# unclear water



## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

I just set up my tank and was unsure about the clarity of the water. It's kinda clear, i can see my rocks and stuff, but it's cloudy. I think that it could partially be the sand that was stirred up. Is there anything that i can do? Also, i have a marineland hydrometer and im not sure if it is working. It says that the water is at about 1.025 s.g. Then i tested the pH of the water with a test kit and it said that the pH was much lower like 7.6. Is there any relationship between the two?


----------



## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

How long has your tank been set up?? If its not cycled yet, that could be part of the reason for cloudy water. It could also be from the sand if it hasnt had time to settle.. Did you rinse the sand really, really well?? 

Im not sure what s.g means so I cant help you on that


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

s.g. Specific gravity? normal water at stp = 1.0. Impurities in the water (including salt) raise sg. pH measures concentration of H+, -acidity of water. pH is more stable when there are buffers in the water and they raise sg, but you should treat them as independant and watch them separately. Give the tank a week for the sand to settle before you try anything to remove cloudiness.


----------



## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

i dont think the low ph is much of an issue, if the s.g. is correct, give the ph time to raise, what kinda water did you use to fill it? tap? what kind of rocks and sand do you have in the tank?


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

also which brand of salt did you use? substraight? (argonite? calcicite? silica?) 
Yes the cloudy water is most likely from particles of sand floating in the water column, if you have a skimmer, start that up and it'll start clearing up, or a simple HOB filter could do the trick too


----------



## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

i got my water from my LFS and it was straight from the ocean. I am cycling the tank right now, but the tank is crystal clear, i guess it was just that i didnt have my filtration going. i heard that you can cycle with clownfish, cause they are a type of damsel, is this true? Also, i bought this stuff called, Cycle, which is supposed to shorten the cycle process somewhat and create less stress upon fish tell me what you think.


----------



## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

do you have live rocks in the tank? or just decor rock? i wouldnt cycle with clowns, im not sure, but i dont think they are any type of damsel, either way, cycling usually kills fish... if you have live rock, put that in there and let it cycle by itself...


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

clowns are anemone fish which include damsels. However, cycling with fish is a primative method in which you need to understand that the clownfish are expendible. They can die during your cycle. I would highly suggest taking the cycle back, it's nothing but the wrong bacteria, and I'd just use a bit of liverock or livesand to cycle your tank, much less hassle than cycling with fish and you don't waste $15 on a clown fish that's going to die.


----------



## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

i have the live rock and live sand, and in addition i bought the clownfish, because i thought with the Cycle product, which is supposed to reduce fish stress and shorten the cycle with beneficial bacteria for the filters, it would not harm them.


----------



## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

well... your wrong, clownfish stress easy, if you just put the rock and the sand in, it will cycle all by itself, but now its gonna cycle and your probably gonna be fighting ich, or killing your clown. if you can take it back, do. do you have test kits? the live rock and sand should cycle the tank in a couple weeks, and the cycle stuff is useless, take it back too. it wont help.


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

again, cycle uses the WRONG bacteria and won't shorten the cycle, it may even hinder the cycle. The only reason it is even on the market is because people keep buying it. Again, you still have to consider the clownfish expendible. It may die or get sick during the cycle with livesand and liverock (which will quickly cycle the tank in a week and a half or so).


----------



## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

Thanks i appreciate everything! Also, i bought amquel+. I add this after the cycle is done right?


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Actually, it's best use is as an emergency crutch to save your fish when the cycle goes wrong. Using it will stop your cycle in it's tracks, though.

Your lfs, if it's selling ocean water, apparently didn't bother to filter that water before use. The stuff in it all died, dropping the pH down from 8.3 to 7.6. 
7.6 is wholly unacceptable. Salt mix has buffering chemicals in it which set the ph up to the correct 8.3 & help keep it there over time. pH doesn't often rise on it's own, and in fact very commonly drops, so starting at 7.6 is a very bad idea if it's only going to drop lower.

Clownfish are not good fish for tank cycling. They aren't tough like the other damsels.

If you can find either some "BioSpira" or "Stability," get some and use it instead of that lame Cycle. Those two can have your tank finished in under a week.


----------

