new tank, white cloud

[kaskiles]

Hi,

I'm setting up a new 45 gallon tank, and I have a slight white cloud visible.

Put together simple flex and regular PVC plumbing to a small ecosystem sump, let the blue PVC glue set 24 hours.

Rinsed entire system and leaked checked with tap water, then added about a cup of baking soda. Let run a week. Drained tank, no rinse (assuming baking soda residue).

All RO water from an old Sandpoint RO (no DI) system, the filters should be good (based on amount of water already put through it) but it was stored used and dry for about 10 years.

Added the 25 gallon sized box of Instant Ocean, this box was purchased about 3 years ago. Tank is still empty besides water, no substrate. Was added slowly to moving water, but noticed some salt not dissolving and falling to tank floor. Probably 2 tablespoons of white granules sitting on tank bottom. There is a slight white cloud, haze at this point. Bought new box of Instant Ocean, added it and didn't notice any problem with it dissolving.

The tank was running as is (no substrate, rock, nothing alive) for 2 weeks; still the white cloud / haze. It isn't drastic, but definitely not a normal clear water.

Anyway, specific gravity is reading 1.025 on a Milwaukee ATC refractometer right now.

Has anyone else had this same sort of thing from just salt? I'm assuming it's from old, undissolved Instant Ocean. Or maybe the baking soda residue (or this cause the salt to not dissolve fully).

Should I try to polish the flocculent out with a pleated cartridge type thing, or just wait. Or go ahead and add some rock & sand, and wait for a cycle?

Thanks.

 

[mr_X]

why did you add baking soda?
i would just run some carbon. that should polish it up.

 

[extremepb319]

I would say its because of the old salt added. When I let my IO sit too long when I use it the salt does not dissolve right and stays suspended in water. Did you mix the salt in water that is around 80 degrees? And can you see salt floating around?

 

[mr_X]

i'm not 100% sure, but i don't think salt ever changes. old, new, i think it stays the same.

 

[kaskiles]

Oh, I added the baking soda to the tap water I was doing the initial leak check / rinse out with. I drained that water before starting with the real RO and salt (I just didn't do a clean water rinse before doing so). So I assume there would be some left over baking soda in the water that's in there now.

I did add the salt (old and new) to moving water at approximately 80 F, I scooped it in about 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time. I don't see large salt crystals suspended in the water, but instead very fine white particles. Like something precipitated out and is just so small and light that it's caught in suspension.

 

[extremepb319]

i'm not 100% sure, but i don't think salt ever changes. old, new, i think it stays the same.

Img oing to have to disagree, no offense, but I have had other experience. but that is just my opinion. When I mix my old salt I see a ton of precipitate.

But this is only my opinion from my experience.

So i will venture to say it is probably salt or leftover baking soda. Try running carbon like X said.

 

[keegoaz]

dont worry about the cloud it should go away after a while its just a large part of the backteria that forms your bio filtration some gets lose when the tank is started and it will cause a bloom of the backteria dont worry the backteria will starv themselfs then the cloud will dissapeer

 

[kaskiles]

Just an update on this. I had decided to go the activated carbon route, but I figured I'd wait until the carbon had more work to do.

I added a 13 lb marco rock (one of those once been alive tonga shelf pieces) and then another 11 lbs of live rock from a local fish store (5.5 lbs tonga branch bars and another 5.5 fiji piece).

The cloud immediately turned a brownish / yellow shade, but now after a few days the cloud part seems to have disappeared. I now just have a distinct yellow tint to my water (yay), which I'm pretty sure the carbon will clean up (if necessary).

Thanks!