Interesting observation...

[perpetual98]

So as many of you know (or should know) I'm setting up my 40 breeder at work. I filled it up and put my last 50# bag of Southdown sand into it on Friday. The pumps were all running and the closed loop was going. The sand had settled into a nice little pattern from the closed loop and was like that since at least Sunday when I checked on the tank.

So today I start adding salt to the tank. It's probably up around 1.017 right now, but I notice as the salinity rises, so does the flow patterns in the sand. I know that saltwater will flow through a sump differently than fresh, but I guess it never occurred to me that it would flow around in a tank differently. :)

Eric

[jojo22]

Wow do you happen to have any pics of this to share with us!

[perpetual98]

No, I didn't think to take any pictures. I can still only see about an inch into the tank due to the dust storm from the sand. I was hoping that the salt would help clear up the tank. It's helped in previous tanks. It must change the viscosity of the water enough to allow the filter to work better.

[dakar]

I've observed running the water at a higher salinity (1.035 ish) helps settle the initial sandstorm. I don't recall where I'd heard that before, but it does help... the chemistry/physics as to just why escape me at the moment.

[perpetual98]

When I came into work this morning I could actually see the back of the tank! So the salt definitely helped. I wouldn't call it crystal clear by any stretch, but it's getting there!

[hummer]

so the look of the sand on the bottem of the tank is determand by the move ment of the water?

and is a wave maker(curent changer) nesasery for a reef? i know it benafishale(sp)