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View Full Version : sand (how long to settle?) look at picture!! whats wrong?


rinklskn
09/06/2006, 03:14 PM
its about 15 hours after I put 2 bags of sand in.

will it settle? do I need to change water?

look at this picture:

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/7268/bno007xu6.jpg

nigel
09/06/2006, 03:20 PM
Assuming you rinsed the sand first, it will settle.

asfullax
09/06/2006, 03:20 PM
Do you have your skimmer running? It looks like there is a lot of protein buildup on the top of the water. That could slow down the process.

It also looks like the waterflow is burrowing some of the sand which will stir things up a bit. For the most part the cloudyness is normal and I would expect it to start looking clear in another 36 hours or so. Mine took a little over 3 days with the skimmer going.

navajo
09/06/2006, 03:23 PM
If this is a new tank, yes, it can take a couple days to settle. What makes it settle is the bacteria sticking the smaller particles together and weighting them down. In a new tank there is no (or very little) bacteria.

If it is adding sand to an existing set up, it seems to settle in a few hours (or at least mine did).

Good luck!

rinklskn
09/06/2006, 05:43 PM
it was pre rinsed. and even if it wasnt would it really make a difference? no fish or live rock in the tank. no protien skimmer yet........just crushed coral sand salt and 2 filters with carbon. its really early in development. not buying fish or plants for a while

AZDesertRat
09/06/2006, 05:51 PM
What you are seeing is normal. It will settle much faster if you can bum a few cups of sand out of friends or LFS established tanks. The bacteria will really take off once it has a source. I never rinse my sand as its the fines you want for a true functioning and bed and all its critters, the finer the better.
As for the build up on the top try floating a few paper towels or sheets of newspaper on the surface for a little bit to soak up the scum on the surface.

navajo
09/06/2006, 06:50 PM
Also, since you're not getting any live rock or animals for a while, adding a pinch of food every day or 2 will feed the bacteria as it rots and cycle the tank for you while getting the sand to settle.

cb9tunerguy
09/06/2006, 06:53 PM
add some live rock. that will help it along also.

rinklskn
09/06/2006, 11:38 PM
what kind of food should I use? I have silversides and krill

STsONpERs
09/07/2006, 12:15 AM
It will definatly settle, just will take time.

When are you considering buying a skimmer??

That will speed things up.

What size tank is it??

AquaReeferMan
09/07/2006, 12:17 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8092139#post8092139 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rinklforskn
not buying fish or plants for a while

What do you mean by Plants??

JR719
09/07/2006, 12:25 AM
I would like an opinion on the bacteria. Years ago when I set up my 1st tank, I was told to toss in a shrimp from the grocer (just a frozen tail or 2) and that would force a cycle. I've done it ever since without knowing if it is really working.

Any idea's? If this is a hijack, sorry, just ignore.

jjirsa78
09/07/2006, 12:37 AM
Throwing in a frozen shrimp will force an ammonia spike, which is the start of the cycle.

The chemistry is pretty simple - decomposing organics create ammonia. Ammonia will break down into nitrite, nitrite will break down into nitrate. Some source of ammonia is required - in the old days, people used to use a single hardy fish (probably cruel), these days most people use some combination of live rock (already has bacteria and some decaying matter) and dead matter (shrimp work, or fish food would also be fine).

JR719
09/07/2006, 12:46 AM
Great, thanks for the info. Didn't know if it was just an 'ol wives...err.. fish tale.

rinklskn
09/07/2006, 02:08 AM
its a 72 gallon tank. buying live rock/skimmer hopfully within the week. by shrimp you mean krill? by plants I mean live coral.....sorry used to freshwater :0) and what is the CHEAPEST light I can buy for my reef. Its a 72 gallon......whats the difference between sunlight and moonlight lamps? do they both provide enough light for coral? can I only get certain coral for both? please point me in the right direction. again unfortunatley money is an issue. thanks.

rinklskn
09/07/2006, 09:06 AM
cant I just buy a florescent bulb and put it in my old light fixture for my 72?

Nathan
09/07/2006, 09:19 AM
It could take 2-3 weeks...

navajo
09/07/2006, 11:27 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8095830#post8095830 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rinklforskn
cant I just buy a florescent bulb and put it in my old light fixture for my 72?

I don't really think that will work.. Normal Fluorescent Lights just don't put out enough light. Better to go with PC or VHO (or possibly MH depending on the corals you want to keep)

As far as the cheapest, I'd look around the equipment for sale forum here.

RichConley
09/07/2006, 11:43 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8096733#post8096733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by navajo
I don't really think that will work.. Normal Fluorescent Lights just don't put out enough light. Better to go with PC or VHO (or possibly MH depending on the corals you want to keep)

As far as the cheapest, I'd look around the equipment for sale forum here.
THats not really true, you CAN keep stuff with Normal output fluorescents, and plenty of stuff. Its just not as easy.


PCS are junk, and no one should be buying them anymore. Theyre more expensive than T5s, and they arent nearly as powerful.

As to the sand thing here...another reason why I dont like aragonite sand.


Do you have a skimmer you can throw on there? It'll help clear it up quicker. Filter floss also helps.

RichConley
09/07/2006, 11:46 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8094834#post8094834 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rinklforskn
its a 72 gallon tank. buying live rock/skimmer hopfully within the week. by shrimp you mean krill? by plants I mean live coral.....sorry used to freshwater :0) and what is the CHEAPEST light I can buy for my reef. Its a 72 gallon......whats the difference between sunlight and moonlight lamps? do they both provide enough light for coral? can I only get certain coral for both? please point me in the right direction. again unfortunatley money is an issue. thanks.

Buy yourself a 2 bulb 54w T5 Tek fixture. Should cost you about $150. Make sure you get individual reflectors.

Throw the old lights right next to it. When you get a little more cash in the future, replace the freshwater lights with another 2 bulb tek retro.

rinklskn
09/07/2006, 12:56 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8096844#post8096844 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichConley
Buy yourself a 2 bulb 54w T5 Tek fixture. Should cost you about $150. Make sure you get individual reflectors.

Throw the old lights right next to it. When you get a little more cash in the future, replace the freshwater lights with another 2 bulb tek retro.

and what coral can I keep with that? where can I buy that light for $150. what is the cheapest protien skimmer that will get the job done?

HBtank
09/07/2006, 02:34 PM
You should always rinse your sand. You can do this and keep fines if you want, just let it settle down and then pour it out.

That scum at the top and the finest silt like particles are the result of not rinsing.

Eashton123
09/07/2006, 02:48 PM
I just started putting water into my tank and mine is worse then the picture right now. Thanks for the info

PS I did rinse my sand really good but theres no avoiding it.

leeweber85
09/07/2006, 02:53 PM
Run a poly filter or filter floss and it will take it out in 24hrs.

navajo
09/07/2006, 02:58 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8096824#post8096824 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichConley
THats not really true, you CAN keep stuff with Normal output fluorescents, and plenty of stuff. Its just not as easy.


PCS are junk, and no one should be buying them anymore. Theyre more expensive than T5s, and they arent nearly as powerful.

As to the sand thing here...another reason why I dont like aragonite sand.


Do you have a skimmer you can throw on there? It'll help clear it up quicker. Filter floss also helps.

I guess I could have worded that a bit better, but what I meant is that 1 NO Fluor. light in a 72 gal isn't going to be enough to keep most corals healthy...

pony_killer
09/07/2006, 05:25 PM
hey guys im still a newbie at this but when i started my 46 gallon, i purchased my live sand from the lfs. before i dumped it into the tank, i poured it all in a bucket and rinsed it REALLY well. so well that when i filled up the bucket with water, i could see the white sand at the bottom, and the bucket was not cloudy looking :D thereafter i poured the sand into my tank and after a few hours of settling, the water was crystal clear! so far ive had my tank since june of this year and the water hasn't been clearer. i have plenty of figi live rock, many soft corals, 10 fish, 6 snails, and about 4 hermits. ill take a few pics for your viewing pleasure.

AZDesertRat
09/07/2006, 06:31 PM
If you are after a true fully functioning deep sand bed rinsing the sand is counterproductive. You are striving to get the silt and fines that are in the sand and by rinsing it out you are depriving the fauna of an important part of the whole sand bed system. Don't rinse it, tough it out for a few days or so and use newspaper or paper towels to soak the scum off the top if you don't have a surface skimmer or overflow box. Its worth the extra inconvience in the long run.

skippy2
09/07/2006, 06:40 PM
I agree with not rinsing the sand first. It is definately counterproductive. By rinsing, you are losing what you paid for and want. This is a pic of my tank when I added 100lbs of non rinsed sand. It cleared up in 24 hrs. and was crystal clear in about another 5. All my corals and fish were fine through it all.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/skippy2/new75.jpg

AZDesertRat
09/07/2006, 06:54 PM
Here was mine in its first week

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/AJOIII/IMAG0042.jpg

And the way it looks today 2 years and 9 months later

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/AJOIII/2006_08_21025.jpg