Should I change my substrate?

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BsLuFs

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Sep 10, 2014
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Luke
I bought a 10 gallon tank off Craigslist that came with a bag of sand that I've been using as substrate. It's probably been about a month since I got it and I'm still having ammonia problems. My LFS said that it might be due to the sand. Should I change the substrate, and if to what would be best for the tank. Right now I've got some pygmy cories and an ADF, some seaglass (which also came with the tank and sand), rocks, two small pieces of driftwood with a small java fern on one of them. 125GPH quietflow filter.

Also, could someone recommend a decent test-kit for me. I've been using some cheap strips for ammonia and pH from Walmart, but I'm skeptical to regard them as accurate.

Thanks in advanced! --Luke
 

sumthin fishy

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Aug 22, 2005
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API master test kit. $20-30 depending where you buy it. Will last a long time of weekly tests. Never heard of sand causing ammonia. Was it a new unopened bag, or something already used and then bagged up when the tank was broken down to be sold? Did you do rinse it or just put it in as is? How did you cycle the tank? What are you doing as far as maintenance? Some people make the mistake of rinsing the filter media in the sink during weekly water changes, the chlorine kills off your bacteria. Are you using a dechlorinator for water changes?

If you want to change it out anyways, any normal gravel from an LFS will do fine if you are not planning on live plants. Even then, you can get away with plants in gravel, just not ideal.
 

BsLuFs

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Sep 10, 2014
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I'm doing 20-40% water changes once or twice a week right now. I didn't rinse the sand when I got it and yes, it was used sand put into a bag when the fish tank was sold on Craigslist. I will look into the API kit when I go back tomorrow to pick up some more pygmies.
 

gmh

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Feb 5, 2007
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If you didn't cycle the tank that would explain the elevated ammonia levels. I would not add any more fish until the ammonia problem is resolved.
 

wesleydnunder

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Dec 11, 2005
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Did you rinse the sand before using it. If not it could be full of decaying organics that will continue to release ammonia.

Mark
 
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