The Puffer Forum

Hey everyone Im new here. Well to post at least, been browsing for couple weeks now. Well i plan on getting a gsp soon, as soon as my tank cycles. I have a 40 breeder that i am setting up right now. I am using aragonite sand as the substrate but it stirs up really easily. I washed it out, apparently not enough, and have 2 filters running on it to clear it up. I did a 100% wc, manly because i wanted a new stand, and i slowly put in the water but it still went cloudy. After a day or two it does but as I start to move anything it stirs back up.

Well my question is, is the aragonite gonna settle or is it always gonna be like that? If its not gonna settle then its back to gravel but i really like the look of it.

Also I started a 10 gal snail breeder but want to start breeding shrimp too. Would the shrimp eat the eggs? Ive read that they would and wouldnt. If not which one would be easier ghost or cherry.

Im doing a fishless cycle, well havent started yet wanna wait and see bout the substrate issue, just in case you guys are wondering. This isnt my first puffer fish, i had dps for a year before an unfortunate accident occurred, not my fault tho.

Thanks for the help

Sorry I know nothing about the first part but I do have ramshorn snails and cherry shrimp happily in the same tank together.. There's around 30 patches of eggs developing and hundreds of tiny snails, the shrimps don't bother them at all.
I do have 1 pregnant shrimp which came to me pregnant but none of the others have bred yet.. not sure why. So I couldn't say which is easiest in that way but all I do is change some water in there every now and then, and feed them a shrimp pellet every few days (which the snails eat too).

P.s welcome

the sand will settle out in about 48 hours... theres no need to wait to start cycling. Those tiny little particles are great for the bacteris to cling to

Welcome to the forum!

Ok the small particles are good for the bacteria but arnt they always gonna cloud if I move stuff around? So just set up the tank and everytime I move stuff around I have to wait for the tank to settle? Or if the little guys goes to close and stirs it up wait some more? Is this what everyone has todo that has aragonite sand?

Hi


I have ramshorn and cherry shrimp together also and there's no issues at all. My shrimp are breeding like crazy, and I've got little shrimpettes everywhere!!

Are there any decorations in the tank breaking up the flow of water? If it's just filters pumping over sand, it will stir up MUCH easier, that could be the problem.

Can you vacume sand like you like do gravel? Never had sand myself but if so then I would think that the tiney particals will be vacumed up after a few vacumes and water changes.

Add filter floss (cheap at sewing supply store) to your filter, to "polish" the water crystal clear.

How are you planning on cycling the tank? Haver read the article in our Library on GSPs?

Thanks for the replys. I did have decorations in there before the large change but now there are none. After a day or two the sand does settle but again does aragonite sand always stir up easily? Also is the filter floss called that? I have quilt padding but says poly floss But it isn't polishing anything. Oh and I am doing a fishless cycle with added ammonia. Thanks for the help

It does and as time progresses it will become more clear.

it is a waiting game. You're not going to have a perfectly clear tank over night without $$

Yes, that is the floss i'm referring to. How much do you have in there?

Ok I have a lot in there. Have both intakes covered in it and stuffed as much as I could in there. Also I'm running my back up filters on it, is it safe to put my eheim canister on it? I just bought it for the little guy and don't want it broke before I get him. So I should just start the cycle now and don't worry as much on the sand right now?

Yes, please do!

I have the same sand and I washed it for an hour. It wasn't enough thou. It would get clear after 48 hours in the tank but if I was looking thru the side I could see fine particles floating. I tried filter floss in my hob and it really didn't do anything. But as soon as I hooked up my overflow box and sump with a flat peice of filter floss and the skimmer going. It's crystal clear. I can see thru it easily into my FW tank and easily thru that tank too. They're side by side. The floss I use is blue on one side white on the other. It's sheets I cut to size for my drip tray over the bio balls. It's called "marineland Rite-size bonded filter pad" cleared my sand problem in a few hours now if it gets stirred there aren't any fine particles only the sugar sized sand grains and they fall right back down to the bottom. If you add water to a tank with sand substrate and no decor deflecting it can be a pain. Pour it slower or as I did when I added the Sand I put a plate in the bottom to keep sand from rushing upwards.

Ok thanks for the help. I put my new filter on it and started to cycle the tank. So in two or more weeks I'll have a gsp. Thanks again for all your expertise