Does it ever stop?

[bigfish]

Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!! is all i can say @ the mo as i'm frustraighted!!!!

decided that peagravel wan't doing it for me, and seen as everyone was ranting on bout sand i thought i'd give it a go. So i removed everything possible..... i then laid JBL Aquabasis plus on the bottom and then sand that i had washed loads of times until clean. Filled tank up with aged water that had come out and bingo the water was milky with a scum on the surface of the water!!!!

All decorations are covered in a brown silty stuff and looks horridous!!! what they hell have i done!!!!

Help

 

[Erised]

This is what usually happens when filling a sand tank up for the first (couple) time(S). Nothing to worry about. Technically now you're supposed to do a 50/70% water change. Some people even do a full one and then slowely full it back up again (preferable over a plate so it drips and doesnt stir up the sand).

After the water change, let it settle for a day and see what it looks like then. If its still too cloudy, do another water change. More than 2 should not be required though.

Good luck

 

[DannyBoy17]

Sponge filters fix sand cloudiness reeeeal fast. I know that scum, its nasty. My whole 100g tank was mud for a couple hours. I ran an old filter and some sponge filters (which needed to be rinsed VERY often. I also had one constantly siphoning water out, while the garden hose filled it back up. One night later, Ive got a beautiful sand bottom

DB

 

[rdd1952]

I had the same problem with my 29 gallon. 4 days after I filled it up the first time, I still couldn't see the back of the tank. Despite how many times you wash sand, you never get it completely clean. I did what Erisid suggested and did a 100% water change (no fish yet of course). The important part there is pouring the water over a plate or bowl so the stream of water doesn't disrupt the sand and create the dust cloud again. Sand is much easier to keep clean than gravel and corys love it.

 

[yvez9]

if the water is too cloudy, do water changes.

it will help

I also let my filters run to help clear it up and then i rinsed out the sponges.

Your tank will look much nicer with sand in it

 

[GuppyBoy]

Patience is the keyword, here. Fill the tank up, very slowly. Even if you use a length of airline to do it and it takes several hours, it may be worth it in the long run. And, if the water is a bit cloudy, remember that it takes a considerable amount of time for water to become truely clear, especially if it's a larger tank. To help the process, increase the flow of your filter, (assuming there will be no fish in the tank yet), and give it a few days. Do some water changes if there isn't any improvement over a few days of waiting. Also, be aware that the fine silt will attach the the front glass and can, sometimes, give the appearance that the water is cloudy. (It's happened to me.) But, overall, you need to give the tank a little time to settle. Even a week or so. But, in the long-run, it is worth doing.

 

[bigfish]

Awww thank you sooo much guys for all the advice!!! i been pulling my hair out that i gone bald well today the tank looks better since i started it on sat [today is mon] i thought i would start to plant my tank out with the plants that orginally came out of there.

So i now have Vallis @ the back, along with green cambomba [shortly going to get some red cambomba when i can afford it] but as i was planting i stirred the substrate up and produce >>>>>> u guess it a storm cloud so i stopped.

It's getting there!!!

I have 4 corydoras & 1 lone male swordtail [note this tank has 2 x filters that have been fully cycled] plus keeping an eye on Ammonia & Nitrite as we go.

Wanna do it right!!! >>>>>>>>>no patience>>>>