Ridiculously Cloudy Water?

[thefirethief]

Good afternoon! My 130L has been on the go for about 5 days and I've noticed the water gradually getting cloudier, now this morning its down to about 1 inch visability and looks more like watery milk.

I'm in the process of setting up my first reef tank and decided to get things up and running while I decided on a skimmer and worked out my lighting plan. I've been filling the tank up with RO water as its being produced so thats taken a few days and I've only just added the salt (reef crystals) 2 nights ago. I also added a bag of my LFS's sand from their display tank however I think any bacterial life would have perished as it sat in the tank with pure RO water for a few days. The powerheads have been on the go since I added the salt.


I've had a read through other posts about cloudy water and assume its silicate growth that seems to appear with a lot of new tanks. Its not really a major problem as I dont plan to add livestock for a while and I won't be adding live rock till the end of the month and by that time I'll have decided on a skimmer.

So, will I be best just to let things run and see what happens when I get the skimmer?

thanks,
Mark

 

[zeo]

you sure your tank isnt just going into a cycle?

 

[SkiFletch]

Actually, 90%+ of the time in a saltwater aquarium cloudywater is a sign of a pH imbalance. And 90% of the pH imbalances are caused by CO2 fluctuations from improperly aerated water. The solution, get your powerheads near the top of the tank and aerate via a skimmer.

If that doesn't clear it up within 2 days or so, you may have a really bad calc/alk balance necessitating the addition of vinegar. to bring the pH down. However, to everyone reading this, DO NOT use vinegar to sort out pH problems in systems with livestock in them. Bacteria can use the acetate in vinegar to drain your tank of O2, leading into a tank crash. In tanks with livestock, if extra surface powerheads, aeration, and skimming does not solve the problem, consider a 50% waterchange instead.

 

[thefirethief]

Zeo, I'm expecting the water to go cloudy as I cycle but not to this extent. I think I can see the first few centimetres of sand round the edge of the tank then its a impenetrable cloud of goodness knows what.


Cheers skifletch, I've not even measured the salinity yet so things are definately not going to be balanced and I'm assuming by using reef crystals my calcium/alk levels might be out if I've used too high a concentration. I'll get make more RO water in the morning to calibrate my refractometer and see how things are sitting. I've also just moved the powerheads around for maximum surface agitation but I wont expect anything drastic until I've got my skimmer on the go, which will be another few weeks. If the worst comes to the worst I can always start from scratch. Incidently, I think I've narrowed my skimmer choices down to the Tunze 9002 or the Deltec MCE300. Tunze is internal but quiet, the Deltec is external but rather noisy (apparently). Decisions, decisions.

 

[Rafael Dilone]

Zeo, I'm expecting the water to go cloudy as I cycle but not to this extent. I think I can see the first few centimetres of sand round the edge of the tank then its a impenetrable cloud of goodness knows what.


Cheers skifletch, I've not even measured the salinity yet so things are definately not going to be balanced and I'm assuming by using reef crystals my calcium/alk levels might be out if I've used too high a concentration. I'll get make more RO water in the morning to calibrate my refractometer and see how things are sitting. I've also just moved the powerheads around for maximum surface agitation but I wont expect anything drastic until I've got my skimmer on the go, which will be another few weeks. If the worst comes to the worst I can always start from scratch. Incidently, I think I've narrowed my skimmer choices down to the Tunze 9002 or the Deltec MCE300. Tunze is internal but quiet, the Deltec is external but rather noisy (apparently). Decisions, decisions.

Well I have to say Deltec is a very good company. Many of the serious reefers who spend tens of thousands of dollars use deltec. But when you go on the small tanks most people use other skimmers to economize. But if you are looking for some of the best to be brought out by your skimmer go with deltec.

Heres an article on a reefer who uses deltec. Read it very beautiful tank. He has so many reactors it astounds me.
http/www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/totm/index.php

 

[thefirethief]

Well I have to say Deltec is a very good company. Many of the serious reefers who spend tens of thousands of dollars use deltec. But when you go on the small tanks most people use other skimmers to economize. But if you are looking for some of the best to be brought out by your skimmer go with deltec.

Heres an article on a reefer who uses deltec. Read it very beautiful tank. He has so many reactors it astounds me.
http/www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/totm/index.php

Thanks for the input Rafael. I'm aware that Deltec make quality gear but its just the fact that I've read a few comments about noisey Deltec skimmers. I'm willing to pay for the quality and an external skimmer would be ideal so I'll ask around a bit more and maybe ask to see/hear one in action at some LFS's. I've heard plenty of good things about tunze too so I'm still unsure. I remember seeing that tank a wee while ago, I think I need to start my own fireplace company by the looks of things.