cloudy tank

[abjaza]

Thank you to anyone who can answer this question for me. I just started up a saltwater tank last night. Ever since I put the water in the tank has been very cloudy and the specific gravity seems unwilling to get to the point it should be. I add more salt and it doesn't seem to change. Can anyone give me any advice? Is it normal for the tank to be cloudy when you start up and why won't my specific gravity change?

[docspyro]

what sort of substrate do u have in the tank? When i started my 1st tank, i used a crushed coral and i did not rinse itr enough, so it stayed cloudy for a week or so. As for the SG, i cant answert that, maybe a bad hydrometer?

Ray

[Something Fishy]

It is gonna take awhile for everything to settle. It is also going to take awhile for the salinty to straighten out.

What all do you have in your tank now? ANy live rock? Live sand? What kind of setup?

Welcome to the BEST reefing site on the internet. There are alot of knowledgable people here. You first 6 months are probably going to be the toughest. I started about 8 weeks ago, and it has already been a little trying.

[jks1]

Agreed- just let everything settle out for a couple of days..

[reefrunner]

How big is the tank?
How much salt have you added? total.

[NaH2O]

abjaza, Welcome to Reef Sanctuary!! We are glad to have you as a member!

The first thing is lets break down what you have. What size system is it? What type of substrate are you using? If you are using a sand substrate, that will definately cloud the water...this is a good thing, as denitrifying bacteria adhere to the fine particles. These will eventually become weighted down by the bacteria and settle. The issue with the salt - How much salt have you addded, as Reefrunner asked? What method of measuring are you using (i.e. Hydrometer or refractometer) - and what specific gravity are you trying to obtain? Also, what temperature is the water you are measuring?

Sorry for overwhelming you with questions - just want to get a good base to problem solve - and get the ball rolling...

[abjaza]

Here is the info that everyone's asked for. I have a 75 gallon tank. The substrate I have is live sand, crushed coral sand and a mixture of sea shells. Right now my tank temperature is about 78 degrees and my specific gravity is 1.020 when measured with a hydrometer. I was told that my specific gravity for a reef tank should be about 1.023 - 1.026. I can't exactly say how much salt I've added, only that it is 1/2 cup per gallon of water I added. I also have base rock in the tank to build my live rock reef on. Thanks everyone for your great responses to my post. I really appreciate it.

[NaH2O]

abjaza, looks like the cloudiness is most likely due to the sand. Expect the tank to be cloudy for a couple of days - a couple of weeks (depending on the amount of sand used). Once you start your tank cycle, bacteria will stick to the fine silt particles in your water column and cause it to settle. The specific gravity you are shooting for is right. Just keep at it, making sure to have adequate circulation to get the synthetic salt mixed into the water. You may want to let it sit overnight and recheck. Also, how were you planning on kick starting your cycle - by dropping a piece of shrimp in or adding uncured live rock?

Oh, I forgot - Karma to you for your first post!

[sambot]

Welcome. Good advise so far. Looks like your getting your first lesson in reefing.......patients......

[addict]

The cloudiness could also be a bacterial bloom which happens with all new tanks. It took a couple of weeks before my water was crystal clear when I first started my tank.
What type of hydrometer are you using, a swingarm? Or one of those combo thermometer/hydrometer floaty thingies?

[Brucey]

abjaza .... your in good hands. Just leave it a day or two and things will settle down. Are you running a skimmer yet / what water movement have you got. A few powerheads or return feed from skimmer / or sump will help the salt go into solution quicker.
Brucey

[abjaza]

Thank you all for all of your replies. The store said that I can put in some live rock to get things going so that is what I am going to do today. The tank seems a little clearer today and I've got the specific gravity up to 1.021 now and will keep adding more salt. I use a hydrometer which has an arrow which floats up to point at your specific gravity. I have my filter and two powerheads in the tank now and am going to pick up a protein skimmer this morning when I get the live rock. Also I am going to pick up some sand from one of their established tanks to bring in more bacteria. Any other suggestions? Thanks again all.

[NaH2O]

Sounds great! If you get one piece of uncured live rock with the cured live rock it will really get your cycle going....unless you were planning on all uncured? It also sounds as though you have a swing arm hydrometer. Getting sand from established tanks is a great way to introduce little critters for your sand bed. The only suggestion I have to add is get good quality test kits like the Salifert Brand. Follow your tank cycle, so you know when it is over. Good Luck and let us know your progression!!

[nivek]

You might want to make sure that the temperature of your tank is the correct temperature calibrated to your hydrometer or else you're going to get a wrong result.

[Hooked]

Take a close look at the arm on your hydrometer when you measure; they can get bubbles on them that will throw your reading off.