please.....HELP!!!

[heyz0os]

I have been looking into getting a saltwater aquarium for some time now ever since i visited my LFS and saw a cowfish who would follow me whenever i passed by his tank. I started researching like crazy ever since (and good thing too because i wanted to get a cowfish at first until i found out there choice of weaponry for when they get stressed or die).

Now, yesterday i set up a 37 gallon bowfront but i feel like I made an amateur mistake (out of excitement for my tank of course). I put the aragonite sand in first....then put in the mixed saltwater. I filled it in 2.5 gallon intervals and i think that might have been my problem. The tank water is at 78 degrees but the water is so cloudy that you can't see past the other side. Plus, there is a bit of foam on the surface but i think that seemed to die down a bit with the filter.

So, i'm sure I did something wrong right? What did i do and how can I fix it??

 

[ezy33]

not rinsing the sand first will leave dust particles suspended in your water column. Use a mechanical filter and vacuum the dust after it settles. Even after a good rinse you would still have had cloudy water.

 

[jason1985]

I'm having the same issue, my water is tinted brownish/greyish....

I rinsed my aragonite really really well prior to added it to the bottom of the tank followed by 50g of pre mixed saltwater. After about 24hours the water is still mucky looking with the skimmer running.

On my way home I think I will pick up a bottle of additive to see if that can clear it up. The live rock that's currently in the tank has to re-cure and water has to cycle before I do anything else.

 

[melosu58]

The dust will soon settle in a day or two. Best to rinse the sand out but eventually it will settle down. As mentioned above do some PWC`s and vacuum the sand. It will get rid of most of the dust.

 

[jason1985]

actually the sand was rinsed in a slop sink before it was put into the tank. I'll see what it looks like when I get home tonight! The skimmer cup will prob be full again

 

[heyz0os]

Thanks:]

I researched before I did anything and knew that there was going to be dust but I freaked out this morning when I woke up to find that my tank looked like it remained the same and how cloudy the water still was.

So then I should let the filter do the job? (Its been running since about 4pm yesterday and its 11:09am right now). plus pwcs? How much?

 

[David S]

the filter wil do most of the work,but put some filter floss in it to help,% of pwc is up to you.

 

[Daylilly]

Let it be. It will go away on it's on while your cycling. It's so easy to rush and be impatient but being patient while setting is the key
Leave the filter running it will clear up in a week or so.

 

[Tim Wheatley]

I usually clean my substrates IN the tank. By filling and emptying. Don't worry about the foam.

 

[heyz0os]

Don't worry about foam? Okay will do:]

And will the PWCs delay the cycle? I threw in a raw shrimp when I set my tank up to start the cycle.

 

[heyz0os]

UPDATE: I just got home from school and checked ammonia for the heck of it (yeah I'm a very eager person haha) ammonia is at 1.0 and my tank looks clearer and has less foam so I guess i started my cycle:]

 

[Tim Wheatley]

The clearness and lack of foam will be just the dust from the substrate settling. The foam is just a lather made from the dust (same as flour and water does). But yeah with the ammonia it looks like you've made your start!

 

[heyz0os]

Thank you to those of you who helped:]

When my tank is ready in about 4 weeks or whenever, I'm looking forward to getting some fishes and blue snowflake polyps so I will post pictures when its ready :]

 

[sean57]

Had same problem when started my tank, and sometimes even after it settles if you touch or stir it it gets bad again. I bought a marineland 350 mag canister filter, hooked it up and stir the sand. It will clear then do it again. After four or five times all the fine particals are gone. Now I just use it to polish the water once a week it keeps it crystal clear...

 

[heyz0os]

Finally:]

Water is looking blue and can almost clearly see the shrimp i used for cycle

Can anyone tell me if these are good?

Ammonia- 2.0
Nitrite- seems to be < 0.25 because its light blue (0) but a little darker than last time i tested (yesterday)
Nitrate- 0
ph-7.8

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Finally:]

Water is looking blue and can almost clearly see the shrimp i used for cycle

Can anyone tell me if these are good?

Ammonia- 2.0
Nitrite- seems to be < 0.25 because its light blue (0) but a little darker than last time i tested (yesterday)
Nitrate- 0
ph-7.8

The cycle is progressing nicely.

I am betting that during daily checking, you will start to see ammonia rise a bit more and then start falling. Simulatenously, nitrite and nitrates will rise.

Once nitrites and ammonia are at zero.. water change and your done!

 

[saltwatertogo]

I'm having the same issue, my water is tinted brownish/greyish....

I rinsed my aragonite really really well prior to added it to the bottom of the tank followed by 50g of pre mixed saltwater. After about 24hours the water is still mucky looking with the skimmer running.

On my way home I think I will pick up a bottle of additive to see if that can clear it up. The live rock that's currently in the tank has to re-cure and water has to cycle before I do anything else.

Jason clodiness is normal in a new tank. Are you checking your amomonia and nitrite levels. Your tank should cycle in 4 to 8 weeks keep a close eye on your amomonia and nitrite levels so you can see them go up and come and then you will be ready to start adding. good luck!

Fishman

 

[saltwatertogo]

I have been looking into getting a saltwater aquarium for some time now ever since i visited my LFS and saw a cowfish who would follow me whenever i passed by his tank. I started researching like crazy ever since (and good thing too because i wanted to get a cowfish at first until i found out there choice of weaponry for when they get stressed or die).

Now, yesterday i set up a 37 gallon bowfront but i feel like I made an amateur mistake (out of excitement for my tank of course). I put the aragonite sand in first....then put in the mixed saltwater. I filled it in 2.5 gallon intervals and i think that might have been my problem. The tank water is at 78 degrees but the water is so cloudy that you can't see past the other side. Plus, there is a bit of foam on the surface but i think that seemed to die down a bit with the filter.

So, i'm sure I did something wrong right? What did i do and how can I fix it??

Heyz is the cowfish what you really like. Yes they do put off a toxin when they are threatened but this rarely happens. We keep cowfish in many of our service tanks, and in 28yr. we have only had this happen 3 times. These fish can become some of the most tame fish there are. Over the years i have had many of the cows and box fish live 15 to 20yrs.. Tell us more about your tank an filtration system. Hope this helps.

Fishman

 

[heyz0os]

Sorry for the long delay. I have school and it becomes a hassle with the work on the first week back

Yeah I read that they won't nuke the tank too easily but I still didn't want to take the risk ya know? I decided that i'm going to go with a male and female clown fish with an anenome I saw at my lfs:] should i add more fish with them?

My setup: I don't have much money haha so i went with a deluxe kit:]

-37 gallon bowfront tank
- Quiet flow 30 power filter
- Submersible 200 watt heater
And it came with a hood with a flourescent lamp
Plus it has a 1 1/2 inch bed of aragonite sand