I've been doing a lot of reading so far and have learned a lot...but no one else seems to have made the same mistake as me.
I explain in more detail later if you are curious but quick read version: I put in my water first, and the next day turned off the filter and then put in my live sand and live rock (based on the order I was sold things and the obvious fact that I know nothing so far!) My water is still really cloudy 8 hours later. Should I turn my filter back on? Should I just take out the water and start again? Thank goodness I don't have any fish at stake. Thoughts?
Anyway, full version here:
I went to the aquarium store wanting to buy a "pretty fish"- yup, I'll admit, that was my main goal in starting this. Anyway, turned out every fish I liked was salt water and the other customers and salesman convinced me to go with salt water... and I'm super glad I did! I've been doing a lot of reading and I have fallen in love with the idea of helping to create this awesome ecosystem and watch it grow! (hopefully)
Anyway, I asked the salesman what I needed that night to get started and he hooked me up with the basics....which didn't include live sand - but he did tell me I'd need it soon. So I filled my tank (15 gal. because bigger scared me and wouldn't fit in my apartment or budget), starting mixing the salt in and checking the salinity level. I put in my filter (with biosphere) and my heater and then went back today to get my live rock and live sand. Well, I put in the live sand (turned off the filter first).... and 8 hours later my water is still super cloudy!! I added 15 lbs. of live sand but I still can't see through from one side of the tank to the other now. I don't know if I should turn my filter back on (he warned me against getting too much sand in it and said I wouldn't want to change the filter right after because it will hold bacteria too).
Currently I have the filter off, the live sand and live rock in, the heater on and set to 77F and a thermometer stuck to the outside of the glass that doesn't appear to be working at all. I saw one little creature dart around the tank and then quickly back in to the rock. Just wondering if I should take out all the water and start again or if I should turn the filter on, or just wait longer for the sand to settle more--- after 8 hours you'd think it was settled!
Any help would be FANTASTIC!! Thanks so much!
I explain in more detail later if you are curious but quick read version: I put in my water first, and the next day turned off the filter and then put in my live sand and live rock (based on the order I was sold things and the obvious fact that I know nothing so far!) My water is still really cloudy 8 hours later. Should I turn my filter back on? Should I just take out the water and start again? Thank goodness I don't have any fish at stake. Thoughts?
Anyway, full version here:
I went to the aquarium store wanting to buy a "pretty fish"- yup, I'll admit, that was my main goal in starting this. Anyway, turned out every fish I liked was salt water and the other customers and salesman convinced me to go with salt water... and I'm super glad I did! I've been doing a lot of reading and I have fallen in love with the idea of helping to create this awesome ecosystem and watch it grow! (hopefully)
Anyway, I asked the salesman what I needed that night to get started and he hooked me up with the basics....which didn't include live sand - but he did tell me I'd need it soon. So I filled my tank (15 gal. because bigger scared me and wouldn't fit in my apartment or budget), starting mixing the salt in and checking the salinity level. I put in my filter (with biosphere) and my heater and then went back today to get my live rock and live sand. Well, I put in the live sand (turned off the filter first).... and 8 hours later my water is still super cloudy!! I added 15 lbs. of live sand but I still can't see through from one side of the tank to the other now. I don't know if I should turn my filter back on (he warned me against getting too much sand in it and said I wouldn't want to change the filter right after because it will hold bacteria too).
Currently I have the filter off, the live sand and live rock in, the heater on and set to 77F and a thermometer stuck to the outside of the glass that doesn't appear to be working at all. I saw one little creature dart around the tank and then quickly back in to the rock. Just wondering if I should take out all the water and start again or if I should turn the filter on, or just wait longer for the sand to settle more--- after 8 hours you'd think it was settled!
Any help would be FANTASTIC!! Thanks so much!