New tank - sand still clearing?

I made a post about this in the New to the Hobby forum about a week ago but I need some more info here.

I started up a new 90 Gal last Friday. Added the Sand, after washing it even the tanks water was super murky. I expected it to settle within a few days, Its clear a lot in 7 days but its still quite murky I think. Take a look:







This is on day 7 of the sand settling. The powerhead isnt on either. Do I just need to keep waiting I really didnt think it would take this long. The other worry I have is if I am letting this settle out to the bottom, when I turn on my power head, plus the two others I want to put in is it just going to stir it all back up again?

I really need to get my live rock in to this tank and out of my old one so Im hoping to clear this up soon.

 

are you filtering?

 

Do you have any water movement at all? What filtration, sump, fuge are you planning??

M

 

I haven't been moving the water at all. No filter right now. I plan on using a good HOB skimmer that I can get. No sump as the tank isnt drilled, I cant drill it since its not mine and I dont want a HOB over flow, so Im not using a sump.

Here are my plans:


My Equipment is and will be:

1.) 90 gallon tank
2.) Two Actinic T5 bulbs in a 4 ft housing
3.) 1 x MH 250 W main light. I can use this for now and centre it, then when I accumulate more corals I can upgrade.
4.) 3 x 1200 GPH Hydor Koralia #4 power heads
5.) About an inch of sand
6.) Two Heaters
7.) Right now about 80 pounds of Live Rock.
8.) Need a Protien Skimmer

I plan on running this tank sumpless as I mentioned and without a canister. With a decent protien skimmer and flow I should be ok as long as I keep to decent water changes and dont over stock the tank I figure.


Could I add salt now, and then the live rock in a day or two with the water still being slightly murky? Will the live rock be alright?

 

Oh and I am using a Filter Guys Reef RO/DI unit, which I should add you shouldn't forget when its running because it will overfill your 20g rubbermaid can and flood your laundry room

 

id get a hob filter if it was me

 

I feel like I should be able to do ok without a HOB filter and just a protien skimmer when I get some stock. That said for now I just took an old Pengiun 330 HOB I had used for a chiclid tank 3-4 years ago, stuck 2 new filters in to it and put it on the tank. I turned the power head on as well and well see if that helps to clear the tank a bit.

 

i bet that will clear it up fast just clean the filters every few hours

 

i realize this is a long shot since you have only added sand (and my experience is limited)...but it's not calcium precipatating out of the water column, right?

i only bring it up b/c i recently saw this set up with a newly installed tank...so i figured worth mentioning.

 

No shouldn't be. So far I filled up the 90 Gall tank with RO water. Added washed sand, or what I thought I had washed enough. Then it was cloudy, it cleared a bit bit not enough to my liking thats for sure. I know that stuff is sitting on the bottom though.

I just hooked up this old HOB filter and stirred the sand a bit too. Hopefully it clears it up.

My worry is when I put the live rock in, and put in my 2 other Koralia #4's am I going to just have a cloudy tank again, Im hoping not.