Added Sand And Its A Nightmare,,help

[bally]

Hi,



2 weeks ago after much reading i decided to dump my gravel tank for a sand substrate. I read up on lots of posts and followed instructions as i understood it. Anyway when i had finished it looked excellent. However after a few days i noticed it began to turn black, esp around where the plants of rocks where placed. I assume this if most likely soil out of the plant pots, then the amount of muck in the sand increased along with the fish much. My long loved Clown loach died, followed shortly by one of my sucking loaches. I did a water changed 25% and again today, but its an absolute nightmare to get the sand clean. I have tried holding the syphon just above the sand but its failing to pull the dirt. It just looks awful.



I am seriously considering going back to gravel. Anyone help out please with suggestions on where i am going wrong.


Tank, Juwel 125lts

round about 20 fish, including 2 bristlenose, 2 sucking loaches and then rest are guppies, oh and 2 blind cave fish.My biggest fish

i am using a large syphon from Pets at home.

tested water both at home and at pet shop, all fine, ph slighly high and corrected.

sand was from tesco, play sand and i spend half a day washing it.



thank you

 

[Rickzayne]

have you got any photos?

not quite sure what you mean about the sand turning black...

Do you have anything under the sand? are your plants wrapped in foam and lead still?

 

[minnnt]

It's quite common mate, my play sand did the same. I believe its something to do with anaerobic gas or something?!

May have that completely wrong though

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/370084-sand-went-black-under-decor/page__p__3092184__hl__anaerobic__fromsearch__1#entry3092184

Stir the sand up a bit to release any gas.

 

[bally]

yes, still in the little pots with the foam,but no lead



Minnt,,,,,did your sand eventually clear or is that the way it always is?

how did you clean it

 

[Rickzayne]

I found the roots of my plants turned black with the foam still wrapped around them and started to rot.

but the above post sounds about right.

 

[minnnt]

It goes eventually mate if you keep aggitating it. Have you got any bottom dwellers or sand sifters?

Kuhli Loaches, Cory's, Rams etc would all go well in a tank of your size.

 

[bally]

think thats the black sorted, now how to get the sand nice and clean, free of the fish dirt,,,,,how did you manage to hoover it all way

 

[minnnt]

I don't put anything around my plants. If you have a decent depth of sand then there should be no need for pots, sponge or lead as these severely restrict the roots from expanding and growing.

 

[Rickzayne]

wave your syphon just above the sand and it will lift the mess up as its slightly lighter than sand.

 

[bally]

ok,,thank you, i ll try again

 

[minnnt]

think thats the black sorted, now how to get the sand nice and clean, free of the fish dirt,,,,,how did you manage to hoover it all way

General Vac-ing will do just fine mate. Swirl it around above the sand (about an inch or two) which should just pick up any debris off the surface and suck it up the pipe. Any tough pieces you can use a ladel/turkey baster, but my external filter usually takes car of most of it.

 

[fluttermoth]

I just suck up the sand in very dirty areas as well, wash it and tip it back in.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Dont forget the diameter of the hose will have an effect on the pull, if i use some smaller hosing it pulls dirt around the plants better then say the filter hose which like 15mm+

 

[minnnt]

Yeah i use a syphon from p@h i think, does a decent job. But when doing normal w/c i just use some filter hose for ease and speed. Nothing like draining 150L with a 10ml pipe

Sometimes just disconnect the external filter pipes, then it's like niagra falls

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Yeah i use a syphon from p@h i think, does a decent job. But when doing normal w/c i just use some filter hose for ease and speed. Nothing like draining 150L with a 10ml pipe

Sometimes just disconnect the external filter pipes, then it's like niagra falls

i cheat doing my 350l on a normal 50% water change. I got ones the 50m hose pipes from the £1 shop cut it into 3 lenghts gaffa taped them togther for 3 barrel look and plop them from tank into the flower bed