help - Plant substrate made my water cloudy!

[cichlid.greenhorn]

Poor guys

 

[00youknowit00]

I guess this is what I get for caring. A large pet store had 14 shoved in a 4" x 4" breeder box. In a tank with 100 gold fish. It just seemed wrong when I have a 55 gal with just plants. I thought I was saving them. Cross your fingers for them.

Oh wow, good for you!! And I'm sure they're gonna, be okay!

 

[cichlid.greenhorn]

Guppies got drip acclimated late last night. They look much better, I think they enjoy their new home. I did a 70% water change then rinsed my filter cartridge every hour. ( debris was clogging) thanks for all the help everyone, and the words of encouragement. Thanks youknowit, tonights chore installing new fluval 306 in cichlid tank.

 

[00youknowit00]

Guppies got drip acclimated late last night. They look much better, I think they enjoy their new home. I did a 70% water change then rinsed my filter cartridge every hour. ( debris was clogging) thanks for all the help everyone, and the words of encouragement. Thanks youknowit, tonights chore installing new fluval 306 in cichlid tank.

Glad to hear its all working out! The 306 shouldn't give you too much problems.

 

[LyndaB]

Personally, I would have thoroughly washed it first..

You don't wash this particular substrate.

I would add the fish. I've kept mine in the tank doing a complete substrate change and they come out of it all just fine.

 

[cichlid.greenhorn]

Cool, good to know. Sometime soon I have to pull a undergravel filter out of my other 55. And its a stocked tank.

 

[jetajockey]

I agree, you don't have to wash that kind of substrate either, it kind of defeats the purpose if you do.

Did you add the bio-magnet clarifier or whatever it's called packet? That helps a lot.

 

[cichlid.greenhorn]

I did not have a bio magnet, I'm a pure rookie. This is my first atempt at a planted tank. I read the directions to a T. Looking back though I should have took the cartridge out of my filter till the tank settled. It collected all the debris from the tank, probably lost some nutrients too. But all is well, going to add another bag this weekend. Probably try a diffrent method too.

 

[meegosh]

Check in the bag, when I bought EcoComplete it had a little pouch of water clarifier in it that supposedly works wonders. I didn't use, just poked some holes in the bag to drain the "live water" and dumped it in. Put a plate down on the substrate and filled it up.

 

[cichlid.greenhorn]

I'm pretty sure it didn't have anything of the sort. I opened my bag dumped it into a 5 gallon bucket, strained the "bio water" and lowered in a small cup one at a time and gently dumped onto my other substrate. It said it would settle into all the nooks and crannys. I'm trying half river rock pebbles and half planted substrate. Is this ok/healthy for my plants?

 

[cichlid.greenhorn]

I will post picks of the tank when I get home tonight. I think I'm gonna need some layout tips and tricks. I spread my plants out so they have room to grow and equal chance to soak up some light. But to me it just looks like it was designed or ploted. Seen some pretty awesome tanks on here, that look so natural. I wouldn't mind if you guys threw some picks on this post for ideas.

 

[cichlid.greenhorn]

My new planted 55, with guppies. I know its not the best, but I'm gonna try to make it a little better every time I get a paycheck.

 

[Austin.b]

I like your tank here's mine

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