what will keep my tank clear

[GoodFish]

I filled my tank yesterday and let it sit...its clear now, but when I touch the sand it looks as if i dropped somthing very dusty....will a skimmer fix this? or maybe my wet/dry filter in my sump?

thanks....

 

[steve-s]

Time will fix it. Fine dust particles are easily lifted up into the water column in newly set up tanks. Once bacteria and fish waste adhere to it, the dust will not be a problem. Good thing you didn't rinse it before use, you will have much better success with denitrification.

Cheers
Steve

 

[GoodFish]

whats bad about rinsing....what is dentrification??and why will i have better luck??

 

[steve-s]

Rinsing the sand removes the fine dust particles which add bacterial surface area. Less surface area for bacteria means a less effective biofilter. Denitrification is where facultative and anaerobic bacteria consume nitrate and expel it as nitrogen and CO2 which leave the system and complete the nitrogen cycle.

Cheers
Steve