Did I make a horrible mistake

[ReefWidowed]

I think I've don't something wrong. But I am at a point where I was able to freeze before it becomes a disaster.

I just got my 37gal softie cube on line. I had wanted to use mud in the fuge to see how well it would work, but the way things worked out, the fuge went online last. Tonight I decided to add the mud, well, as you can imagine I reated a huge dust cloud in the fuge. Luckily the canister filter is plumbed directly out of the tank so there is flow while the return pump is shut down.

There is also a baffle between the return and the disaster area.


My question is, even if I let everything settle awhile, the minute i start my return up again, the water coming down my overflow is going to stir the mud right back up, send it over the baffle, and into the main tank, making a huge mess, and possible stressing the corals to death.

Should I just cut my losses and take the fuge out and empty it and start over? or will everything settle after a while?


THANKS!
Jennifer

 

[itZme]

Can you have your drains dump into another section so the water hitting the section with the mud is slower moving?

If not try putting your overflows into a large plastic bottle (like a gallon sized thing they sell at WalMart). Cut a hole in the lid and stick the hose in then drill a bunch of holes around the outside to let the water out but not concentrated at all.

Just a suggestion.
HTH
-- Kevin

 

[ReefWidowed]

ok, so i had a large tumbler, and placed the pipe into it, so it flows into the cup and then overflows down. I put the return into the overflow, to see how bad it would cloud up. Clouded up pretty bad, but I'm going to leave it overnight and see if it settles at all, and then go from there.

 

[itZme]

Good luck ... hope it works out for you.

Keep us informed.