Cloudy mess

[dgodwin]

I started my saltwater fish/reef tank this week. I added 150 lbs of southdown sand to a 40 gallon breeder. I then added 20 gallons of RO water. When I added the second 20 gallons of water to fill the tank, I stirred up a lot of the sand. What do I have to do to get the water to clear (besides being patient) I read that the bacteria in live rock will eventually coat the smaller particles and help them settle.

My question is, should I keep my powerheads running?

In Earth Science, they teach you that the faster a stream is running, the larger the particles it can carry. It deposits the sediments when it slows down. Would I hurt anything (salt mix comes to mind) by turning off my powerheads? The only thing in the tank is water, sand, and a 3 lb piece of live rock I purchased today.
Thanks!

 

[adamj]

so when exactly would the water slow down in your tank?

I'd say leave them off unless its connected to an ug filter system.

This is just a guess based on the information you give, educated guess i suppose given my limited knowledge of reef systems. Just trying to use common knowledge

 

[wayne]

Be patient. Let the sand sttle of it's own accord. Keep the powerheads churning, and let it sort itself out. This may take a week, but this isn't unusual.
You need to learn patience - only bad things happen quickly in reefs and SW