Just dirted my tank!

[big_al01]

The water is extremely cloudy and im kind of freaking out! Will my filter take care of this?

 

[Plantaholic]

Is your tank stocked? If no, cut off your filter and let it settle on its own. Filter will get pretty nasty if not!

 

[big_al01]

Ok thanks

 

[big_al01]

I'll try it and if not I always have the water change option

 

[FishEggs]

what kind of dirt did you use?

 

[big_al01]

Miracle grow organic choice

 

[big_al01]

this is what it looks like

 

[FishEggs]

anything going on top of the dirt?

 

[big_al01]

Yep black gravel

 

[vexxiang]

Honestly I would drain it all out. It will take eons for that to settle/filter out. Is there any cap on the soil substrate? Drain it until there's barely any water left, then pat down the soil and put 1" of your gravel cap and then fill by placing a saucer on top of the gravel, and pouring water onto the saucer. You have to go REALLY slow, and it will seem like it's taking forever, but after about 25%-50% you can start pouring faster. I did mine by dragging in a garden hose and letting it trickle onto the saucer and letting it go until it filled.

FYI, the first dirted tank I did looked like that also. I redid it twice before I figured out how to get it full of water without crazy cloudiness.

Also did you make your dirt damp before you started filling? Obviously it's damp now, but you want it the consistency of mud when you arrange it at the bottom of the tank. Not soupy, not to dry. Otherwise the "soup" will leach up above your gravel cap and it will again end up way cloudy.

 

[vexxiang]

Correction, drain it until there is zero water left. You.might have to empty it, then pull out the dirt, get as much water out as you can, then put the dirt back in, squeezing it so its just damp and then putting it along the bottom in handfuls.

 

[big_al01]

Yes i followed steps all right! Cap moist dirt everything. I am going to have to do water changes and that should clear it up. I dont see any reason to pull everything out.

 

[vexxiang]

Keep us updated!

 

[big_al01]

Will do!

 

[big_al01]

after 1 50% water change! Looking better

 

[jehenry89]

When I did mine, it was cloudy but not as bad as that. It lasted about a week with some active carbon in my filter. I put 2 inches of mulch and 3 inches of black sand.
Did you use a plate or some kind of hard surface when you were filling the tank to keep the mulch from coming up?

 

[big_al01]

Yes I did put a bowl down

 

[jehenry89]

The first image is what mine looked like right after I dirted my tank and added water. The second one is what it looks like now. It is all worth it, my plants grow much better than when I had fluorite rocks.

 

[jehenry89]

Yes I did put a bowl down

Put some active carbon in your filter and give it a few days. I wouldn't worry about it to much, cloudy water in a newly dirted tank is perfectly normal, followed by a small ammonia spike. keep us updated!

 

[big_al01]

Will do! thanks man!