New tank+Dry Rock=Cloudy Water???

[kazikage42]

Hi, this the first tank I've used dry rock, specifically caribsea base rock. 3 weeks in the tank cycle and tank has been mostly cloudy. I'm already having diatoms. Skimmer and carbon is running yet still cloudy. My past tanks I used live rock and the reef ready dry rock and did not have this cloudy water issue. Should I just wait it out or is there something else I should do?

 

[Jisko]

did you cure the rock? have you tested the water?

 

[theMerchant]

Did you rinse your rock and sand before putting it in?
Im currently cycling a 150g and used dry rock and sand from Marco rocks. I did have to rinse the sand really well.

 

[kazikage42]

I didn't cure it. I rinsed the rock but not sand since I haven't had problems before

 

[Jisko]

rinsing the sand is almost a must. I used giant buckets with thick rubber gloves to stir it as i poured RODI water into the bucket non stop... took about 30 minutes and it still gets cloudy if the sand bed is messed with :\ believe me there is a lot in that sand... just wait till you get a goby

 

[kazikage42]

But I wonder why my not rinsing my sand now is causing cloudy water now and not before??? Kinda weird.

 

[Jisko]

idk

have you tested your water? and are you putting anything in the water?

 

[kazikage42]

Yes

Cal-480
Alk-7-8
Mag-1500ish
No3-barely detectable so I turned off skimmer
Po4-.02 last checked

Only have a few fish I transfer over

 

[baktabiznis]

Its normal. All of my past systems were started with dry sand and dry rock. I always have slightly cloudy water the first couple weeks during the initial cycle. I don't run my skimmer, or anything during my cycle though. After the cycle is complete and you do a large water change you will be good to go. I'm actually using CaribSea life rock, which I did a quick rinse in RO/DI and reef flakes sand which went directly into the system (no rinsing).