Cloudy Cycle (3 Weeks)

Probably a lot of suspended matter. A little tip to you and readers. I use filter socks which always bails me out but . . . . . . In the past I had same issue and went and bought myself a $20 hang on back power filter with felt/carbon filter pads. They trap the particle and the carbon polishes the water making it clear in a day or less. You can then disconnect filter and rinse out pad for future use.
 
I used the same sand in my January build. It had an absurd amount of silt in it. Used the packets, and then bought a bottle of BioMagnet that is sold by....wait for it... CaribSea!

I stuffed socks with floss, I put floss EVERYWHERE. I stirred the sand up until my arms fell off. I had my return pumps, gyres,MP40s etc all turned up to 11. It took two full days, but stirring up my bed produces no more silt.

Oh, similar to @vetteguy53081 I also ran a marineland canister filter/polisher.

Point is: keep the silt suspended in the water and filter it out.
 
Marinland makes a small in tank canister filter. It comes with a pleated micron filter. Would clear that up in an hour or two! I use every time I set up a tank. It costs about 50$
 
I purchased an AquaClear 50 yesterday, which is rated for 20-50 gallons. My tank holds 20 gallons, so it should be more then enough. I ran it overnight, and the cloudiness doesn’t look any better. The filter has carbon and filter floss in it. I think I’m going to order some BioMagnet to see if that helps bind everything so the filter can catch it more easily. I think the particles are just too small to get trapped in the floss.
 
I’ve been running carbon and filter floss for 5 days now, and I’ve also used Caribsea’s BioMagnet for the past 4 days. However, the water is still just as cloudy, if not a little less so. When I shine a bright LED flashlight through the side, it’s very apparent that there is something suspended. It’s likely silt, but I can’t find a resolution to this issue. Nothing seems to be putting a dent into it.

Should I drain all of the water, clean the sand, and then add new, fresh saltwater? I’m at a loss right now.
 
I ended up draining the water, removing the sand, and painting the bottom of the tank white. I used Caribsea’s BioMagnet for a few days now, but it hasn’t made a dent in the cloudiness.
 
Well, I installed the probes for the Apex, and I put a heater and a VorTech back on the tank yesterday. I filled it with RO/DI water to let it start getting back up to my desired temperature. I woke up this morning to plans of adding salt, but the water is cloudy. Again. I don’t know what to do.

Does it make sense that it’s bacterial? It’s clearly not the sand because there is no sand in the tank anymore.

How can I get rid of this cloudiness that seems to be persistent? Wait it out? I tried that, but it didn’t go away after three weeks, which is why I tore the sand out (thinking it was the cause). There is nothing in the tank except for the probes, a VorTech, the return pump, a heater, and some new filter floss.
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

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  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%

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