Arg! Sand!

[Slacker]

In response to the post below, I thought it would be beter ot post this seprately because it also has a question.

I am agravated. I have a ten gal that has had sand in it for some time now. In the beginning it was cloudy. Very very cloudy. Then it got ok after abbout 2.5 weeks. Then was almost crystal clear. Did a water change and its been cloudy ever since. The clearest it gets is to where i can see a silhouette against the back of one of my fish. Thats it.

What...the...grr....!!

 

[1979camaro]

i would imagine changing the water stirred the sand up again...probably will take a couple weeks to settle out

Kevin

 

[Jawz]

Yeh if its just recently done than u have plenty of very tiny particles in ur sand. DOnt worry it will get better everytime. Slowly those tiny particles will disappear

 

[Flex26]

I had the same problem with my 29g. My tank was really murky. I just stirred up the sand and then did a water change. I did this a couple times a day for a week. I put the sand in on a Monday and by Friday or Saturday my tank was crystal clear. It was a pain but it was worth it in the end.

 

[Antwan]

Will you always have this type problem with sand? Cause I want sand but I don't want these problems. Did you guys wash it or what? If so, what were ya'lls washing methods?

 

[geoffgarcia2]

the trick is in how you put water into your tank.
you need to pour the water onto something so the current doesn't get out of hand.
Try putting a large bowl on the bottom of your tank and aiming the water you pour into your tank into the bowl
or aim at a large piece of driftwood or something like that.

 

[Jawz]

the best way is to place the sand in a bucket and run a hose to it, pumping water constantly, not too fast but decent rate so that all the really tiny particles overflow, and ur left with the larger sand particles

 

[Orion]

geoffgarcia2 is on the right track. I have 4 tanks with sand and I use the Python to change water. Instead of putting a bowl in the bottom of the tank, I just put the end of the python into the tank, and then turn it up a little bit so that it does not fill directly onto anything.

If your not using a python, then using the bowl is your best bet.

 

[SoulFish]

i disagree, the best way is to put like 20 lbs of sand in a pillow case and hold it up running a hose through it while turning it over with your hand, this gets out all the cloudiness while not losing any good sand, i do this in all my tanks and get very very very minimal cloud if any, on my last tank i didnt get a bit of cloudiness at all

 

[1979camaro]

pillow case not sleeping bag
i think the problem is also coming during re-fill when the sand is stirred up

KB

 

[SoulFish]

yea lol, wasnt thinking thnx,i lay my python on its side ont he very bottom and fill it up so it doesnt stir it up much

 

[Antwan]

So you fill a pillow case with 20 lbs. of sand and stick a hose in it, and it fills with water and drains out?

So what clouds the water? Is it the dust on the sand or the sand itself? What do you think of the filling up the bucket 3/4 with sand and running a hose right into the sand and overflowing it method?

 

[dana307]

Just added two small bags of sand. One just put right in. Had TONS of little sand bubbles that the fish would attack and then the sand would float down. The second one I put the sand in a bucket and whisked it so all the air was out of it. Worked MUCH better. Not having any cloudiness yet.

 

[Slacker]

I totally redid the tank after getting fed up with cloudiness. Rewashed the sand (for an hour or more) in a bowl just sat, letting it overflow. Cloudiness not as nbad and improves with each water change now. I really wanna have it CLEAR by the time I put cory cats or bumblebee goby's into it!

 

[Fishman24]

Patience and time make a big difference. When I switched to sand I washed it every night for about and hour for a week.

 

[Slacker]

Now my waters starting to clear but theres a bi of cloud. Imagine something like dry ice fog falling onto the floor of the tank and dissipating to the sides and thats what it looks like with the fog from the sand(?) when the current from the filter hits it.

And arg. The tank has direct sunlight for about an hour a day.

 

[Flex26]

Just continue with the water changes. And after that, do some more water changes.

Also, when you pour the water into the tank, be sure to pour the water onto a plate or bowl or something. And pour the water slowly. If you cause the sand to kick up, the water will become cloudy.

 

[SomethingFishy]

I have been thinking about going to sand and this thread has been great information. My question is this though . . . . where do you get the sand? The only sand I have seen has been for saltwater tanks.

???

 

[Flex26]

Originally posted by SomethingFishy
I have been thinking about going to sand and this thread has been great information. My question is this though . . . . where do you get the sand? The only sand I have seen has been for saltwater tanks.

???

I got my sand at Home Depot. It was a 50 lb. bag of Quickrete all-purpose sand. It cost me $2.50.

 

[Slacker]

Flex, thats what I got. You got no cloud?