When moving live rock does your water get cloudy?

[porksoda]

Well i rearanged my tank today and it got really cloudy. I was wondering if that is normal for moving liverock around? I also put 5 gallons of water in too and it is still cloudy. Will it just settle down later? Also i am still new to reefing and i havent done any water changes cuz i really dont know what to do so if anybody can teach me how to do it and how much to take out that would be great! thanks,

Porksoda!

 

[james734]

It can a little since you stirred up a bunch of stuff. Did you get the the white stuff off the rocks that you questioned in your other thread? If not this is more than like what was released when you the moved the rocks around.

 

[porksoda]

It can a little since you stirred up a bunch of stuff. Did you get the the white stuff off the rocks that you questioned in your other thread? If not this is more than like what was released when you the moved the rocks around.

Yeah i got most of it off. I used a turkey baster and i shot it with power heads. My filter picked it up when i mad it float everywhere. But it is handled. I am also killing those dang ananomes that i had i am using boiling water in a sering to kill them it works quite well. lol. Just a quick question? What should my salinity be at? I just put water in my tank and it is at 1.028 and i think that is too much but i am not sure. Can anyone let me know what it should be at? Thanks

 

[spectra]

1.023 on the salt

 

[james734]

That's a little high, Typically most like it around 1.023 to 1.026. So yeah, you're a little high. Just remove some water and replace it with RO/DI water only. This should get it lowered down to where you need it. BTW: what are you using to check salinity? The old basic swing hydrometer or a refractometer. The basic swing gauges can be little off.

 

[porksoda]

That's a little high, Typically most like it around 1.023 to 1.026. So yeah, you're a little high. Just remove some water and replace it with RO/DI water only. This should get it lowered down to where you need it. BTW: what are you using to check salinity? The old basic swing hydrometer or a refractometer. The basic swing gauges can be little off.

yeah i am using the swing gauge. I dont have RO/DI water. Where do i get that? I live in a smaller town and i am not sure i i can get it here. There is about 1inch of space i left where there is no water on the top of my tank before the water touches the black part. Do you think if i put more water in it will lower it? How manny gallons do u think will lower it?

 

[james734]

RO= Reverse Osmosis
DI= de-ionized

If you don't have this then distilled water will work also. This can be bought a grocery store. How much to replace all depends on the size of tank. I doubt you could lower the salinity enough by just filling up the remain space. Plus you'll need to take into account as water evaps the salt remains in the water.
Causing the salinity to then rise again. So I think the best method would be to remove some existing water and replace it with fresh water.

Since you don't have RO/DI water then are you just using tap water? Be ware this is not the best and can often lead to algae out breaks etc. since tap water will have a high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids). A reef tank requires the purist water possible that we can achieve in a cost affect way. IE: The reason most of use RO/DI water filters. If you don't have one then you might want to look into trying to get one. This allows you to make container full of filtered water for Top off and Water changes.

Here's a couple links to some pretty good RO/DI units

http://www.filterdirect.com
http://www.thefilterguys.biz/ro_di_systems.htm

HTH

 

[porksoda]

I have a 55 gallon tank just to let you know. So how much do u think i should be able to take out and put in?

 

[porksoda]

ok well it was really cloudy last night when i rearanged the rock but i was thinking it would settle by morning but it is cloudy still not as cloudy as last night but cloudy still. Will it eventually settle? should i do a water change? if so how much should i take out. I have a 55 gallon tank. I am not runing a sump or skimmer. I would like to run thoughs soon tho. Well thanks.

 

[james734]

I would do a WC to help get it cleared up. Looks like you stirred up some detritus. Not sure how much fresh SW you can mix up, but I'd try to do a 15-20g. Of course make sure the water temp matches, buffered etc.

No skimmer??? That would be the first thing I'd look into getting as soon as possible. This is probably one of the most important piece of equipment to have. I've heard of other successfully running tanks with out them but they have very good husbandry with water changes and a very effect refug.

 

[porksoda]

I would do a WC to help get it cleared up. Looks like you stirred up some detritus. Not sure how much fresh SW you can mix up, but I'd try to do a 15-20g. Of course make sure the water temp matches, buffered etc.

No skimmer??? That would be the first thing I'd look into getting as soon as possible. This is probably one of the most important piece of equipment to have. I've heard of other successfully running tanks with out them but they have very good husbandry with water changes and a very effect refug.

I am running low on salt but ill try to do as much as i can do for now. How much salt would u recommend for me to mix in a 1 gallon bucket? I have been putting 2 1/2 cups of salt in 5 gallons of water. Is that ok? I just read the back of the bag.

 

[james734]

Depends on the salt. With IO (Instant Ocean) I typically mix it 1/2 cup for each gallon. Which usually puts my SG at 1.025.

 

[porksoda]

Depends on the salt. With IO (Instant Ocean) I typically mix it 1/2 cup for each gallon. Which usually puts my SG at 1.025.

Yeah i used instant ocean salt. My salinity is at 1.026 so should mix in just a little bit less salt? I am sorry for asking so many questions. Thank you so much for helping me james your the only one actually helping me.

 

[james734]

I'd mix a little light on the salt. Maybe do 5g with 4-1/2 cups of salt. Let it mix for a while. Test and add some more salt. I'd think if you targeted some where around 1.024 it would help reduce the existing high SG level some and get you to right about where you need it.

FYI: Make sure you let the salt mix all the way. The best way to do it use a power head in the bucket and let it mix for a min 24 hrs before using. Typically I make up my salt water 48 hours before I do a WC.

No problem on the helping thing. That's what this forum is all about.

Edit: make 5g of water but use enough salt to make 4. So that would be (4) 1/2 cups of salt using IO. Just wanted to make sure above made sense.

 

[porksoda]

I'd mix a little light on the salt. Maybe do 5g with 4-1/2 cups of salt. Let it mix for a while. Test and add some more salt. I'd think if you targeted some where around 1.024 it would help reduce the existing high SG level some and get you to right about where you need it.

FYI: Make sure you let the salt mix all the way. The best way to do it use a power head in the bucket and let it mix for a min 24 hrs before using. Typically I make up my salt water 48 hours before I do a WC.

No problem on the helping thing. That's what this forum is all about.

Edit: make 5g of water but use enough salt to make 4. So that would be (4) 1/2 cups of salt using IO. Just wanted to make sure above made sense.

4 1/2 cup? isnt that to much? or no? I always mix 2 1/2 cups. Jw.

 

[james734]

4 1/2 cup? isnt that to much? or no? I always mix 2 1/2 cups. Jw.

First how much water are you going to make? My example was if you where going to make 5 gallons. 5 gallons would require 5x1/2 cups of salt to get around 1.025. So I was suggesting using 4x1/2 cups instead, then test, add more if required. Or another way to say I guess is use 4 scopes of a 1/2 cup of salt for 5 gallons of water.

I know the way I posted it earlier might be a little confusing.

Does that make any more senses?

 

[Jim Hart]

1/2 cup per gallon.

 

[porksoda]

First how much water are you going to make? My example was if you where going to make 5 gallons. 5 gallons would require 5x1/2 cups of salt to get around 1.025. So I was suggesting using 4x1/2 cups instead, then test, add more if required. Or another way to say I guess is use 4 scopes of a 1/2 cup of salt for 5 gallons of water.

I know the way I posted it earlier might be a little confusing.

Does that make any more senses?

Ok now i understand. I just read it wrong. lol. Do u think if i take out 10 gallons and put 10 gallons of new water in would that be fine for a waterchange?

 

[james734]

yeah, that should be fine.. that would about 20%.

 

[porksoda]

yeah, that should be fine.. that would about 20%.

ok cool cool Thanks alot for your help. Ill post how everything goes when i do it. Probably 2marow it will be done ill make the water now. JW Do u know of any good skimmers at an affordable price. I dont have alot of money to spend on a skimmer. Or is there any DIY skimmers? I look at them but i really dont know what to look in to in a skimmer. Thanks alot man.