foggy water

[foma2000]

i just set up a 25 gal salt tank with a cpr back pack and it was my first time using play sand instead of crushed coral. i heard that you didn't need to wash it seeing as it was steralized so i just put it in and know my water is very clowdy. its been 4 days and there hasn't been any improvment. i heard that it could be calcium from the sand and that it wont go away till my live rock comes in a cupple of days to soak it up. i was a little unshure if this was true and just wanted to get a second oppion

 

[flanque]

I would imagine that your filtration would take care of this. Try swapping the pre-filter pads over, and add some activated carbon. This should clear up the cloudyness.

I wouldn't imagine the problem to be calcium though. If you can get a calcium test kit and check your levels. It should be between 400-450. Still, without having tried or experienced high calcium levels, I would have thought it would have to be substantially high for what you are describing.

My thoughts, it's muck from the sand. I washed mine before I put it in and I had the cloudyness for about a day or so.

Let us know as I am interested in your progress.

 

[foma2000]

so i got my protien skimmer running and its pulling alot of the muck out. the collection cup is filled with a milky brown liquid. im guessing that its the clowndy ness comming out of the water. i would think that a particulit filter would take care of it but im running the cpr bak pak with no filter media so that i use the berlin method. i think im going to put some filter media in until the merky ness goes away.

 

[seaham358]

thats what I would do... run filters till the water clears... The skimmer will be a big help...

 

[flanque]

Yes I didn't think of a skimmer. Good idea.

What is the 'berlin method'?

 

[foma2000]

so i didn't have any real filter lying around and i didn't want to go get any so i just put a spunge in the filter part of the cpr bak pak. it restricted flow alot and now water is comming through the hole in the center divider(the part that seperates the skimmer from the overflow) it also raised the water level in the skimmer a bit. i also ajusted the salinity to bring it up to the right level and now the skimmer is pulling foam like theres no tomarrow. still to early to tell if the sponge is helping any. ill keep you posted

 

[quarryshark]

This explains it best.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=10