Sand Probelms

[Lairdc76]

I'm setting up a new 90g tank for my son in his room to replace his 55g he has now. I went with sand for his new tank so I picked up some pool filter sand from the local pool supply. I rinsed the sand and put all 150lbs in. I filled the tank and water looks like its from the gulf, it's not wanting to settle at all. I have the marine land magnum 350 filter and after a few mins I couldn't even see the filter anymore. I turned the pump off last night and I checked this morning and I still have a small portion of the gulf in his room. Do I need to drain the tank and try adding more water? Or am I'm going to have this problem since I went with pool sand?

[ptran]

You might have to drain the tank a few time and keep the filter going. It would clear up in a couple days.

[johnnymisty]

It may take awhile but stuff the filter with filter floss and it should catch all the crap..... Even after rinsing ifyou let the water run sstraight on the sand it does that I always deflect the water off my rocks

[ptran]

You can deflect the flow of water when filling up the tank by sticking the hose in a plastic bag and tie it up. Let the water running slow and it will slowly fill the tank without disturbing the sand.

[rmalford]

You would have been better off leaving the filter on the night before. Plus what everyone else said up there.

[Roshan8768]

If the sand is really fine it can get everywhere and do some damage to the filter's impeller

[Lairdc76]

I'm kind of thinking now the sand was a bad choice, should have just stayed with gravel. I'll empty the tank tonight and start the filter back up. My questions is if I add the water in with a bag or something to keep the sand down. In the future if I move a piece of wood or add something is the sand just going to get stired up again? I don't want to keep have this brown water in his tank over and over again...

[topout24]

I have pool filter sand in my discus tank and it started cloudy then after a week it settles down. when you do water changes the "dust" of the sand will come out. it just takes a little time but its worth it.

[Roshan8768]

I'm kind of thinking now the sand was a bad choice, should have just stayed with gravel. I'll empty the tank tonight and start the filter back up. My questions is if I add the water in with a bag or something to keep the sand down. In the future if I move a piece of wood or add something is the sand just going to get stired up again? I don't want to keep have this brown water in his tank over and over again...

PFS is usually pretty clean and doesn't cloud up too bad. As mentioned above it's something that should get better with time. For now, I'd try and pour the water in slowly to minimize disrupting the sand

[prostreet69camaro]

How did you clean the sand? I usually pour about a 1/3 bag of 50 pds in a 5 gallon bucket and rinse. I keep stirring with my hand till it clears up pretty good. Then add to the tank, then do the next 1/3 bag. It takes a while to clean up. I just did a 50% percent water change in my 180 tank and it cleared up in about 1 hr. The sand has been in the tank for about 9 months.

[Lairdc76]

How did you clean the sand? I usually pour about a 1/3 bag of 50 pds in a 5 gallon bucket and rinse. I keep stirring with my hand till it clears up pretty good. Then add to the tank, then do the next 1/3 bag. It takes a while to clean up. I just did a 50% percent water change in my 180 tank and it cleared up in about 1 hr. The sand has been in the tank for about 9 months.

I filled a 5 gallon bucket about half way and rinsed that out. Did all the bags the same way and poured it in the tank. Even the bags said they pre-washed, but I somehow think they wasn't. I had to ordered parts for my filter, so hopefully I can get back up and running when the parts come in.

[Coop]

I only use caribsea sand. I used pool sand years ago but caribsea is awesome in comparison. You will pay more of course for it...

[DoubleDutch]

When i put poolfiltersand in my tanks it showed bacterial bloom for some time : gorillas in the mist : after having breakfast, lunch and dinner for some days the mist will disappear. But never ever shut down your filter !!!

[Lairdc76]

I've already drained the tank have to re-level it. It's a 1/4" off and kind of figuring that's a little too much. Plus some how I cracked my intake tube for the filter. It started sucking way too much air and not enough water. I did notice when I started draining it the water was starting to clear up.