Cloudy Water

R

ReefDreamz

New member
So I am just beginning to set up my tank (46 gallon) I mixed up my first batch of salt water in the tank it was oceanic salt. After about a week (just water and salt in the tank) a white film formed on all the inner glass. I wiped it off and then the water turned cloudy white and a white crust formed on the bottom of the tank. I tried to scrape the stuff off the bottom while siphoning but the siphon didnt really suck it up so I just siphoned out all the water. I then scrubbed down the inside of the tank, refilled it and mixed in the salt this time I tried instant ocean. The water is 80 F and I have a couple powerheads going. Well now the water is really cloudy white. My salinity is 1.025 (measured with a refractometer). I am looking at all the pictures in the photo gallery section and everyone has crystal clear water. I have been told to just go ahead and put in the live rock and sand but I dont know for sure. Im wondering if this is normal or if there is something I can do to clear up the water. Any help is appreciated.

-Cody
 
Well, that is strange with only saltwater and powerheads. I mix mine in a garbage can for over a week sometimes and haven't seen such a thing, it is crystal clear. It would make me feel leary about putting anything else in there. Are you using tap. Some tap is pretty cloudy...It shouldn't do that. That much I know for sure. I wouldn't put anything live in there till you get this solved. Are the tank and equipment new?
 
Yes the tank equipment is all new and I am using RO water (coralife unit) and running a fluval with only carbon and the filter pad. I also have a aqua c remora skimmer which i havent started up since i mixed in the salt.
 
Nope I thought it might have been calcium in the oceanic salt the first time thats half the reason i drained and refilled again using IO salt.
 
How long has it mixed? I guess you could be having some type of bacteria bloom but I can't imagine why. Test the water for amonia etc. just for giggles and see what you come up with.

Lisa
 
Its been mixing about 24 hours. Just tested my ammonia with my salifert test kit for the first time got a reading of <0.25 mg/L. The water in the test vile is cloudy white.
 
You shouldn't have any amonia in newly mixed water. That must be a bacteria bloom then. Test the water straight out of your RO unit...Please anyone feel free to jump in if you have an idea...
You didn't wash the tank with anything but water did you?

edit:
I don't have the salifert amonia kit...does that equate to the lowest reading? ( I only have nitrate,alk,cal,ph, mag, and PO4 in salifert)
 
Last edited:
Well thanks a lot for trying. Hopefully it will clear up on its own......maybe its becasue I mixed the salt in the tank and it needs more than 24 hours to fully dissolve. I hope. Hey btw when I do get this problem figured out I was thinking of buying the "package" from tampa bay saltwater anyone have any opinons of their liverock and sand?
 
I hope that is all it takes otherwise you will have to start using the half-split method to trouble-shoot and start removing things from the system and trying new water. Go ahead and fire up the skimmer.

About the TBS stuff, I haven't used it before but it looks interesting. I am not sure I would like to deal with all the mantis I have read about, but it might be worth it considering some of the photos I have seen of the life on the rock.

Good Luck Cody!

Lisa
 
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