Changing substrate

[Moezy420]

I found a nice article on changing sand are there any things you would add? http://www.fishinthe.net/html/section-v ... le-50.html

[Moezy420]

Ok my tank has been sitting over night. (the Pacu and the Pleco are in the 10 gallon quarantine tank) I think I bombed on my first attempt at using sand does anyone know how to get the water uncloudy ? I have my filters off I do not think it is sand in the water but I am not sure. I am at a loss please help ?

[OraLacerta]

What is probably suspended in the water column right now is extremely fine sand that will settle and create a silt that will cloud up again as soon as you disturb it. I would get some polyfiber to add to your filter and start running it. You will have to rinse it out once every couple of hours but it will help get that clouding under control.

There shouldn't be any sand particles floating around large enough to hurt your filter unless you have some very powerful powerheads stirring up the sand bed, or if your filter intake is right at the bottom of the tank in the sand bed. If you turn on your filter and it sounds like a blender (you can hear it when large particles are getting into the pump) turn it off, though I am pretty sure you're just dealing with a dust cloud.

[Hilly]

The cloudiness will go in time now. The Aquarium sand I use after a thorough rinse never clouds the water, however when I used Aragonite, any disturbance would make it cloudy, it took weeks to settle down.

You'll just have to put up with the cloudiness for a while but it will eventually settle down.

[Moezy420]

Man my parents must be related! I just read an article on rinsing sand it turns out it takes some real effort to rinse it. I rinsed it like it was a vegetable I should have rinsed it like an infected wound. You are right the cloudiness is silt. I did not rinsed the sand well enough and for that I have a cloudy tank. Well I have logged that away in my memory banks and from now on when it says rinse I am going to rinse. Thanks to every one for putting up with my ignorance. I will get my Tank up and get some pics posted so you can all see what you helped me to create.

[Nick]

Actually, if there are no fish in it, do this: Run the filter on it's highest setting, and get one of those water clarifier additives that clots tiny particles, then add several times what it says for a tank that size. In a few hours it should be filtered crystal clear. Then change 95% of the water to get the clarifier out, and when adding replacement water, pour it on top of a garbage bag laying on top of the sand, so it won't be overly disturbed.

[Moezy420]

do you have a brand name for the additive you are talkiing about? I have done several water changes and it is clearer but not anywhere near crystal clear.

[OraLacerta]

In my 75 gallon with more than 120, probably more like 140 Lbs of sand I had A LOT of silt even after rinsing for an entire day. I put on a tiny AC 50 with polyfiber and used 2 powerheads to keep the silt in the water column. I kept rinsing the filter media every few hours my tank was clear in 2 days. That's without any risky additives. It's up to you whether or not you want to use the clarifier; I'm just letting you know it didn't take too long for me to get mine clear with a good current and some mechanical filtration.

[Moezy420]

I went on got brite and clear the guy at the LFS told me to use the recommended amount and gave me some poly to wrap around my intakes. He said at recommended concentration it will not hurt fish and will be gone after a large water change. Thank you for the advise

[Moezy420]

Sorry I did not follow up quickly. brite and clear work marvels just a little and 2 doses worked well then I did a water change and my water is purrrrrrrfect. I have a crystal clear tank!!!