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Okay, I decided not to be such a cheapskate as I was when I set up my 75 gallon tank a few years back, and to spring for some Flourite to try a planted tank in my 38 gallon bowfront. As the instructions said, I rinsed it only a little and put it in the tank. Lots of muddy water. Bag said it would settle in 2-12 hours. Well, some settled, but it's still very, very cloudy and muddy in there. Decided to try starting up the filter and put layers of polyester stuff up in the filter trays...it's sort of a wet-dry setup like a big Eclipse...and after more than 12 hours, I still don't see a lot of improvment. The particles seem too fine to be caught ? Does anyone have any suggestions besides changing the water out 20 times? I've changed it out once, already btw, before starting the filtering.
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MY MANTRA: Yes, I CAN have too many fishtanks! -
Re: Argh! Muddy water !
Okay, i just went through this too. I tried doing water changes (I have a 10 gallon and did about 10 WC)and I siphoned the substrate, didn't help as much as I needed. Everytime I went to plant anything all the dust would kick back up and I couldn't see what I was doing. I ended up taking all the substrate out and I rinsed small batches with a wire colander. It took me about half an hour but it was well worth the time. I tried rinsing it off in a half-filled bucket but it seemed to take longer than using the colander. That stuff sure puts off a LOT of dust.58G Malawis
10G planted -
Re: Argh! Muddy water !
I had the same problem. Try rinsing the floss more often. Also try adding some Accu-Clear according to the directions, (that helped immensely when I was rinsing my fluorite). I guess it made particles small enough to pass thru the floss clump with others, making them larger so they'll get caught. It's made for ponds, so look in the pond section of Petco to find it - Petsmart probably has it too.The ultimate oxymoron - Narcolepsy and ADHD.
Who says you can`t have it all??!!
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Re: Argh! Muddy water !
Hmm. I forgot Acu-clear. Wonder if I still have any? Time to dig under the stand again... Thanks. It's good to know SOMETHING will work. They sure understate the problems on the bag, don't they?MY MANTRA: Yes, I CAN have too many fishtanks!Comment
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Re: Argh! Muddy water !
Yeah they do - that stuff is the worst to rinse!The ultimate oxymoron - Narcolepsy and ADHD.
Who says you can`t have it all??!!
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Re: Argh! Muddy water !
Yup, Flourite does tend to be very dusty. Usually what I do is just wait. It's almost never clear after 12 hours (2-12 hours - HAH!), but the next day it should be almost clear. I also make sure the filter is on, to catch the larger particles, but reduce the flow substantially in order to let the much smaller particles settle.
I like Flourite enough to deal with the cloudiness. :)"Millennium hand and shrimp!"Comment
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Re: Argh! Muddy water !
Well, if you had them available, two powerheads with sponges on them is what we used, I took a prefilter material like white cotton (only it isn't cotton) it's like a ultra fine cleaning cloth, and wrapped it around the black sponges. I think the prefilter sheets where from AQUA CLEAR and purchased at a LFS, but might be found in Petco or Petsmart too.
The tank should clear in one day.
CFTruth is the cement that holds the bricks and stones of a sane and civilized society together. Remove the former and the latter will crumble.Comment
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Re: Argh! Muddy water !
I think I will try some sponges, too. The flow to the top filter is pretty strong and that might be part of the problem. I'd just bought a half-dozen new Aqua-Clear brand coarse sponges for the filter box but didn't want them all muddied up, plus they're too coarse to help, so I took them out and used the polyester up there. I have some of those little black sponges that come on bubblers that I can stuff into some powerhead filter-holders. **Back under the cabinet...mumble, mumble...**
I better not go out shopping for more stuff today or the grass will never get cut.MY MANTRA: Yes, I CAN have too many fishtanks!Comment
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Re: Argh! Muddy water !
We had a problem of cloudy water when we set up our planted tank and we used some murky water solution (can not remember the name) but it worked great the next morning it was all clearComment
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Re: Argh! Muddy water !
I am the proud owner of 4 Diatom filters (3 +1 for parts)
this is similar to swimming pool filters
the same tyoe of filter that Budwiser (and others) use to filter the haze out of the beer before they bottle it.
I use them to filter the brown out of my soft acid pH5.5 aquariums for wild mouth brooding bettas.
If you want polished water, this is the type of filter you need to use.
Anyone that wants to drive all the way down here (Texas City) may borrow one. [just leave your first born as collateral :evil: ]'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'Comment
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Re: Argh! Muddy water !
if i left my first born would i have to come and get him?????.....i'd much rather just keep the polisher.........
just kidding ya know....just couldn't resist that....but seriously i'll trade him......hehehehehehe
good idea there phish....those i hear work miracles...but the powerheads that cichlidfan and i used as he said cleared up the tanks in no time flat...Comment
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Re: Argh! Muddy water !
I bet the Acu-clear works really well. I know from my experience in the chemical industry that lowering the pH makes the muddy water floculate. Those diatomaceous earth filters are awesome!
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