percula clowns, gold headed sleeper goby, red fairy wrasse

06/13/2007, 05:52 PM	#5
kwaters Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Newberg, Oregon Posts: 364	My Octopus NW150 cleaned up my sand storm in about 12 hours. When I blast out the rocks during cleaning, it takes about 4 hours to "clean" up the junk. __________________ Pacific North West Marine Aquarium Society (PNWMAS)-Secretary Kris Waters Current Tank Info: 110 gallon tall

06/13/2007, 07:33 PM	#7
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	Just give it time and it will settle itself out. If you turn the powerheads off to let it settle, you will get a second storm when you turn them back on IME. It will settle in time. __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

06/13/2007, 04:22 PM	#3
Steven0000 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 522	well the floss i am using is like 800 micron not to great for 200 micron stuff

06/13/2007, 07:16 PM	#6
Justin James Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NS, Canada Posts: 510	Add a skimmer. The skimmer will take it all out. The bio media wont do anything except cause nitrate problems. The pad will trap it and then you will have to wash it daily but once your tank is clean remove it or it too will cause nitrate problems.

06/13/2007, 08:33 PM	#9
kwaters Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Newberg, Oregon Posts: 364	Again...skimmer. This was one of the first pieces of equipment I bought, and so far, the most valuable in keeping my tank clean. __________________ Pacific North West Marine Aquarium Society (PNWMAS)-Secretary Kris Waters Current Tank Info: 110 gallon tall

06/13/2007, 09:24 PM	#10
Steven0000 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 522	im getting one just don't have the $$$ yet

06/13/2007, 09:32 PM	#11
chaseracing Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Bartlett, IL Posts: 1,208	Add some nylon or a micron bag over the exit side of a powerhead. This will also trap a lot of the dust in the water. Also (you may have done this already) wipe down the inside of the glass frequently. Its amazing how much of the sand dust sticks to the glass. -=E=- __________________ I want my dog's life. Current Tank Info: 150gal RR Oceanic - (3) 250w. ReefLux 12K, (2) 96w PC 50/50, (3) Tunze 6025 modded, (3) Tunze 6045's, ASM G3, MRC-1, Melev F sump/fuge, all run off of an Aquacontroller Jr. Mixed Reef w/ lots of Fish and not enough rock.

06/13/2007, 10:37 PM	#12
jenajet Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ga Posts: 103	Yeah try carbon and filter pad. What is the hob rated at? might not be strong enough. __________________ Jena Current Tank Info: 90 gallon mixed reef.

06/13/2007, 11:26 PM	#13
Steven0000 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 522	i have no idea what its rated but its getting the job done i checked it today and it had caught a lot of sand dust i also cleaned it out and added some carbon chaseracing-thanks for the tip about wiping the glass. didn't think of that

06/14/2007, 02:49 PM	#14
chaseracing Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Bartlett, IL Posts: 1,208	Surprisingly the glass cleaning may solve a lot of your cloudiness issues. ;-) -=E=- __________________ I want my dog's life. Current Tank Info: 150gal RR Oceanic - (3) 250w. ReefLux 12K, (2) 96w PC 50/50, (3) Tunze 6025 modded, (3) Tunze 6045's, ASM G3, MRC-1, Melev F sump/fuge, all run off of an Aquacontroller Jr. Mixed Reef w/ lots of Fish and not enough rock.

06/14/2007, 04:10 PM	#15
danceswithfish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: BC Canada Posts: 491	why don't you let it settle, then gravel vac it out? Seems like you will get alot of the stuff that way. __________________ Click on my name, "danceswithfish" then click on "visit danaceswithfish's homepage!" to see my 90g build!

06/14/2007, 06:51 PM	#16
nomadnumber29 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: florida Posts: 183	until you get a skimmer it may stay cloudy...it will settle but a skimeer will help out tremendously. __________________ And you thought it was safe to go back into the water! Current Tank Info: 140 gal

06/14/2007, 08:18 PM	#17
Steven0000 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 522	thanks guys those all sound like great ideas i will try all of them

06/14/2007, 09:10 PM	#18
kwaters Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Newberg, Oregon Posts: 364	I paid less than $150 for my Octopus. It is rated for more than my 55 gallon and works great. __________________ Pacific North West Marine Aquarium Society (PNWMAS)-Secretary Kris Waters Current Tank Info: 110 gallon tall

06/14/2007, 09:39 PM	#19
Steven0000 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 522	yeah im getting an octopus 110(rated 125g) for $112