Sand in

Janmitch22 · January 8th, 2006

Alright, decided on pool filter sand.* I rinsed until I could rinse no more. I rinsed away a lot of muck, but I still had more than enough sand left. Anyway, the tank is cloudy. Should I keep my filters running or wait a day or two to let things settle?

Butterfly · January 8th, 2006

It's really a personal choice. I did run mine after I set up my sand tanks but it will settle even if you don't.
Carol

Janmitch22 · January 9th, 2006

Thanks, Butterfly. Which tanks do you have sand in and how long did they take to clear up? I put my sand in the 55g. More than twelve hours later, the water is still as cloudy as it can be. I hope I haven't done something wrong.

Oh, and I may have already asked this, but what type of filtration do you have for your sand tanks? I think sand people lean toward sponge filters. But I dunno really, do they? I'd bought a power filter weeks ago and it's been chugging along; when I decided to go with sand, I'd read many forums and articles that said the sand would get sucked up the intake tube and ruin the impeller...? The sponge on sponge filters helped to keep the sand out of the impeller housing. But the pieces that do get sucked in are too fine to do any damage. At least that's what I got from it all. Right? Wrong?

Too late to return the power filter, but I made a small moundish wall of gravel to try to keep most of the sand from getting directly underneath the intake of the power filter.* I don't even know if that will help, but I felt the need to be resourceful!* :P Once the fish get in there, they'll probably knock my invention down.

Also, I went ahead and got a sponge filter. A Penguin something or other. That thing is nifty, a powerhead and filter in one! It was the only choice of sponge filter, so we'll see.

I'm also assuming it's okay to throw the betta back in there to keep the cycle going...?

Butterfly · January 9th, 2006

I have sand in a 10 G with a small whisper HOB. Doesn't seem to bother the filter. Occasionally(about every 6 mos) I rinse the filter it's self as well as the media with tank water, you can even use a turkey baster to shoot water down where the impeller is to clean it.
There is sand in a 30 G long and have an aquaclear HOB.
In about two weeks the 55G will have sand and a penguin HOB all are cleaned as above.
Since i ran my filters it took about 2 days to clear up

my sponge filters are all in bare-bottom breeder and fry tanks

Watch your Ammonia really close, even though the betta breathes air the ammonia will still burn his gills if it gets too high.
Hope that helps.
Carol

Janmitch22 · January 10th, 2006

Sweet, thanks. I'm also going to try real plants on this go, but that's another post.

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