lionfish1991
New member
My 20 gallon has been set up for a week and the water has been cloudy ever since about the second day what could this be?
cloudy tank
- Thread starter lionfish1991
- Start date
chocolateblnt
New member
... what kind of water / substrate are you using?
lionfish1991
New member
Just normal tap water and the substrate is crushed coral.
chocolateblnt
New member
did you forget to rinse the crushed coral? If so ... ehhh depends let me know what you have in the tank, tank size, and how many lbs. of sand.
... however most importantly STOP USING TAP WATER! If you cannot afford an RO unit buy the Glacier Water in front of Safeway 75 cents per 5 gallons! Tap water contains many impurities and will cause you future headaches i.e. algae & phosphates.
... however most importantly STOP USING TAP WATER! If you cannot afford an RO unit buy the Glacier Water in front of Safeway 75 cents per 5 gallons! Tap water contains many impurities and will cause you future headaches i.e. algae & phosphates.
lionfish1991
New member
no i rinsed the crushed coral. the tank is 21 gallons not sure about lbs but i have 10 kilos of crushed coral and i dont have anything in the tank at the moment
chocolateblnt
New member
Actually I take that back ... Australian tap water is VERY clean ... I didn't notice you lived in Australia! I was notified by a fellow reefer who had made it very clear by testing that you guys have a very clean water sanitation facilities esp. since your ocean water is clean.
I can only imagine you didn't rinse the crushed coral enough ... have you added any additives ... is this a brand new tank? Tell me how far you're at ...
I can only imagine you didn't rinse the crushed coral enough ... have you added any additives ... is this a brand new tank? Tell me how far you're at ...
lionfish1991
New member
i havent added anything else but i did have a prawn in the tank for three days to start the bacteria growth and the tank was a freshwater tank for 8 months before i changed to saltwater.
chocolateblnt
New member
... 
hopefully someone in the morning will be able to shed some more light ... was it ever clear?!
hopefully someone in the morning will be able to shed some more light ... was it ever clear?!lionfish1991
New member
yea the fist few days it was
chocolateblnt
New member
perhaps the prawn laid/released some sort of eggs or sperm ... I've heard of feather dusters releasing sperm and clouding up tanks! What kind of prawn is it?
Bluemorningwind
In Memoriam
Don't put things in your tank to rot! Bloody stupid idea every single time. Take the rotting prawn out and do a couple of 50% plus water changes. Keep your filters and pumps running but insure your media is free of rotting bits of prawn.
Once your water is clear, add a few snails and hermits. Continue to build the CUC as needs be.
In general, the bacteria is already present and growth is unavoidable. Don't try to mess with it. Things rotting can only be bad. We want growth, not decay.
If you want an Australian perspective, PM me. Most Americans and even many Australians have no idea about keeping a reef in Australia. You should try RTAW, too.
A lot of the stuff you read here is not true or not true to Australian reefers. So, get a better perspective by discussing things with Australian reefers first.
All the best.
Once your water is clear, add a few snails and hermits. Continue to build the CUC as needs be.
In general, the bacteria is already present and growth is unavoidable. Don't try to mess with it. Things rotting can only be bad. We want growth, not decay.
If you want an Australian perspective, PM me. Most Americans and even many Australians have no idea about keeping a reef in Australia. You should try RTAW, too.
A lot of the stuff you read here is not true or not true to Australian reefers. So, get a better perspective by discussing things with Australian reefers first.
All the best.
chocolateblnt
New member
... so his prawn is rotting in his tank?! What are you talking about bluemorningwind? Thanks for the explanation ... and don't assume we're all dumb 
Pattylucylaura
New member
He put a dead prawn in to jump start the cycle. It is rotting and possibly clouding the water.
mister crabs
New member
one of the bigger secrets is >> when you flush a dead fish....it goes down OPPOSITE spiral direction as here in america!!
chocolateblnt
New member
... jump starting a tank with a dead prawn is something I have never heard of ... if anything use Bio-Spira!
Bluemorningwind
In Memoriam
Come on, chocolatebltnt. Don't have a melt down. I wasn't referring to you directly or Americans negatively.
It's true that Americans know very little about Australian reefing and a lot of information about cycling on here is misleading, I believe. Another example of misleading information is the use of Bio-Spira. The bacteria will establish themselves with no effort on our part and there is nothing that we can do to improve on the rate that they multiply with any real effect. Just add the rock and wait a little before gradually adding live stock. It will happen all by itself and without further complication.
Using a dead prawn to cycle has been around for ages. It's one of those mythes that never dies.
No secrets, just different conditions and thinking, I guess.
All of the US spy planes are over the oil fields in the Middle East, aren't they? I doubt the oil industry will spare you any.
On the toilet bowl thing; The Earth's rotation creates an apparent deflection to the left in the southern hemisphere. I believe somebody mentioned Coriolis force, for some reason. This is why we have cyclonic flows south of the Equator... so I am told.
It's true that Americans know very little about Australian reefing and a lot of information about cycling on here is misleading, I believe. Another example of misleading information is the use of Bio-Spira. The bacteria will establish themselves with no effort on our part and there is nothing that we can do to improve on the rate that they multiply with any real effect. Just add the rock and wait a little before gradually adding live stock. It will happen all by itself and without further complication.
Using a dead prawn to cycle has been around for ages. It's one of those mythes that never dies.
No secrets, just different conditions and thinking, I guess.
All of the US spy planes are over the oil fields in the Middle East, aren't they? I doubt the oil industry will spare you any.
On the toilet bowl thing; The Earth's rotation creates an apparent deflection to the left in the southern hemisphere. I believe somebody mentioned Coriolis force, for some reason. This is why we have cyclonic flows south of the Equator... so I am told.
Pattylucylaura
New member
What about the peeing in the tank Chocolate heard of that one?
chocolateblnt
New member
No offense taken as for I am not American born just using the system for $ 
However, Bio-Spira is a great product that only get's positive results ... maybe you should look into it on the "Responsible Reefkeeping" forum before you knock it! I, amongst others had a 0 death rate when applying it to a new tank and I was able to do the major cycle it in about a day and half with one piece of LR before transferring livestock; sometimes it's the only way unless you want to keep 2 tanks running waiting for one of them to cycle. Have you even tried this product?! Probably not since you're an advocate against it in the first place ... so you have no real credible info as to if it works ... you're just assuming it doesn't. Bio-Spira isn't like TLC where 90% of the bottle is inert and only 10% beneficial bacteria. Check some of the facts and experiences people have had with it ... maybe you'll Westernize
... using death to cycle obviously isn't a great idea if it clouds your tank and you have to do WC's and the works half over again ...
Pattylucylaura: If you must pee in the tank I suggest runnia lots of carbon and ammonia filtration media
However, Bio-Spira is a great product that only get's positive results ... maybe you should look into it on the "Responsible Reefkeeping" forum before you knock it! I, amongst others had a 0 death rate when applying it to a new tank and I was able to do the major cycle it in about a day and half with one piece of LR before transferring livestock; sometimes it's the only way unless you want to keep 2 tanks running waiting for one of them to cycle. Have you even tried this product?! Probably not since you're an advocate against it in the first place ... so you have no real credible info as to if it works ... you're just assuming it doesn't. Bio-Spira isn't like TLC where 90% of the bottle is inert and only 10% beneficial bacteria. Check some of the facts and experiences people have had with it ... maybe you'll Westernize
... using death to cycle obviously isn't a great idea if it clouds your tank and you have to do WC's and the works half over again ...
Pattylucylaura: If you must pee in the tank I suggest runnia lots of carbon and ammonia filtration media
Bluemorningwind
In Memoriam
I've posted on that product previously. I wouldn't waste my money on it. Far more productive things to buy.
I have no idea why people like to complicate a very simple process just to gain nothing.
Adding ammonia (even urine) is pointless and counter productive. We want stable conditions and causing spikes and swings can only be described as counter-productive.
I have no idea why people like to complicate a very simple process just to gain nothing.
Adding ammonia (even urine) is pointless and counter productive. We want stable conditions and causing spikes and swings can only be described as counter-productive.
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