Cloudy Water

F

FW2SW2004

Registered Member
Oct 28, 2004
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I am all set to pickup my the first half of my package of LS/LR from TBS at the airport tomorrow. I have removed my FW planted aquarium that has been up and running for 8 years and downsized them to another location. Now my 55 Gallon is going salty for my first attempt. I have spent the last few months reading books and posts in preparation so here we go.

Currently, 55 G tank with 4 X 55 W PC lighting with 10000K and Deep Blue Combo Bulbs planning to run 12 hours per day. Aqua C Remora HOB protein skimmer up and running. Two Aquaclear 300 powerheads running. And just because it was left over from FW days my Fluval 304 cannister filter with floss and new biorings but no carbon yet (I figure I can add it if I need it).

I mixed the water with Instant Ocean about 2 weeks ago and have a SG of 1.024. Water was clear at this point.

The next day I added Seachem pH Buffer 8.3 and water went a little cloudy, but not bad enough to totally eliminate visability...also lots of tiny bubbles in the water.

It is hard to tell if the cloudiness is from bubbles in the water that are being released from the Protein skimmer (there obviously would be no foam produced yet) or if they are from the powerheads recirculating the bubbles from new water, or the addition of the pH buffer is causing a Ca precipitate.

pH 8.3
Ammon 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
KH 10
GH Could not test...maybe old kit...added 30 drops and no change in color
No Chlorine or Chloramine in the water
Temp 78 F

Tap water pH 7.6

My decision is to place LS and LR and see if things clear as the system starts to filter and cycle and water changes with LFS RO water.

My LFS sells RO water but I didn't want to transport 55 gallons to initially fill the tank.

Let me hear some opinions.
 
Testing for calcium may help--under certain circumstances, calcium can precipitate out--but it usually doesn't stay floating in the water column. I'd suspect either dust from the substrate, or a bacterial bloom from something in the water column or introduced with the substrate.
 
First- welcome to Aquaria Central!!

I used a TBS "package" in my reef tank and have been exceedingly happy- I am sure you will be too.

I have a couple of questions- is the tank empty of everything, or do you have a substrate in there? As you said you are picking it up tomorrow, I am unclear- but since Oriongirl alluded to the presence of a substrate I just want to make sure...

Has the water been circulating in the aquarium for two weeks, or was it sitting somewhere else without circulation?

Was the water clear before you put in the buffer?
Usually Instant Ocean salt mix is OK initially- the buffer shouldn't really have been needed.
Was the water clear before you hooked up the skimmer?

All in all I suspect things will be fine once you add the first half of your package.
 
No substrate in yet...just the water, IO, and pH buffer circulating.

No known lifeforms...I decided not to cycle with cocktail shrimp since most feedback I have read about TBS LS/LR is its so fresh there isn't much Ammon spikes during the cycle...and after the initial cycle they send the second half of the package.

Any other thoughts?
 
Water was mixed in the tank and circulated for 2 weeks.

I thought the protein skimmer producing the bubbles may have been the culprit so I turned off the circulation for 24 hours but it did not change anything.
 
Hmmm...I wasn't sure there was substrate in either, but it was a guess. :) If you turn all the circulation off, bubbles will start to rise, and collect on the sides of the tank. It could be micro-bubbles, and they can be very slow to clear if there is still water movement. Next best option--pull some water out into a clear glass, then hold it over something white and something black--see if there's any color to the haze.
 
Probably just some sort of slight bacterial bloom from a molecule of something left in the tank from its freshwater days. With two weeks to grow I wouldn't be surprised- even a smidge of crud could decay and grow bacteria in that amount of time.

I still think things will be fine once your first half gets here.
I had next to no cycle with mine, and it has been endlessly fascinating ever since.
 
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