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- Nov 17, 2013
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I am setting up a new 36 gallon saltwater tank. I also have an established 55 gallon saltwater tank. I bought 10 pounds of fine gravel and 20 pounds of live sand. Last night I filled up the tank 1/3 of the way and added the gravel. The water became very cloudy. I thought it was just because the gravel as unsettled. I filled up the tank the rest of the way added the salt, conditioner, and turned the filter on. I decided I would wait for it to clear up before putting in the live sand. I looked before I went to bed and it was still very cloudy. I couldn't even see the back of the tank. When I got up this morning nothing had changed. I realized that I hadn't rinsed the gravel so I emptied the tank, scooped out the gravel, put the gravel into a bucket and rinsed it for well over 30 minutes before the water became clear. I then hosed out the tank and cleaned it. Then I filled the tank 1/3 of the way up again and added the rinsed gravel. At this point the water was a little cloudy but nothing compared to what it had been. After this I added the 20 pounds of live sand and filled the tank the rest of the way up. The tank has again become very cloudy, almost as bad as the night before. In the bag of live sand came a little pouch of water clearer or something and I added that. I did not add the salt in case I have to drain the tank again. Does anyone know why it is so cloudy? I didn't have this problem when I set up my 55 gallon. Should I put the filter on or wait to see if it settles down and clears? ~Thanks in advance.