I did a big NO-NO

Nano-joe

Small Fish
Jun 16, 2016
12
0
1
#1
So, I've been in the aquatic hobby for a few years now. Honestly... I should have known better here. But here it goes (slightly embarrass)

I recently set-up my first nano saltwater tank. A very fun project I've been doing. My eagerness got the best of me. The original set up I had going was the fluval spec v with a cheap dry silica sand I thought I would love because of how white it was. Very wrong. I hated it! So I went and bought carrib-sea live sand and I love it!
Well I replaced the silica with the new live sand and I did not rinse the sand....
Now, not the end of the world but a HUGE pain when I move something around in the tank or scrub my walls I get instant sand clouds! The water gets murky and stays like it for hours. So currently I have polishing pads in place of my carbon in the sump of the fluval. Also have a small aqueon quiet flow filter stuffed with more polishing pads.
I stir up the sand to get the smaller particles to float around in hopes the filter pad will pick them up. I've been doing this process for 2 days now and I'm curios to see if anyone has any better ideas for me.
 

arcab4

The Big Fish
The Big Fish
Oct 22, 2002
1,554
30
48
46
Sunny Southern California
#2
is there a sump? i've done in the past is vacuum the water into a filter bag into my sump so the water just goes back into the tank and the filter bag catches the particles.

manually stirring the sand top? might take awhile. how about adjusting your powerheads to have the water flow stir up the sand and hopefully it'll be a faster process.
 

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
Jul 19, 2004
3,682
33
48
38
Cape Cod
#3
Option A: Stir up the sand intentionally, as much as possible. Get all those little particulates up into the water column. Then siphon out almost all the water while all the particulates are suspended in it (go right down to the sand if no fish, or leave them just enough water to stay submerged if there are fish). Pour the water through a filter sock or some such, ideally until it runs clear - this will mean rinsing out the filter sock in the middle of this, probably multiple times. Or just do it as a huge water change with all new water, and don't bother trying to clear up the old water - in that case, make sure to match the temp & salinity very closely to your tank water. With such a small volume of water, just changing it out might be less aggravating than trying to clean it. From experience, it is amazing how nicely a 95% water change removes non-rinsed-sand syndrome...

Option B: Use a siphon hose (like the hose on a gravel vacuum, with the vacuum portion removed so you just have the hose) and siphon up the sand itself, rinse the everloving bejeezus out of it, and return the sand. The siphon hose is big enough to pull up the sand pretty well, although with the small volume of water you're working with you might find that you're still siphoning up too much water, and essentially you'll end up doing Option A regardless. But you'll have most or all of the sand out of the tank to be more thoroughly rinsed.

Either way, stuff the aqueon filter with some filter floss to catch any remaining particles once the tank is refilled. Obviously, also turn off the main tank pump when you stir all the sand up, little sand particles gum the motor right up and can ruin it.

Aiming a powerhead at the sand to stir everything up, and having a filter sock / lots of filter floss to catch the particles will also work, although is not great for your pumps in the meantime.
 

Nano-joe

Small Fish
Jun 16, 2016
12
0
1
#4
is there a sump? i've done in the past is vacuum the water into a filter bag into my sump so the water just goes back into the tank and the filter bag catches the particles.

manually stirring the sand top? might take awhile. how about adjusting your powerheads to have the water flow stir up the sand and hopefully it'll be a faster process.
Yeah I think I'm going to try the filter sock, thank you!
 

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#5
How small is this nano tank? A tiny tank with sand is always going to be a challenge when removing/adding water. You have to be super gentle. I find it odd that the expensive sand you bought is such a hassle? I've got cheap black sand (that is extremely fine) from Petco that is no hassle at all in my 29g aside from it shows everything.

The particles the your aqueon quiet flow is sucking up is going to destroy the impeller assembly. Unfiltered water passes through the impeller before it hits the media on HOB filters. You should throw a sponge over the intake.
 

Nano-joe

Small Fish
Jun 16, 2016
12
0
1
#6
Thanks for all th replies with some solid advice I've taken into consideration and might actually try some of them. As of right now for an update, I've purchased a cp1 fluval power head that should be here Friday to create more flow. I'm hoping this flow stirs the sand up slightly enough over time for this issue to subside. Right now I'm combating algae. Woo! Thanks again all! Anymore advice I would love to read more on.