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What if I didn't rinse my sand enough?

E

ebqwert

I finally got my 150 display setup, drains and returns all tested in inplace ready for stuff.

I needed to get that filled with the Saltwater and rock before i connect it to the sump (250) in the basement.

well, I rinsed one bag of the sand (sechem Meridian Oolitic) and added it to the aprox 100 gals of water. Then I added a Mag 7 to it to keep it the water moving as I tweaked the Salinity. The water bacame very cloudy again. And didn't give any indication of clearing over a full day.

I'd rather not toss 100 gallons of saltwater.

I was thinking of using a Hang on filter with lots of fllter pads to try to clear the water, but then i think the particals will be too small to catch.

any suggestions?

Eric
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Throw a shrimp in. As the bacteria start to culture it will weigh down the particulate and allow it to settle out faster. It will also give you a jump start on the cycle. You could always take it out before it gets TOOOOOO nasty...

Looking forward to some pictures once the storm clears!!
 
E

ebqwert

Does that mean it will clear eventually?

I wasn't going to cycle it seperatly. I'm moving the rock from my 90 to the new tank. And the sump has been running for a couple of months now - will all my coral and a couple of fish.

When I connect the tanks it will be like a 35% water change.

but. from what you suggest - if I move some rock and even a school of chromis the normal cycle of the tank will solve my problem.

Eric
 
blange3

blange3

If you want I have a large Vortex Diatom filter that will clear it up.

Most reefers don't like diatom filters because they filter the living stuff out of the water, but you got nothing to loose if you are working with fresh sand and new salt water.

LMK, I need to pickup some powder if you are going to use it.

Bill
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
It will clear up sooner or later... it's all a matter of time and bacteria! That diatom filter sounds like a good, fast option and I may borrow it myself to give it a whirl (pun intended, lol).
 
B

Brian

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
It should just clear up on its own.. I've learned to stop rinsing my sand as well. When You rinse you get rid of all the really small particles of sand which are good for your...dare I say.... DSB!
 
kabal2

kabal2

yeah you dont have to rinse your sand, and it will clear at its own, and you dont need a shrimp to start your cycle, just give it around a week and your water will be clear or close to clear

just my 0.02c
Gabriel ;D
 
C

concept3

Guest
why not go bare bottom, then you wouldn't have a sand-storm problem?
Just give it time, otherwise you can run a phosphate pad AND filter floss to  try and collect the minute particulates.  A diatom filter will work as well just like Bill mentioned.
 
N

nagel

personally, I wouldn't remove the fine particles.. They give you ALOT of area for bacteria to colonize and are an integral part of a working DSB..

My trick to settle the dust I figured out with my first 75g.. Put in Sand and RO/DO (mind you, not even SW), 5 days later, still looked like milk.. Added the salt anyway.. LESSON #1 Add SW the first time.. The FW in the sand took forever to "leach out" and everytime I got my SG right, within a day it would drop as more FW leached from the sand..

Ok, now we are about Day 8.. Still cloudy as all heck.. Salinity finally stabilizes, and I toss in a big ball of caulerpa..

24 hours later BIG difference.. 48 hours later, Almost perfect, and by 72 hours later, EVERYTHING had settled..

Caulerpa is living, and ALSO HOST to TONS of living bacteria.. That jump started the settling process..
 
C

concept3

Guest
concept3 said:
why not go bare bottom, then you wouldn't have a sand-storm problem?
Click to expand...

Yeah, nagel is right.  The finer particles make for a better filtration system.  Wait it out, but of course by the time we're done posting on this thread, the particulates would have settled out, LOL
 
E

ebqwert

I used Bill's Diatom filter and that did a pretty good job of clearing it untill i touched the water then i've got milk again.

I added live rock (from an exisiting system) and will dump in the Caulepra tomorrow. I guess we'll see what happens after that

Eric
 
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