Powerhead / Sand question

[SkinnyPete]

So, its been about 12 days since I started my tank and there's been a sand storm ever since. I realize that it should clear up once my rock is added, but I've had 4 Maxi-Jet 1200s on and 2 of them are now making crackling noises. I'll take them out and clean them once the storm settles - but, is there a chance that this sand storm is doing something to my phs? They are all brand new and are crackling pretty loudly. Loud enough to make me think it was water dripping as I frantically looked around for a leak.

Thanks.

- Skins

 

[havefun]

I'm sure you probably don't but, with your wavemaker, you don't have any ph pointed AT your sandbed stirring it up do you?

 

[SkinnyPete]

No I don't.

They are all pointed slightly up.

I have a feeling the noise is sand getting in though - I am not using the prefilter pads. I'm just wondering if its something that can be cleaned (if it is the sand) or if I'm destroying my ph's.

 

[badfish]

my tank was pretty cloudy for 5 days, it started clearing up and literally 3 hours after i added my base rock it was almost clear. Did you try turning off your powerheads and see if that helps at all. Although i am a newbie, 12 days seems like a long time for a tank to be cloudy. Good luck.

 

[havefun]

I agree, I think I would try turning them off (24 - 48 hours) and see if that helps clear it up. It certainly doesn't sound like the sand is helping your ph's thats for sure.
Although I do remember reading a post that said something about it taking a while for the detirus (sp?) to cling to the minute sand particles and weigh them down enough for them to settle.

 

[4inchSandBed]

I agree with badfish. 12 days does seem really long for the tank to be cloudy. I used live sand and my tank began clearing up in about 3 days. Im also a newbie so i might be wrong.

 

[SkinnyPete]

I had all ph's off for 5 days. I read that ph's (for some odd reason) should help the sand settle but it didn't seem right so I kept them off. After 5 days, I turned them on and it really didn't make much difference.

I threw in live sand last night and it actually cleared up a little bit over night.

I'm not really concerned too much about the cloud. Its a 110gallon tank and I didn't wash the sand. I threw in 60lbs of base rock, which were dry for who know's how long. I cleaned it but i'm sure there was still some dust on there. I also don't have any filtration going at all. If I get my live rock in there and it doesn't clear up - then, I'll be worried.

I'm more just concerned that I'm killing my ph's with this dust cloud.

 

[dralarms]

Take the ph's out and clean the sand out of them. Then they should be fine. Did you put anything in the tank to cycle it? If not then you will have the dust storm until you do.

I threw in live sand last night and it actually cleared up a little bit over night.

How much? and tell us it wasn't the "bagged" live sand, that stuff is useless.

 

[4inchSandBed]

How much? and tell us it wasn't the "bagged" live sand, that stuff is useless.[/quote]

i use the live sand in the bag and i think its great!

I also was concerned with how cloudy my tank was after the 5th day. then i added 15lbs. of liverock and it seems to have almost totally cleared up about a week into my first cycle.

 

[dralarms]

i use the live sand in the bag and i think its great

It's just not truly "live sand", You actually would be better off dropping a shrimp into the tank than spending $30+ for a bag.

 

[mjvincent]

The cloudiness should have been gone regardless of the PH's being on or not... I agree, something else must be wrong. Even when I point my ph at my sand I don't cloud up...