Flourite rinsing

[shmagu]

I'm just getting started on a planted aquarium and bought some flourite. This may be a crazy question, but am I supposed to rinse the flourite until it runs clear. It doesn't seem like I'm getting very far and I figured I'd better ask before I kept going. Thanks.

[Richer]

Unless you are very very patient, and have tons of time, forget about getting fluorite to be completely clean. What I do is take 1-2 cups of fluorite, rinse it once or twice like you would with normal gravel (in a bucket with running water, swirling and draining), then dump it into the tank. Once you are done, get a flat dish (glass, plastic, whatever) and fill your tank directing the water onto the dish. The dish should be large enough to help spread the water out and thus reducing the amount of force from falling water. After the tank is filled, leave it for a day or two for the dust to settle. Fill your mechanical filters with floss and run those for a few days till your tank has settled a bit more.

HTH
-Richer

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by shmagu
.... This may be a crazy question, but am I supposed to rinse the flourite until it runs clear. ...Welcome to Aquaria Central!
Flourite is a good choice. I hear it is dusty... Use a bucket and hose it out until most of the dust is out. You don't need to get it all. It will settle in the tank when you fill it. How long? - I'm not exactly sure. There are plenty Flourite users here. I have Onyx sand, a close 'cousin' to Flourite (same company sells them). The Onyx rinsed out without much effort.

[val]

to Aquaria Central, home of the most patient fishkeepers on the Internet:)

Having said that, I am usually very patient and had a lot of time, and I could not get the flourite to run clear. So, I'd doing what Richer suggested and I hope to get my cichlids in their new tank tomorrow morning...

Val

[Faramir]

Do fluorite and laterite turn into mud in the aquarium like kitty litter does? Or do the lumps remain solid?

Obvious next stage now I've found how to get good growth with stem plants using CO2.

[Richer]

Fluorite stays as it is in the tank... gravel. The reason why people complain about it, is because it is dusty. The dust in turn clouds up the tank, and in some cases, makes the tank look muddy.

-Richer

[Faramir]

Thanks! Is laterite the same? (Mrs Faramir has vetoed ever using kitty litter again, or anything like it, after the Tank Move Clay On The Carpet Incident.)

[dillct]

I've used kitty litter and never had the problem with it turning to MUD. Hartz PH5 in the red and white bags is the stuff I've used in the past. Stayed together just fine. There was a wide range of grain sizes which the plants liked. Can't speak for any other brand though.

Chaz

[Faramir]

Ours did. Pure Fuller's Earth. Turned straight to grey mud.

That's what I was told to use. I wonder why I don't see it advocated so much these days ;) ?

I've just found http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~boingy/litter.html - this indicates that even pure clay kitty litters are not created equal. Unfortunately, the brands appear to be totally different in the UK, and there aren't many different ones available down the pet shop.

Hence I shall have to go with laterite or fluorite and do this properly.

[tyler]

a pillow case is handy for rinsing. i've used it for sand and shultz both with good results.

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by Faramir
Do fluorite and laterite turn into mud in the aquarium like kitty litter does? Laterite is the "mud"... Flourite is like gravel. For me, I skipped the Laterite. And, things are working fine. :)

[dillct]

Originally posted by 80gJoe
Laterite is the "mud"...


Not quite. I've been using "Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Pure Laterite" for over 2 years. I've never had the water so much as tinge red and the substrate has been turned over and mixed thoroughly. I've got mostly stem plants and pull them roots and all and lop off the tops for replanting. Again never a problem with clouding.The grains are still holding together very well. Some are even sitting on top of the substrate. Perhaps with other brands but this has never been a problem for me. Come to think of it I don't think I ever rinsed when it was initially placed in the tank. Just poured it on the bottom evenly and covered with blasting sand.

Chaz

[Sumpin'fishy]

I, too, just bought Flourite Red today, and I wish I could comment on the look of it in my tank!:D

I already was cycling a 20 gal tank with Sand substrate and decided I was going to add Flourite for a better plant substrate. I mixed 1 bag (~15lbs) with Quickcrete medium sand, and I hope this works well enough. Since I already had the tank setup and cycling, it's quite murky and cloudy after thoroughly rinsing and adding it to the tank. My tank looks like V8 tomato juice:)

I am running a Penguin 125 with filter floss cartridge with carbon in it (the one that comes with it). I plan to use a AC 300 sponge block after cycling and for general use (which fits perfectly after shaving one of the edges a bit). I really dislike the silly cartridges that are made for these filters (Regent + Penguin). They come with carbon already in them and you have to keep buying replacements too often to keep them effective. Another thing is I don't like running carbon in my tanks all the time (very rarely). This seemed like a good time to wear out that carbon since all this V8 color is clouding my tank. I hope that carbon doesn't remove any effectiveness of the Flourite. Anyone see a problem with this?

Also, I have removed some of my sand when I added the Flourite Red. Will it be ok to get my substrate level to around 3" to 4" even when I'm using sand to mix with? Is this too deep? I hear that's a good depth for planting, but I also hear alot about using Flourite only, no sand. In case you are wondering, I don't mind if the Flourite is visible on top of the sand....I actually am going to purposely mix it a bit with the majority of Flourite being on bottom, but having some mixed well in the sand for color. I am setting up a Asian backwater setup style of tank. I have a betta as one of the fish and will work around that. Problem is that Khuli loaches are supposedly not turning out well from the breeders my LFS gets them from. This has been a problem for about 3 years they say. Too many sick ones, and they can't even sell them cause they look so bad! Hmmm, any ideas for a way around this?

[125gJoe]

There are 2 Flourites... Regular Flourite is not as red.
I think the Red is a dye (not sure), but most likely would require more rinsing. I have heard using a bucket is a real good way to rinse a lot of it at one time.

The Laterite I have seen looks and feels like a powder - add water, and it would seem to have a 'muddy' texture. BUT - since I don't (won't) use it I may be totally wrong. I have to wonder why the stuff is covered with gravel..(?)

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by dillct



Not quite. ........... I've never had the water so much as tinge red and the substrate has been turned over and mixed thoroughly. Chaz Is Laterite a red colored product?? I have not seen that.

[wetmanNY]

It's all laterite, some raw (cat litter) some lightly baked, either in a kiln or naturally. The red is from natural iron oxides. Don't overwash Flourite, gang. That fine silty stuff is what grips phosphates etc, keeps your water algae-free and feeds plant roots.

Wash it too much and it might as well be LFS "aquarium" gravel. IMHO...

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by wetmanNY
...... Don't overwash Flourite, gang. That fine silty stuff is what grips phosphates etc, keeps your water algae-free and feeds plant roots.

Wash it too much and it might as well be LFS "aquarium" gravel. IMHO... Yes, I have heard that too...

[Jared]

I'd be careful about mixing in sand with larger-grain substrate. The sand could fill in around the other substrate and cause compacting.

Jared

[125gJoe]

I found a link on Laterite....
I'm always learning something! I've seen the powdery stuff sold and it was gray in color.. I see it is red too. Flourite sure seems easier to 'work with' or 'work around'.... So - is Onyx sand laterite??
Everything about Laterite (http://www.dupla.com/e037.htm)

So now I find this website that suggests Flourite in Not Laterite....(?)
Laterite vs Flourite (http://www.floridadriftwood.com/laterite_vs_flourite.htm)
:confused:

[somefinnfishy]

Didnt wash mine a bit the cloud just took an extra 5-6 hrs to clear and once it settles the fine particals dont surface offten even when replanting and digging around.

[Starry]

Originally posted by somefinnfishy
Didnt wash mine a bit the cloud just took an extra 5-6 hrs to clear and once it settles the fine particals dont surface offten even when replanting and digging around.

Really???? I washed and it took DAYS to clear! I never thought I'd get crystal clear water. Now, 7 months later, it still gets messy if I have to uproot a happy plant with extensive roots. If I do something like pull up all my Mayaca, it will be so cloudy that I can barely see as I'm replanting.

[wetmanNY]

The trick is to be able to leave it alone to settle out. That may take 24 hours. Then a thorough siphoning of all the surfaces.

Then you turn on the filter!

Dupla gives the impression that "Duplarit" --as mined in Sri Lanka and packaged for them-- is the only genuine laterite!

There are some links and a discussion of what laterite is (cat litter is laterite too) at www.skepticalaquarist.com under "Substrates" in the Setting Up folder.

[Tyler718]

Originally posted by wetmanNY
The trick is to be able to leave it alone to settle out. That may take 24 hours. Then a thorough siphoning of all the surfaces.

Then you turn on the filter!

I just added my flourire last night after rinsing it. The water clouded as expected, but there is a thin layer of silt on the top of the bottom. It kind of looks like cocoa powder. Is this normal?

When you say "a thorough siphoning of the surface", do you mean removing this silt.