sand help

[newbie321]

so i added aragonite sand to my hardwater fw aquarium yesterday and its still cloudy what im asking is should i add my bacterial starter, its a 30 gallon tank. and i rinsed the sand.

 

[boadams87]

I wouldn't. Its the sand that's causing the cloudiness. It may take a few days.

 

[newbie321]

yeah seams like cloudiness is getting better

 

[boadams87]

It will.

 

[newbie321]

Are u sure? cause I read that I should start the cycle so bacteria will weigh the sand particles down.

 

[Hobgob]

It won't change at all. The cloudyness is from dust particles in the sand and will settle or get caught in the filter. How long did you rinse it for and how?

 

[newbie321]

I rinsed it in a 5 gallon bucket filling with water swirling it around in the water until it settled then pouring the dirty water out did that 3 times then let the water overflow once.

 

[boadams87]

I rinsed it in a 5 gallon bucket filling with water swirling it around in the water until it settled then pouring the dirty water out did that 3 times then let the water overflow once.

What kind of filter do you have?

 

[Hobgob]

I dontthink you rinsed it good enough. I used a pillow case myself and spent close to an hour cleaning it both days. I had no clouding in my tank when I was done. But that's my opinion has it cleared up at all?

 

[newbie321]

Ok can I run my filter it's a whisper 30

 

[Hobgob]

I dont see why not but if you hear some grinding I'd unplug it. You could try doing a 100% water change and put a plate on top of the sand so the new water doesn't stir up the dust.

 

[newbie321]

When I filled it up I put a plate on the sand and still cloudy. Now that I'm running the filter it's clearing up.

 

[Hobgob]

Alright. Did the water change help at all? I figured when you syphoned the water out, the dust would have got sucked out with the water. Then the water on the plate wouldn't have stirred so much up. Now the filter is just sucking up the rest.

 

[newbie321]

Yeah the water change helped alot it's almost clear I'm cycling it using a filter from my other established tank, thanks for the help guys.

 

[newbie321]

So What are some good peaceful community fish for my 29 gallon tank?

 

[boadams87]

When I filled it up I put a plate on the sand and still cloudy. Now that I'm running the filter it's clearing up.

You need some pantyhose to put over the intake of your filter, the sand will destroy your impeller

 

[newbie321]

Will putting polly-fill in my filter help the cloudiness?

 

[Hobgob]

You need some pantyhose to put over the intake of your filter, the sand will destroy your impeller

It's the dust not sand. I know when I do my tanks normally there isn't much clouding but recently a ten gallon was. I didn't rinse it very well. I needed to get it done quick. When sand got sucked up it would grind in the propeller. So I removed one of the intake tubes and it stopped. All the clouding is gone now and The filter is working just as good...
Yes poly will work fine. I use it to keep fry from getting sucked up...

 

[newbie321]

Is there any household stuff I could use as biological filtration like for BB to grow on?ps, my aquarium is crystal clear now thanks for ur help.

 

[Hobgob]

What ever type of media there is in your filter is where your bb will grow. You can put another piece of poly if you want.