Broken heater

[bobolink]

I had a submesible heater break and it leached a bunch of what appeared to be rust into the 20L tank when I was removing it. The filter (Aquaclear 200) removed the cloud but the solids settled onto the sand substrate. The fish in there now (1 month old Paradise fish fry and 3 3/8 inch albino bristle nose plecos) do not seem to have been affected by this. It happened about a week ago. I plan on using this tank for Pseudotropheus lanisticola (shell dwellers) when the fry are grown. Should I just stir the substrate or do I need to replace it?

 

[Allivymar]

Not sure what was in the heater bobo; I'm guessing it is rust thats down there although I could be wrong. Did you gravel vac the tank when it happened?

 

[Terry]

I think that as long as you gravel vac, you should remove anything that is on the bottom. You could also put in a polyfilter or carbon just to take out anything that might be in the water.

 

[bobolink]

I can try to vacuum but I will also be sucking up top of sand and it may be impossible to get it all unless I replace substrate completely. I'm hoping it is inert enough to leave in the sand but if I put shellies in there and they start mucking around could it hurt their scales or skin and cause problems? What the heck, 40#'s of pool filter sand is $8, potential lost fish could be $10 to $40. Better safe than sorry. Just trying to avoid the hassle.

 

[bobolink]

I can try to vacuum but I will also be sucking up top of sand and it may be impossible to get it all unless I replace substrate completely. I'm hoping it is inert enough to leave in the sand but if I put shellies in there and they start mucking around could it hurt their scales or skin and cause problems? What the heck, 40#'s of pool filter sand is $8, potential lost fish could be $10 to $40. Better safe than sorry. Just trying to avoid the hassle.

 

[William]

If you over the syphon just above the surface, you should get the material on the surface and leave the sane relitivly in place

 

[bobolink]

Whatever it is , is about the same density as the sand. Swirling the water above the sand stirs up the sand not the contaminant. That's why I am assuming it is rust.

 

[Enki]

I would sacrifice some sand to get the funk out. Carbon too probably.