Every Rookie Mistake In The Book

[Heywooood]

Setting up the new tank last night, all the best made plans went straight to hell.
Brought over some substrate and water from my old system, had 5g buckets ready to go. So far so good.
Mistake 1. FORGOT to rinse the aragonite in my excitement.
Mistake 2. Added new marco rock un-rinsed.
Mistake 3. Had nowhere near enough water on hand to keep 2 tanks running
Thanks to everyone who helped or offered to help with water, I was mad scrambling last night like a fool.
So now I have 2 tanks running, my old cube doing ok, minus a little substrate, and the new system filtering through a cloudy mess. I have a skimmer on it, the built-in filtration and a bag of rowaphos. Over night the water became very clear, but cleaning the filters churned up a fair amount of mess and it's all cloudy again.
Question is, would it be best to empty out the new tank, remove everything, rinse and start over? Or is this salvageable? The plan was to take enough out of the old system to have this up and running quickly, but with all of the aragonite dust I just wonder if it's best to reboot this process?

 

[bart84]

Not perferred practice but should clear up with a filter sock and some floss.

 

[averhoog]

I would think that if you vaccum out the gravel a few time and run everything through a filter sock for a wile you should be able to get it cleaned up

 

[barebottomcouple]

personally I would keep stirring substrate and let filters catch detritus most would be removed before cycling is complete.

 

[EricTMah]

personally I would keep stirring substrate and let filters catch detritus most would be removed before cycling is complete.

X2

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[Heywooood]

ok thanks, I can probably rig up some socks in the standard filter caddies, the sponges are too porous for the fine dust anyway.

 

[theyangman]

If the tank is small and you can tear it down easily I'd give everything a good rinse.

Aragonite has a TON of dust and so does dry marco rock. You'd be filtering that through socks for days to get it all not to mention how much stirring you'd have to constantly do because it just settles back on the bottom.

 

[heath]

Hey you don't have the title of "making every mistake possible" I used to hold that title but, on the flip side you are at a place to get the best info and help, The Frag Tank..

 

[KBennett]

Or you could just do nothing - try not to disturb it. Eventually bacteria will populate and hold everything together...

 

[Heywooood]

It's only 30G, and with rock and substrate displacement it's more like 27G. I'm tempted to empty and restart, it just means I'll be bugging more of you fine folks for water.

 

[averhoog]

don't worry ken got lots of water here for you LOL

 

[reeferkeeper420]

If its only a 30g id just start over.. not a huge job really comparing to a 75g ++ lol.

 

[theyangman]

If you want to come out to my place, I can make a batch for you to fill your tank again once it is ready. You just need a way to get 30 gallons home. lol.

 

[Heywooood]

If you want to come out to my place, I can make a batch for you to fill your tank again once it is ready. You just need a way to get 30 gallons home. lol.

Thanks, honestly everyone here has been so awesome in offering assistance with this, and just in general really....thanks for introducing me to TFT.
I'll see what it looks like when I get home...

 

[theyangman]

No problem man. It's not only a hobby but it's the community. We all need help in one way or another and if it is something as easy as making some water then hey, I'm all game to lend a helping hand. I just don't like helping when it comes to moving big tanks. That's no fun.

 

[Neopimp]

a little dust storm.... big fin deal just let it recirculate with a skimmer running for a week and it will clear up.

You are gogin to get a water cycle regardless of your rinsing. Read up on the nitrogen cycle if you haven't already.

Filter socks will help as well.

I couldn't see more than 12 in on to my tank for 5 days on startup.


KEY : NO LIVESTOCK FOR A WHILE. Start the nitrogen cycle however you feel. Just do you research

 

[unibob]

I would even turn the skimmer off, you are only really going to ruin the pump with a dust storm going on.


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[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

when we did my tank transfer. we had a big dust storm goin on. so what i did was used my old hang on back aqua clear filter on and it will clean it up leave skimmer off yu will ruin yur pump so cheaper to use the aqua clear system

 

[barebottomcouple]

a little dust storm.... big fin deal just let it recirculate with a skimmer running for a week and it will clear up.

You are gogin to get a water cycle regardless of your rinsing. Read up on the nitrogen cycle if you haven't already.

Filter socks will help as well.

I couldn't see more than 12 in on to my tank for 5 days on startup.


KEY : NO LIVESTOCK FOR A WHILE. Start the nitrogen cycle however you feel. Just do you research

A+1 on lo livestock nd cycle
NOTHING IN REEFING THATS FAST IS ANY GOOD.
slow and steady now = less problems later

 

[Heywooood]

Well, ended up scrubbing it down clean. I was dumping too much energy into dealing with the dust, it was a really bad start and I just needed to reboot.

Thanks for the advice and assistance everyone.