I recently set up a new tank, and after putting in the live sand and salt water it's very cloudy. Much more than my previous tank.
Are there any tricks to getting it to clear up faster? Also should my filter be left on or off?
2007-07-23 12:36:43 · 6 answers · asked by I-Love-GM 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
Leave the filter on as it will help clear the water and will also keep the live sand alive. I would say do nothing to "help" it clear and just allow it to naturally clear for the best and safest results. I would also say "fast" and "new saltwater tank" are things that don't go together at all. Patience, not speed, it the very, very best consideration with a new tank be it fresh or saltwater.
MM
2007-07-23 12:57:23 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Cloudy water is one of two things.
If the water is green then it is an algae bloom. Algae blooms are caused by too much light and too many nutrients in the water. They are relatively easily cleared up by reducing the lighting, especially direct sunlight, and by lower the nutrients in the water. Reducing the lighting is easy. Simply shut off the light on the tank and only run it for 8-10 hours a day. You should also ensure that your tank isn't getting any direct sunlight as this will cause you algae problems, either as a green bloom or simply algae on the tank and ornaments. You lower the nutrients by doing more frequent and larger water changes and by feeding less. Fish should be fed only what they can eat entirely in 5-10 seconds. Any uneaten food should be netted out of the tank to prevent it from breaking down.
If the water is white then it is a bacterial bloom. These are caused exclusively by too many nutrients in the tank. To clear the water you will need to increase the frequency and size of your water changes, and decrease the feeding. Fish should be fed only what they can eat entirely in 5-10 seconds. Any uneaten food should be netted out of the tank to prevent it from breaking down.
Neither cloudy water situation is particularly harmful to your fish but are a symptom of a greater underlying problem that must be resolved.
One way to clear the cloudy water immediately is through the use of a micron or diatom filter. This will pull out the particles that cause the cloudiness, but it WILL NOT resolve the problem that caused the particles to be there. This is a short term fix and needs to be used in conjuction with the above fixes.
2007-07-23 22:49:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Put the filter on and it should be left on 24=7
2007-07-23 19:58:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
filter on.
there is one chemical out there that will make the water super clear. i cant remember the name right off the bat, but it is in alittle sqirt bottle and is redish color.
the filter must be on and i added this, it turned my tank super clear.
2007-07-23 19:39:58 · answer #4 · answered by Coral Reef Forum 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
filter on........it should get cloudy and only last for about three days and then it will be clear again
2007-07-23 19:39:36 · answer #5 · answered by Jason F 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
just have patiance. turn the filter on and leave it on, let the tank cycle naturaly if you rush the cycleing process it will only make things worse. just let it do its thing for a week.
2007-07-23 22:04:55 · answer #6 · answered by Alex C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋