cloudy water and power filter

[Mikro]

I have a new 75gal. setup and have just put in the crushed coral
substrate. My question is should I leave the power filter run to clear
up the cloudiness in the water or leave it off so the particles will
settle.

Thanks...

[Billy]

"Mikro" > wrote in message
ups.com...
|I have a new 75gal. setup and have just put in the crushed coral
| substrate. My question is should I leave the power filter run to
clear
| up the cloudiness in the water or leave it off so the particles
will
| settle.


Up to you. I ran a couple power filters because I was impatient to
get started. However, since patience is the key in this "hobby",
waiting for it to settle on it's own is probably good practice. <g>

[Mikro]

I was just afraid the water may become stagnant if I don't run the
power filter..

[Billy]

"Mikro" > wrote in message
ups.com...
|I was just afraid the water may become stagnant if I don't run the
| power filter..

I wouldn't wory about that if it's only going to be a day or two.
WHat kind of water did you use?

[Mikro]

I used soft water

[Billy]

"Mikro" > wrote in message
oups.com...
|I used soft water
|

Like from a home drinking water softener? I've heard that this
seriously messed with an aquariums buffering capacity....or is it a
RO\DI type unit?

[Mikro]

Yes from a reular home softener system. The PH is right on if that has
anything to do with buffering...

[Billy]

"Mikro" > wrote in message
oups.com...
| Yes from a reular home softener system. The PH is right on if that
has
| anything to do with buffering...
|

There have been many discussions about this in
rec.aquaria.marine.reefs, (much more active group) which I largely
ignored, so I can't help you with the reasons, but it was fairly
clear than most serious aquarists recommended against the use of home
water softeners. Give me a little bit, and I'll do the research for
you, I'm just sitting here watching the Packer game, anyway. <g>

[Mikro]

Me too on the Packer game :8

[Billy]

Quoted from google NG archives:

"The water softener in your house, typically uses a resin which
removes
calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, as well as some other
cations.
The capacity of the resin is replenished by the sal****er rinsing
that home
softeners usually do automatically. The water softener will replace
the
removed ions with sodium ions if you use NaCl for the salt, potassium
if you
use a KCl salt.

The DI unit uses both cation and anion removing resins, but does
little to
remove any organic chemicals which may be present. Typically, the DI
resin
is not recharged at home, since strong acidic and (I believe) basic
solutions are used. An RO membrane removes many dissolved inorganics,
but
usually not to 100%. It works under the pressure of the water system,
or
supplemental pressure pump, creating "waste water" with a higher
concentration of whatever is in the raw water. Water softeners, RO,
and DI
alone do not remove organic compounds. Adding a carbon prefilter
takes care
of removing the organics.


My guess is that you'll want and need the RO unit."

*****

end quote

In short, if you know what you're doing, it seems the water softener
shouldn't be a problem. If you're new, the softener will add another
variable that you don't need. If you're going to go sal****er, get an
RO unit. I did, and haven't regretted it for a second.


--
-----
Billy
-----
Bush won, and we're all going to die.
-----

"Mikro" > wrote in message
ups.com...
| Me too on the Packer game :8
|

[Billy]

"Billy" > wrote in message
...

Another quote, this time from 'coastal' at reefcentral,

"softners dont filter water they soften it . They do remove sediment
some more than others depending on if the resin is fine mesh or not.
As far as use in a salt water tank it makes your salt mix work alot
harder to harden the water back to the hardness you need suitable for
marine use. Softeners are good pretreatment to water that then goes
through an r.o. unit it will infact lengthen the life of the
membrane."