I've got those Sand-Substrate Cloudy-Water Blues

[Wycco]

So waking up on day 4 of my sand-substrate new 55g being cycled.

I never used sand as a kid/teen when fishkeeping so this is new to me.

Started with some play sand from home depot... Put it in a big bucket- rinsed it 4 or 5 times- poured off the debris... Obviously not NEARLY enough rinsing. There are still a lot of small sand particles in the water.

Googling and researching extensively I've heard people claim sand should settle in as little as two hours to one guy who it took 10 days and multiple water changes... YIKES!

It is slowly getting clearer- but I've not noticed much improvement last 12 hours. I can see to the back of the tank- and am begginning to see the details on the slate caves I made at the back of the tank.

My main concern is the lack of light reaching my plants whilst the water remains cloudy. My Amazon Sword looked quite poorly when I got it from Petsmart... hoped with with some fert tablets and some light I could nurse it back to health... I think it's looking a little more transparant now than when I got it.

I know plants need "day and night" but should I perhaps leave the light on 24/7 whilst the water remains cloudy to help them out?

I've heard conflicting comments on changing water whilst cycling- whereas most people seem to suggest the bacteria doesn't live on the water- but rather on the objects, substrate and walls of the tank- I've read lots of people claim that changing water during the cycle will, none-the-less slow down the cycling.

Perhaps bacteria has a "less-loose" grip early on and get's water bound easy during a water change? I dunno... I know nothing! ;)

I've got more plants in the mail- hopefully will help my cycle along- and it sure would be easier to plant them with the water level down. I expect the plants will arrive friday.


I have heard that once bacteria is present on the sand that it clears up much quicker- and settles much quicker when disturbed. This is good to hear.


For me, for now, I suspect I'm paying the price for not washing my sand thoroughly enough. I thought I was gentle pouring the water in (over the slate- thought that would do the same as a plate)... maybe not gentle enough. I daresay I have a number of massive water changes and a number of cloudy days ahead of me still.


Any advice?


I do- WASH YOUR SAND VERY WELL... AN HOUR WASHING SAND WILL PROBABLY SAVE YOU TIME IN THE LONG RUN!

I guess the type of sand I choose, playsand, being super fine makes things worse for me too!




Oh, and one more thing- another thing I've read mixed opinions on is running my filter. I've read people say it's OK- the silt is so fine it won't hurt anything and I've read people say it will kill the filter. What's the expert opinions here?

I want bacteria in my filter media- so I've been running it on and off. 4 hours on- 4 hours off... and off at night.

[WhiteDevil]

Mine didnt settle for almost 2 weeks, but I use a ultra fine sand and not playsand or chunky sands.

What is the tank's filter, I knw its a 55 but what filter is on it?

I had 3 penguin 150's( 26g tank yeah I know under filtered) within 3 weeks of eachother, two went out within hours of eachother, the sand particles in the water even after a dozen rinses were still getting into the filter, changed HOT filter for a different companies unit and the cloudy went away and hasnt returned, even when I stir the sand by hand it never clouds and what "smokescreens" I do cause settle within 30 seconds to a minute.

[Hebily]

The bacteria live on stuff. They feed on the ammonia/nitrites in the water. Doing water changes lowers these levels, making bacteria reproduce less quickly. I would empty the tank, refill it (via a slow stream from a syphon in the bucket), and repeat. The only way you will get it completely clear, without many, many water changes, is to put a polishing filter on it. If you have a canister, you can get polishing sponges for it. This, combined with the water changes, should clear it up in a few days.

[Wycco]

It was an aquarium kit- came with a hang on the back filter.

Even though- it's meant for a tank my size (came with the aquarium). I've got a sponge filter coming in the mail too- figured you can't over filter- (and going to use an air pump on it and an airstone. Quite disgusted the "all you need" kit didn't come with an air pump... I would have thought it important...

If I ever need a quarantine tank- I'll have the sponge filter ready to use (and with good bacteria already on it).

I know the bacteria feed on the stuff in the water- but right now all the water has in it is Ammonia- I can always add more of that!!!!

2 Weeks to clear? WOW! Good to know once it settles I'm passed this nightmare!

[jptjpt]

If you don't want to wait for it to clear, then you can buy a bottle water clarifier sold at the local chain stores designed to clear a cloudy tank. It contains chemicals that bind to tiny solutes and precipitate them out of the water.

[Wycco]

If you don't want to wait for it to clear, then you can buy a bottle water clarifier sold at the local chain stores designed to clear a cloudy tank. It contains chemicals that bind to tiny solutes and precipitate them out of the water.


Ah thank you! Fantastic! So that works with silt in sand too then? Do you have a recommended brand? How much are they?

Certainly would alleviate some of my worries about damage to filters and the light being blocked to my plants. If it wern't for those too issues I wouldn't be too worried. Can't stock the tank until I'm cycled- so cloudy water isn't ruining my view! ;)

[WhiteDevil]

I have a tetra 45 XL HOT filter, it doesnt suck up the sand( which is what that one is doing) and push it back thru the water.


Dont get the drops. why? they dont always work, and you also might be having a bloom in the tank so dont add anything. I add nothing to my water but CYCLE.

Ive also taken fish from one tank to another temp house( half ayear for renovations) with only CYCLE and the fish are still alive, and that was 2 new unestablished tanks ago.

I have the crystal clear, its not worth it IMO.


http://www.hagen.com/usa/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=121&PROD_ID=01076120020101

[bushwhacker]

you said it yourself you didnt wash the sand enough... i recently redid my 75 100 lbs of new playsand took a solid hour and 5 buckets to clean it but i put it in the tank and was clear in less than 10 min

[A. Nonymous]

I used sand once and hated it. This is just one of the reasons why. It took a couple of days to clear up (I was running the filter 24/7 at the time) and I had to change the filter cartridge afterwards. Then I found it impossible to keep clean. Detritus on top of the sand was clearly visible and I couldn't find a happy medium to run the vacuum to suck it off. Run it too far from the sand and nothing happens. Too close and you suck up sand with the detritus. Actually, the sand seemed lighter than the detritus so you sucked up more of it. I gave up on sand after about 6 months.

[WhiteDevil]

^^^^ Super fine fishnet, or an old fishnet handle and pantyhose, I just figured it out, my netting is too big for the small ones but it took all the big stuff off the top and the cats are working on the other debris as we speak.

I just did a 6 gallon change on my 26g and I regret to inform you its still settling, I really kicked up the sand though.

[Blitzkrieger]

When I washed my sand, the water was still cloudy for a while, one thing that helped me was to put a napkin/paper towel /toilet paper around the filter intake, this helped quite a bit. When I woke up the next morning, the toilet paper was tan and the water was clear. If you do this, make sure that the paper you use doesn't have lotion on it like some klenex does.

[Wycco]

When I washed my sand, the water was still cloudy for a while, one thing that helped me was to put a napkin/paper towel /toilet paper around the filter intake, this helped quite a bit. When I woke up the next morning, the toilet paper was tan and the water was clear. If you do this, make sure that the paper you use doesn't have lotion on it like some klenex does.

What a fantastic idea- I was going to go buy a sponge... but this is better- I HAVE paper towels at home.


BTW- I tried the water clarifier- (before I read another person say not too). It did help to a degree.

I still have only a visibility of two feet through my water though. If I look in one end with the lights on I can see rocks/plants etc that are two feet away but no further.


I could be having a bacteria bloom I suppose... I've read people have them about the stage I'm at. Could be a conincidence that I'm blooming now at the same time I just put water clearifier in to clean up the sand.

I know this all entirely my mistake for not washing anywhere near as thoroughly enough as I should have... live and learn.

I'll try the paper towel around the filter trick tonight. How do you attach it to the intake? Rubber/elastic bands? I know they're organic- are they safe in the tank though?

If that fails... I guess I'm stuck with it until a water change... suspect it'll be many water changes before I have crystal clear water though.

[coach_z]

rubber bands are fine in a tank. i use 2-4 at a time in my tank to hold my DIY penguin filter cartridges together...i change them with every filter pad replacement, or when they are very very dirty.

[phreeflow]

I just kept doing massive 50% water changes when I filled my tank with play sand and it took just a couple days to be fully clean. I've also heard of people using the diatom cartridge with their HOT Magnum filters and getting it clean in hours.

Question for all of you plant enthusiasts: I'm thinking of converting my african cichlid tank (containing the play sand) into a planted tank. Will this substrate medium work for plants or will it choke out the roots since it gets so compacted? Also, it completely inert so do I have to fertilize more?