New Sand Substrate - makes water cloudy?

[Luvi]

I am setting up a new 12g tank and pouring new "washed" sand in as substrate, it makes the water very cloudy - kind of brownish/yellowish. I waited overnight and still cloudy. So I suck out the water completely and put in new tap water again and it is clearer but not crystal clear yet. Is this normal? I may need to change the water a few more times?

 

[Seleya]

You can never rinse sand well enough. You can try to re-rinse it or just leave it to settle. Some people recommend wrapping some filter floss around your filter's intake to sift the sand before it hits your impeller until the water clears. I would just take it out and rinse until I couldn't rinse no more.... Do it in small increments and rinse a few times more than you think it needs.

 

[Luvi]

thanks Sekleya. I would like to know is the yellowish/cloudiness due to the sand? I don't think it is caused by bacteria as this is a brand new tank and new sand.

Also, anyone who use the Eclipse system twelve? The bulb that came with it has a cool tone to it - I prefer the warm tone bulb. Otherthan getting the same replacement from Marineland/Eclipse, is there another brand that I could buy for the same "Fluorescent Lamp 13 watt/5500K" bulb?

 

[accordztech]

i use silica sand, kiln dried.

its clean but you still have to rinse it.

the way i do it is put it half and half into 5 gallon buckets and let a hose run through it sturring it up constantly for 20 minutes and playing with the sand....when you turn the hose off sand should float for a quick second then settle down with the water on top clear...thats when you know its clean.

when u put it in the tank it will still be slightly hazy but not alot, in 5 hours it will be fine wiht filtration.


if its a new setup just change 50% of the water if you dont want to wait it out. but it will become clear.

 

[Fish Friend]

I have sand... and i washed it for about an hour but when i put it in and filled it up with water it was more or less a bit cloudy so i did a 50% water change and left it for about 3 days and it cleared up

 

[accordztech]

you know what i learned? sand that comes in the bag, try not to get the bottom part of the bag cause thats the most powdery areas for sand.

anyways, i love sand, the color (depending on the light) can really enhance the tank, and plus my cories love it!!