So, I have decided to slowly turn my angel tank into a planted tank. 45 gallon bowfront tank. Four medium angels, four red serpe tetras, one cory cat, one albino bristlenose, and knew lonely bloodfin. I rinsed the floromax before adding to the tank. What a joke. I only added fifteen pounds for now, and I can't even see through my tank. Anyone know how long this will last? Any way to avoid this in the future? I plan on adding plenty more. Yes, I added the clarifying agent to the tank.
floromax nightmare
- Thread starter bacon
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I have some floramax that I've used and I believe you are not supposed to rinse it before you add it to the tank. Either way I've had no problems with cloudiness from using the product so I would just give it a little time to let it settle before making judgements. In the future I would probably read the directions as well.
I did read the directions. It said it was prewashed, so only minimal rinsing was needed. I'm not worried about the cloudiness per se, but if there are any tricks to reduce it in the future, I would obviously be interested in trying them. I always read instructions.
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
You have to rinse it well (as with any substrate) before putting it in your tank. The packet of stuff that comes with it works pretty good, but if you don't do some big water changes now, that silt will settle back down in the substrate and any time you disturb it, will cloud back up again.
And, when I say rinse... I mean rinse. Rinse it until it comes out clear. Just be glad you didn't use flourite... that stuff won't rinse at all.
And, when I say rinse... I mean rinse. Rinse it until it comes out clear. Just be glad you didn't use flourite... that stuff won't rinse at all.
Yes this is normal. Happens most of the time. Nothing to worry about it will clear eventually. All of my fish have lived through it, no matter how much I rinse the stuff. Just the extra stuff in the substrate that needs to settle out, your filter will clean most of it as well. 
That's kind of what I was thinking. I'm going to have to wait on the water change, though. I just did one yesterday. Ill hit it tomorrow. I should have known better when I read "light rinsing." too good to be true. Oh well, live and learn. I'm just glad I didn't add all that I'm supposed to at once. Thanks for the help.
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
Why wait? I'd go ahead and get it out of there. It's easier to get out while its still suspened.
Brian_Nano12g
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yeah i rinse the Floramax really well. After i add it to the tank, i put a bowl or plate in the tank to slowly pour water in to not disturb the substrate too much. I use the clarifying agent. I also add filter floss to my canister to catch the finer particles and polish the water.
This picture is of my 26g bow front literally just 1 hour after planting and flooding the tank -- using floramax. Not too much of a cloudy water problem at all. I did do a few more partial water changes in the following days to get it crystal clear.
This picture is of my 26g bow front literally just 1 hour after planting and flooding the tank -- using floramax. Not too much of a cloudy water problem at all. I did do a few more partial water changes in the following days to get it crystal clear.
Historically, in my experience, doing too many water changes too close together has caused stress to my fish. Poor guys had a water change, new friends, and clouded water in the course of a day. Seems to be clearing up now. I'll remember to rinse the crap out of it from now on.
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