# why isnt my water crystal clear???



## mpskittles

tell me what im doing wrong or missing...

55 gal tank
fluval 305 canister filter
koralia 550 gph power head
heater set on 82
salinity b/t 32 and 34
florecent lighting ( i know... shame on me)

up and running with live sand, live rock for 2 weeks.... just added 3 sm mushrooms, one feather duster and one damsel yest... i dont wat to kill them lol and im afraid theyre not going to like this no so crystal water


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## drunkenbeast

It could be two things.

Either when you put the sand in your tank it was not clean enough and a little dirt got into your tank.

or, its cloudy from cycling your tank.
either way you have enough filtration in the tank and i would guess that it will eventually clear itself up.

I wouldnt worry about it unless it still is cloudy on week 3-4

I would like to add your heat seems a little high also


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## mpskittles

thanks  i will def turn it down... 78 good ? 

now i did do the sand all wrong... i put it in, then the water (big no no i know... just was excited and got in a hurry) would that be it? would it not clear up in 2 weeks?


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## Reefing Madness

How much Live Rock? SHould be at least 1lb per gallon. Seems odd with all that filtration that your water isn't clear? Did you use RO/DI water? What kind of salt, might have gotten a bad batch. Whats your calcium reading? What kind of sand did you use? 
And, you just set this tank up? Its been running for 2 weeks? Now you have corals and fish? Ammonia bloom now is what I would believe it is, and you may lose a few things.
The Aquarium Cycling Process, and Ways to Cycle a Saltwater Aquarium


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## beaslbob

I would kill the lights and stop adding any food and see if the water clears up.

my .02


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## mpskittles

i had it up and running for 2 weeks with just the live sand and rock to cycle it... was that a good idea? cant remember the name of that sand... but it was that new fancy stuff that suppose to have and the bacteria and what not already in it... salt was instant ocean... the cheap crap... b/c thats all our pathetic little pet stores here carry... (got a *good *bag of salt when i went to chattanooga to the koolest fish store EVER) 

live rock: at the moment only have a/b 10-15 lbs of rock... i asked the dude at the super kool chattanooga fish store a/b the lbs per gallon rule and he was saying that ultimately the rock was just for looks...wrong??

one thing i forgot to mention was i had a sea urchin that was in my nano... then i upgraded and put him in 24 hr after i set up the new tank and he died  perhaps it is an ammonia bloom.... i will do a water change when i get home.... then put the "good salt" im the new water and maybe all will be well.... you guys rock... didnt even think a/b an ammonia bloom


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## Reefing Madness

mpskittles said:


> i had it up and running for 2 weeks with just the live sand and rock to cycle it... was that a good idea? cant remember the name of that sand... but it was that new fancy stuff that suppose to have and the bacteria and what not already in it... salt was instant ocean... the cheap crap... b/c thats all our pathetic little pet stores here carry... (got a *good *bag of salt when i went to chattanooga to the koolest fish store EVER)
> 
> live rock: at the moment only have a/b 10-15 lbs of rock... i asked the dude at the super kool chattanooga fish store a/b the lbs per gallon rule and he was saying that ultimately the rock was just for looks...wrong??
> 
> one thing i forgot to mention was i had a sea urchin that was in my nano... then i upgraded and put him in 24 hr after i set up the new tank and he died  perhaps it is an ammonia bloom.... i will do a water change when i get home.... then put the "good salt" im the new water and maybe all will be well.... you guys rock... didnt even think a/b an ammonia bloom


Nothing wrong with Instant Ocean, I been using it for years. Your LFS guy is wrong about the Live Rock, thats is actually your biological filtration, thats why Salt Water tanks don't need filters, the more you have, the better your filtration. New tanks take around 4-6 weeks to cycle, if you put living things in before its done, you can kill them. The Ammonia and Nitrites are the killers, Nitrates are a not going to kill fish, but they will Corals.
Sounds like you may have that Ammonia Bloom going on.


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## mpskittles

i did a 10% water change today... water is still cloudy but the mushrooms look better  

man!! i even told the guy i had it up and running for 2 weeks!!! and i kept asking him are you sure? are you sure? are you sure i can get stuff today????? BOO!! 

im def gonna get some more LR... tomorrow.... did not know that a/b them being biological filters... thanks 

sorry im not very educated... always been a fresh water girl and new to the salt water stuff....


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## mpskittles

just throwing this out there...my filter is the same filter ive been running my fresh water on b4 i converted... and the bacteria hotels as i like to call them(little white tube-ie things) have 2 yrs of bacteria growth on them.... would this not speed up the cycle process??


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## beaslbob

mpskittles said:


> i did a 10% water change today... water is still cloudy but the mushrooms look better
> 
> man!! i even told the guy i had it up and running for 2 weeks!!! and i kept asking him are you sure? are you sure? are you sure i can get stuff today????? BOO!!
> 
> im def gonna get some more LR... tomorrow.... did not know that a/b them being biological filters... thanks
> 
> sorry im not very educated... always been a fresh water girl and new to the salt water stuff....


The saltwater equilivant of a planted tank is live rock with corraline and other algaes on it or macro algaes. You might try macro algaes.

my .02


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## beaslbob

FWIW you can use the diy 2 part with instant ocean or any other salt mix to inexpensively maintain cal,alk, mag.

my .02


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## mpskittles

beaslbob said:


> The saltwater equilivant of a planted tank is live rock with corraline and other algaes on it or macro algaes. You might try macro algaes.
> 
> my .02


see... did not know that either... thanks for all the info


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## Reefing Madness

mpskittles said:


> just throwing this out there...my filter is the same filter ive been running my fresh water on b4 i converted... and the bacteria hotels as i like to call them(little white tube-ie things) have 2 yrs of bacteria growth on them.... would this not speed up the cycle process??


If that is from freshwater, you killed them by putting them in saltwater.


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## Reefing Madness

beaslbob said:


> The saltwater equilivant of a planted tank is live rock with corraline and other algaes on it or macro algaes. You might try macro algaes.
> 
> my .02


Coralline doesn't have anything to do with eating nutrients out of the water column. It needs ALK and MAg to grow, that it utilizes from the water column.
The other algaes do. But you have to cut them back to export the excess nutrients out of the water.


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## mpskittles

Reefing Madness said:


> If that is from freshwater, you killed them by putting them in saltwater.



ah! did not know that either! thanks ^_^

so i went to get more LR today and wouldnt you know that the little ol' fish store was closed on sun 

but stopped my the ol' petland (who doesnt sell SW fish... just supplies) and picked up a water testing kit.... there are no traces nitrates or nitrites (does this knock out the ammonia bloom theory???) ... but my PH is an 8.0 <---- is this super bad??


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## mpskittles

bahahaha... never mind a/b the 8.0... just read thats good! YAY!! go me!!!!


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## Reefing Madness

mpskittles said:


> bahahaha... never mind a/b the 8.0... just read thats good! YAY!! go me!!!!


Yup, your good there. No, what are your Ammonia readings? You gave the Nitites and Nitrates, not the Ammonia.


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## mpskittles

oops.... the test i bought doesnt include ammonia... i obviously need to take you guys shopping with me...


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## Reefing Madness

*r2


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## beaslbob

Reefing Madness said:


> Coralline doesn't have anything to do with eating nutrients out of the water column. It needs ALK and MAg to grow, that it utilizes from the water column.
> The other algaes do. But you have to cut them back to export the excess nutrients out of the water.


I disagree.

Corraline needs nitrogen, phsophate, carbon dioxide as well as calcium carbonate to grow. Just like all forms of plant life.

While it may not be as effective as fast growing macros and other algae it does still consume ammonia/nitrAtes. Some cyano can fix nitrogen gas from the water column but most algaes still need ammonia/nitrates.

Still just my .02


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## Reefing Madness

beaslbob said:


> I disagree.
> 
> Corraline needs nitrogen, phsophate, carbon dioxide as well as calcium carbonate to grow. Just like all forms of plant life.
> 
> While it may not be as effective as fast growing macros and other algae it does still consume ammonia/nitrAtes. Some cyano can fix nitrogen gas from the water column but most algaes still need ammonia/nitrates.
> 
> Still just my .02


You forgot ALK. If that is not present in the correct amounts, it won't grow at all. And not even close to effiecient. And for beginners, your getting way to advanced for them to grasp. You need to argue that stuff with Randall Farley Holmes.


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## beaslbob

Reefing Madness said:


> You forgot ALK. If that is not present in the correct amounts, it won't grow at all. And not even close to effiecient. And for beginners, your getting way to advanced for them to grasp. You need to argue that stuff with Randall Farley Holmes.


alk is used as a substitute for measuring the carbonate ion. Hence the calcium carbonate above. *old dude




http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php (by dr. Randy Holmes-farley) said:


> HCO3- � CO3-- + H+
> 
> Bicarbonate � Carbonate + acid
> 
> To ensure that corals have an adequate supply of bicarbonate for calcification, aquarists could very well just measure bicarbonate directly. Designing a test kit for bicarbonate, however, is somewhat more complicated than for alkalinity. *Consequently, the use of alkalinity as a surrogate measure for bicarbonate is deeply entrenched in the reef aquarium hobby*.
> 
> So, what is alkalinity? Alkalinity in a marine aquarium is simply a measure of the amount of acid (H+) required to reduce the pH to about 4.5, where all bicarbonate is converted into carbonic acid as follows:
> 
> HCO3- + H+ � H2CO3
> 
> In normal seawater or marine aquarium water, the bicarbonate greatly dominates all other ions that contribute to alkalinity, so knowing the amount of H+ needed to reduce the pH to 4.5 is akin to knowing how much bicarbonate is present. *Aquarists have therefore found it convenient to use alkalinity as a surrogate measure for bicarbonate*.


(emphasis added)


my .02


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## Reefing Madness

To ensure that corals have an adequate supply of bicarbonate for calcification, aquarists could very well just measure bicarbonate directly.* Designing a test kit for bicarbonate, however, is somewhat more complicated than for alkalinity*. Consequently, the use of alkalinity as a surrogate measure for bicarbonate is deeply entrenched in the reef aquarium hobby.

All yours chief. Now your talking about crap people cna't even test.....ALK is something everyone reading will understand. As stated, go argue with Randal Farley Homes.......Most reading this are not going to get what your saying......


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## beaslbob

Reefing Madness said:


> To ensure that corals have an adequate supply of bicarbonate for calcification, aquarists could very well just measure bicarbonate directly.* Designing a test kit for bicarbonate, however, is somewhat more complicated than for alkalinity*. Consequently, the use of alkalinity as a surrogate measure for bicarbonate is deeply entrenched in the reef aquarium hobby.
> 
> All yours chief. Now your talking about crap people cna't even test.....ALK is something everyone reading will understand. As stated, go argue with Randal Farley Homes.......Most reading this are not going to get what your saying......


I'll trust the people reading this to understand. *old dude

my .02


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## mpskittles

its starting to look clearer you guys  i went to petland to get an amonia test and they didnt have one  ... had to get them to order me one... will be in tomorrow ... BUT i did get a GREAT deal on T5 lighting  and i have to say shes startin to look reeeeeeeaaaaal sexy ^_^


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## Reefing Madness

mpskittles said:


> its starting to look clearer you guys  i went to petland to get an amonia test and they didnt have one  ... had to get them to order me one... will be in tomorrow ... BUT i did get a GREAT deal on T5 lighting  and i have to say shes startin to look reeeeeeeaaaaal sexy ^_^


*w3


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## mpskittles

btw.... didnt know i could have used aquarium forum to study for the chem II final i had last week lol ... i'll keep that in mind when i take organic chem later


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## beaslbob

mpskittles said:


> btw.... didnt know i could have used aquarium forum to study for the chem II final i had last week lol ... i'll keep that in mind when i take organic chem later


yea it sure seems that way sometimes. *old dude

my .02


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