HELP I think I messed up

[waterdogg]

Ok last night I set up my first SW tank. Don't ask me what I was thinking but I added the sand without washing it. I don't know why I did this I have never done this on FW tanks with gravel and I even was wash the sand before I add it to my sons sand box. I think I had an major brain fart. Well now I have cloudy water (to be expected) but I also have white foam on the top of the water and a layer on the sand. What can I do to get ride of this foam without emptying the water. Please any suggestions.

 

[menschenjaeger]

Let the tank run several days with a LOAD of fresh carbon in the filter, and adjust your filtration so that the suface film is well agitated.

 

[fredso2003]

Are you circulating the water,Is there aeration,IE: Powerhead,airstone,filter?? try any of these and it should help and carbon..No need for a skimmer yet,Live rock should be next.I hope this help's...

 

[Anonymous]

Many people don't wash the sand with the assumptions that the fine particles increase the surface area/filtering aspect of the sandbed.

I wouldn't worry too much. The best thing to do is let it settle by not agitating the water too much for a while. Its too fine for most filters, although a diatom filter will get it out.

Dunno really how much affect carbon will have.

 

[J.Howard]

Been there...done that too. Try and keep the water surface skimmed by overflow or surface agitation as mentioned. It will take a few days for it to really settle and clear. Do you have a canister filter or even a hang on from your FW supplies? If so, throw one on to help clear faster. If you are going to add LR, no reason not to do it now, esp. if it's uncured.

 

[waterdogg]

Ok I added the charcoal and it started to clear up, that's when I noticed there was about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of foam on top of the sand. I put the power filter lower to hit the surface of the sand to blow the foam off the sand surface. I hope this was right.

 

[fishfanatic2]

It should be fine, dont panic if it doesnt settle for a few days. However after the foam is gone mkake sure to bring the filter back up, ohtherwise itll never settle.

 

[ufans]

Ahhh... I definitely learned that one the hard way as well. But, I was too impatient to wait for the sedement to settle so I just pumped out the water and started over.

It isn't the end of the world and the driving factor on what you should do depends on how patient you are and how important it is to save the money for the extra water & salt.

 

[waterdogg]

Ok it been about a week now and the water is starting to clear up. I have the charcoal in and that seems to be working. But I still have a layer of foam on the top of my DSB. Should I keep but power head back on the bottom to mix it up or should I just leave it alone and let it filter. Will that layer of foam go away if I just leave it or should I empty the water and start over by cleaning the sand and adding new water.

 

[ufans]

I would try to net out the foam as best you can. You could also try to just use a water pump and get the top inch or so of water out of the tank. If you hold the hose near the top the foam should be sucked down with the water. You will also have to use a CLEAN VIRGIN towel to wipe down the top inside part of the were the foam was because it leaves a residue that will just produce more foam once the water rises again.

You are definitely a patient one! No way could I wait that long just watching water get clearer. Especially considering that salt isn't that expensive.

 

[waterdogg]

Thanks for the tips. I don't have foam on top of the water anymore it's just on the top of the sand bed. As for being patient I'm not just really busy with other projects that need to be completed by easter. Its killing me to see such a mess that could have been avoided if i didn't have a brain fart. If it's not clear by Monday I will try to suck it out with a hose if that doesn't work then I will start over.

 

[Anonymous]

Foam on top of the sand, and under the water? You mean foam made of bubbles? Not sure I'm picturing that right...

Do you have live rock in the tank, or is it just a tank with sand and water? If its just sand and water not much is going to happen, you need some biological processes.

I think carbon just removes dissolved compounds, not particles. I think the water would be clearing whether you had it or not.

 

[waterdogg]

I have just sand and water. No LR. I will be doing FO. I have been putting in BIOZIME to start the cycle. I will try to explain what I have. On top of the sand there is a creamy substance that I been calling foam. I can see from the side of the tank a defined line between the sand and this substance. If I disrupte the subtance it clouds the tank and then settles back on the bottom.

 

[ChrisRD]

I agree with Dan about the carbon - if it's doing anything it might be acting as a mechanical filter. It's not going to do much in the way of removing suspended particulates (beyond whatever gets physically trapped in it).

It sounds like the sand you added has a lot of fines in it so the stuff you're seeing on top of the bed is a fine silt. Once the fine particles get well coated with bacteria they'll start to stick together and won't be as easy to disturb. The same will happen with the currently suspended particles (thus the cloudy water) and eventually they'll settle out. This process takes time.

The other option is to just syphon the silt off the bottom and discard it. Some folks feel these ultra fine particles are beneficial to the functioning of a live sand bed, but personally I'd just syphon it out...

 

[waterdogg]

Ok, my water is now clear but still have that silt on top of my DSB. How do can I siphon this out. I tried to use 1/4 inch tube but this seems to take a long time. Anyone have other suggestions.

 

[waterdogg]

^^^

 

[silly34]

Ok, my water is now clear but still have that silt on top of my DSB. How do can I siphon this out. I tried to use 1/4 inch tube but this seems to take a long time. Anyone have other suggestions.

Use a bigger hose. :wink:


B.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Chris,

"Once the fine particles get well coated with bacteria they'll start to stick together and won't be as easy to disturb."

'Never knew why my sand was "clumpy" even though when I originally added it, it was very granular. Sometimes when my nassarius snails plow through it, they make "strings". Prolly from the same thing? Makes sense though.

~wings~