reefer2b's tank

[yote]

My 75 is in the bed room.And I'm running a Coralife super skimmer 125 on it and I cant hear it all at night.
With your HOB filter running,you wont even know the skimmer is there.

 

[reefer2b]

I guess the ones they show are the noisiest ones then. I'm running a fluval 305 not a HOB. I can barely hear it running even when I'm right next to it. I know a skimmer helps to keep nitrates levels down but how would it help with the waters cloudiness if my levels are still at 0? I assume the marine SAT you mentioned would deal with the green tint to the tank.

 

[cthegame]

A skimmer is a more efficient way of removing organic wastes from your water. Now that i see the pic, im thinking maybe the filter has something to do with the cloudiness, is it the only filter you have running?

 

[yote]

The SAT will use up the nutrients that the algae needs.Basically starves algae out.
With the skimmer,you may hear a little bit of a water trickle,but thats about it.And not only will it pull out the dissolved organics,it'll pull the bacteria/algae out of the water to.

 

[reefer2b]

yes it is. Since it's rated for up to 90Gal I was hoping it would be adequate for a while. When I had my 55G I'd never even heard of a skimmer. I had an UGF for a while then a HOB (no sump either) and never had an algae problem so I don't know if that's the problem. I'm sure the LR causes some of it since I didn't use it before.

 

[fatman]

Just take a couple coffee filters and double or even triple them up and pour some tank water through them. If it comes out green, you will know your tinge is due to waterborne algae caused by excess nutrients. You can try to remove and eliminate nutrients, through water changes, limited feedings, assured excellent water supply. Or there are the super clarifiers. Ozone or Ultraviolet light. Most people take the sensible approach through removing the organics before they break down into nutrients by using a skimmer. Ozone and ultaviolet lights are sterilizers and kill the end products of organic breakdown but do not remove the organics. Skimmers remove the organics before the generation of end products. I view the sterilizers as best used as supplements to skimmers. The sterilizers are very quiet though.

 

[reefer2b]

I'll try that when I get home later today with the coffee filter, I'm also going to clean the filter. If that isn't the case, a green filter. Then should I just keep the lights off for a few days and see if gets better. I'm using ro/sw from the lfs for my changes, at least they tell me that it's ro water.

 

[reefer2b]

The coffee filter wasn't green, so IDK just wait and see I guess. I've been keeping the lights except for when I feed them and an hour or so in the evening. Last night I turned the filter way down to see if the disturbed sand was creating any of the cloudiness. It wasn't. Since I've had the lights off I have now seen all 3 hermits at once. So all critters are accounted for and doing well despite the cloudy water. All the crabs and the shrimp have also shed. Which is why I wasn't sure about the crabs.

 

[fatman]

If there is no green in filter then running your lights should not be a problem as water borne algae is not an issue. Ther was no heavy brown stuff filtered out either, I assume. Brown, diatom, algae can also be water borne and cause obvious cloubing. If not your pretty much left with bacterial growth which will pretty much eliminateitself in time when it has over bred for its envirinment and dies off as a result. Smal waterchanges will help, as would carbon, but change it every few days as its pores will probably fill quickly due to the cloudiness. Maintain good circulations and consistent water parameters as far as salinity, temperature and pH.

 

[reefer2b]

I've got some water warming up now so I can put it in the filter when I clean it. I think it's just bacteria; but it makes my eyes hurt trying to see through it :shock:. There are still some diatoms but not nearly as much as much before and not being mixed up by the fish either. As long as all levels are 0 and critters doing well, I'll just wait and see if it gets better. Hubby though keeps telling me I had to have done something wrong. :grumble: like he has clue as to how to set up a tank.

 

[reefer2b]

I cleaned the filter on Wed. evening and put new water in it. (it holds about 2g of water so that's about a 7% water change.) I swear I think it made it worse for a while. I've noticed certain times of the day it's cloudier than others. It's more cloudy in the morning than when I got to bed. My test kit still reads all levels at 0 and fish are still doing fine. My hubby though is ready to make me start over, he hates looking at it this way.

 

[fatman]

Are you mixing the water up at least a day before using it. If not, that will make a difference. Also check your tank water pH and alkalinity. Is your water tap water or is it RO water? If your water got worse following the water change it could be your water source, or if the salts are not totally dissolved or your pH is off you could have particulates or even precipitates in your water that would clear with simple changes in methods. Replacement water should be mixed up at least a day a head and an air line or circulation pump should be in the water until it is added to the tank, it should also be very close to the same parameters as the tank water as far as salinity, temperature and pH. Hopefully your not using tap water. If you are then you might have to buy water or get a filter for your supply water. Regardless of your water source you can probably get your local fish store to check your supply water for total dissolved solids, pH, hardness and if your lucky phosphates. Or if your using tap water check with the company who supplies the water as they have to make public their water test data, that should give the above data plus tell you if there are any heavy metals present.

 

[Bifferwine]

I advise to continue to stick it out. If you've only had your tank set up for a few weeks, I'd wait a couple more before throwing in the towel and starting over. I know it's trying and it's so tempting to just ditch it, but I think your water will probably clear up with time. I'm sorry you're having such a difficult time getting things working right, sometimes this hobby just plain old sucks :(.

 

[reefer2b]

I'm using ro/di saltwater from the lfs for my water changes and have since I set it up. I used tap water for the initial set up. It started getting cloudy after I added the first ro water to top off. My Ph goes between 8.0 and 8.2 I've not had the alkalinity tested. The water report only listed copper and at minimal levels due to if you have copper piping. We've got all pvc in the house so I doubt it's much of a factor (although you never know)
Biff it's been set up for 1 month now and I've never had any readings on the tank at all. Either with my test kit or the lfs's. At least if it did I could point my finger and say that's the problem.
I'm going to wait and my DH will just have to deal with it. He thinks it's because of the rocks and wants me to ditch those. I'm still going to wait. It just sucks not being able to see through the tank. It makes it hard to get a head count that way. It's funny though whenever I feed the fish the nassarius snails come out of the sand and start eating the food that lands on the bottom. So I know they are still there.

 

[Altohombre]

I can't help you with clearing your water much other than trying water from a different place than this LFS. I love my nassarius snails. As soon as food touches the surface of my tank they jump out of the sand and start going all over. My turbo snails don't do anything so I prefer the activity of the nassarius.

 

[reefer2b]

I know it's weird how they know almost immediately when food has been put in the tank. I would go to another store; I just don't want to drive 40 miles to get to it. I might try walmarts wate if it doesn't clear up in the next few weeks.

 

[fatman]

Your slightly low pH would seem to indicate a calcium problem. However, calcium precipitation happens in a relatively fast period of time and is generally referred to as looking like a snow storm. However, it is not a persitant problem. If your cloudiness has gone on for days and days it would have to be either particlulates from your rock and substrate or bacteria. Even a blossom of small animal life looks mpre like flecks in your water more than looking like cloudiness. I would agree with Biffer and Reefreek both. Wait it out and in the mean time look for another source of RO water. You might consider looking for a culligan store or any store which supplies bottled water for water fountains. They are both cheap if you bring your own water container. In the mean time you might want to try a good size helping of charcoal. If it clears the water and the cloudiness reappears soon after you remove the charcoal it is not particulates. Lowering of pH is common in new tanks and cycling tanks due to increased bacteria and increased levels of ammonia, however usually the ammonia or ay least nitrite or nitrate will show on tests when your pH is low in a new tank. Theneed for patience can really suck.

 

[yote]

I've been using the wal-mart brand distilled water for over a year now with no problems what-so-ever.Except the wife fussing about picking it up for me.

 

[fatman]

Darn Yote your lucky. Even when I lived in a little cabin I could not get my wife to carry a bucket of drinking water, or grey water. Carrying your tank water. Times be changing I guess. Heck I can remember my second wife would not buy any thing but 6 packs of soda pop because she would not pick up half racks or cases. Fourty pound containers of water, for your fish tank yet!

 

[yote]

Thats why she likes the gallon jugs.And I got a dump truck load of em to haul off.