Question about sand substrate.

[Parkinglotninja]

I went to Petco and bought sand for my aquarium. It is packaged real ocean sand. The bag said it was pre-cleaned and cycled but when I put it in my tank it instantly clouded up heavily. I turned off my filter and powerhead to help it settle and it helped a little but not much. Anyone have any tips to clear that water up besides water changes?

 

[Abugg]

When I put my sand in, I immediately clouded up the tank. I turned everything of an let it settle. When you are doing your water changes, you are taking out the sand particles in the water. I would suggest letting it sit.

 

[EriksFish315]

Should have rinsed the sand.

 

[J33ps]

Correct me if I wrong but that sand also is live sand so u really can't rinse it first inless u rinse it in saltwater but then I would think u would be defeating the purpose of buying live sand other wise u might as well buy regular sand because the salt water is part of the live sand if it is the same stuff I'm thinking of

 

[Parkinglotninja]

You are correct it is live sand..

 

[J33ps]

If u have a filter I would leave it on all my tanks when the have got cloudy because of not cleaning the sand I leave it on and clean the filter every couple of hours or when u can that's what a filter is for it will take a while but leaveing the filter off puts all the stuff from the sand right back to the bottom there for not cleaning it at all

 

[Parkinglotninja]

I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

 

[J33ps]

I would put carbon in ur filter if not all ready just in case there's anything bad in there it helps make it nice and clear to it may take a day or so but u should start seeing a difference in three or four hours

 

[Parkinglotninja]

I've got carbon in there. Here's hoping it works. I hate seeing it like this

 

[J33ps]

Good luck just make sure u clean the filter as much as u can to get the stuff

 

[J33ps]

U will later have to clean the sand so u get the rest out of the sand but definitely wait till it all clean

 

[EriksFish315]

"live" sand in a bag at any pet store is not actually live you'd be better off saving your money and getting the regular old aragonite sand.

 

[don_chuwish]

Rinse the sand, stir it up till the water is good & cloudy, then dump that water. Repeat until it doesn't get too cloudy anymore.
Maybe easier done with buckets in small batches than in the tank. Use saltwater but I think it can be tap, and low salinity. Whatever little life is left in that sand after packaging & sitting airtight on the shelf will still be fine. You can do this now, but not after the tank is fully cycled & all your rock is set up, etc. I made that mistake!

- D

 

[J33ps]

If u read before the sand is already in the tank so he has to fix it in the tank and yes I a agree I would never buy live sand it's not worth it

 

[EriksFish315]

If you have a python siphon you can easily rinse with water.

 

[J33ps]

I never said u couldn't rinse the sand I just said I wouldn't do it with fresh water because it is supposed to be LIVE SAND and what ever is still alive since it has been there for a while in a air tight bag would probably die it was probably on the verge of dieing already and fresh water or tap water I should say would not help that, he could easily get a 5 gallon buck of saltwater and do the same thing maybe I'm wrong I've never used the stuff

 

[don_chuwish]

Yep, rinse with de-clorinated, low salinity tap water (just to keep wasted salt to a minimum, I'm cheap!). You can always scoop it out of the tank into buckets. Shouldn't need too many buckets to get it done.
Then get the rocks, live & dry combination, aquascape, & start fishless cycling.
These are all things I WISH I'd done, learned the lessons the hard way.
Got a QT tank ready too?

- D

 

[J33ps]

Ya me to lol when first started killer two fish didn't like the sand so put new stuff in and didn't clean or nothing ( moron )

 

[mr_X]

Bagged "live sand" sitting on the shelves of stores for months is most likely not "live" any more.
Rinsing this sand in tank water won't remove the bacteria though, if there is any.
Save your money and purchase dry sand and rinse it well before adding it.
I would run a HOB or canister filter to remove the white dust.

 

[Parkinglotninja]

Tank is finally clear and ready to go!