CLOUDY WATER

Hi, I recently got into the hobby. I got a 75gal tank from a friend and washed it w/ tap water, drained it, and added deionized water. The water seemed cloudy when I put the lights on so I called my LFS and he said that I should run the filter for awhile and not to add a clarifier. I have been running the overflow for several days now and the water is still coudy. there is really any airbubbles or particles that I can see just like a haze. When I look at the tank from the bottom looking up toward the light it seems to be like a thin cloud of smoke. Also I have nothing living in the tank as of yet. Does anyone know what this is and how I can get the water to be crystal clear .

 

Do you have something to clean the inside of the glass, it mite be a film that has formed on it. From your post you do not have any substrate in the tank, if you do you may need to put in a carbon filter for a few days to polish up the water.

 

I dont have substrate in the tank yet. Ill try to clean the inside of the glass when I get home from work but I think it has something to due w/ the water

 

That's pretty weird.
Try polishing the water with a bag of carbon or a poly filter, or just some filter floss somewhere.

 

I agree its weird im kind of worried about it because there is no fish in the tank. I would expect some cloudiness from bacteria if there were fish in the tank but I cant find any info on the web about cloudy water other than bacteria bloom when you add fish. Also, now that I think about it im sure its not the glass because when i open the canopy and look down on the water i still see the cloudiness.

 

Well polishing it will probably do it, but did you do any research to see if your tap water is safe for a reef tank?

 

im going to try a polyfilter today i hope that works thank you matt

 

I was on a web site that said:
"If washing the gravel doesn't solve the problem, the next most likely cause of cloudy water in a newly filled tank is a high level of dissolved constituents such as phosphates, silicates, or heavy metals.  If you test the water, you'll no doubt find the pH is high (alkaline).  In these cases, treating the water with conditioners will often resolve the problem."  
Hope this helps

 

I hope you are not using gravel in the tank.
A picture would help.
What salt did you use?
Are you adding calcium everyday? Just what are you adding to the tank?
Live rock in the tank?
Do you have a sump or are you using a hang on filter?

 

Hey Mike-

I had this problem when I first set up my tank also. But I used "tap" water, and I believe you said you used "deionized" water (good choice). I ran some carbon for a couple of weeks, helped some. Then I tried Chemi-pure, worked much better. I also purchased a Magnum 350 canister filter, that thing REALLY polished my water! I don't use the Magnum all of the time, just when the water is a little cloudy (after a water change/sand syphoning), and things are "stirred" up a bit.

CowboyUp [smiley=cowboy.gif]