Help my sand poisoned my fish

[JuiceBox52]

Got sakrete sand. Washed it 40 times. Put it the tank. Tank is now super cloudy. 1 snail might be dead. The otos have red gills. The rummynose nose is gray

Help
I put them in a bucket and and totally draining the tank. Should I toss the sand and go back to gravel? Help

 

[JuiceBox52]

Play sand not other sand

 

[JuiceBox52]

Help please

 

[JuiceBox52]

@vanalisa @Fishmanic @Deanasue @Colin_T @Retired Viking @essjay @seangee @Crispii
@NCaquatics

 

[Retired Viking]

If the sand is the only new thing added to the tank and you washed it out like you said I would get rid of it to be safe. Sorry it did not work out for you.

 

[JuiceBox52]

If the sand is the only new thing added to the tank and you washed it out like you said I would get rid of it to be safe. Sorry it did not work out for you.

Do you think I just didnt wash it well enough?

 

[vanalisa]

I don't know the back story,
or anything about sand.

I would first make sure your emergency tank and inhabitants are secure for a while so you take care of the problem.

Were you adding sand? Were the sand and gravel ever mixed together?
If so start over.
I don't know what you are showing in the picture.

 

[JuiceBox52]

I don't know the back story,
or anything about sand.

I would first make sure your emergency tank and inhabitants are secure for a while.

Were you adding sand? Were the sand and gravel ever mixed together?
If so start over. I dont know...

I decided to switch from gravel to sand. I removed the gravel. I bought sakrete play sand for the tank. I put some sand in a bucket and rinsed it a bazillion times. The water was almost clear after rinsing. Barely cloudy at all. I added it to the tank by filling a cup with sand and gently pouring it on the bottom of the tank.

The water suddenly got super cloudy but I decided to wait overnight to see if the filters would clear it up and I would settle. This morning I did two 75% water changes. When the water cleared up a little from the changes I saw my fish were NOT doing good.

Moved them to a bucket and totally drained the tank.

Do you think with extra washings it will be safe? Should I just toss it?

The gravel was never mixed with it

 

[Essjay]

It could well be the sand.

I googled 'sakrete play sand' and the first hit took me to a blog on Sakrete's website. At the bottom of the page there is a comment "Applications Sakrete Play Sand Should Not Be Used" and the first one is - aquariums.

Is this the sand you got https://www.sakrete.com/products/natural-play-sand If it is, click on the link to the blog on that page.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Oh no.. so sorry to hear this..

 

[JuiceBox52]

It could well be the sand.

I googled 'sakrete play sand' and the first hit took me to a blog on Sakrete's website. At the bottom of the page there is a comment "Applications Sakrete Play Sand Should Not Be Used" and the first one is - aquariums.

Is this the sand you got https://www.sakrete.com/products/natural-play-sand If it is, click on the link to the blog on that page.

Yeah it is. That's really annoying because the only reason it says aquariums is a pH issue. I researched it and everything I found said it was safe. I guess not. I'll toss it and try to buy quikrete sand. I guess that one is better. Ughhhhh

 

[Retired Viking]

You may have had a bacteria bloom which happens often with new tanks or making major changes in old tanks. Usually it does not harm fish. That is why I wounder what may be in the sand. @essjay beat me to the google, he is right. Get rid of it my friend.

 

[JuiceBox52]

You may have had a bacteria bloom which happens often with new tanks or making major changes in old tanks. Usually it does not harm fish. That is why I wounder what may be in the sand. @essjay beat me to the google, he is right. Get rid of it my friend.

Okay would quikrete play sand be better?

 

[Salty&Onion]

Okay would quikrete play sand be better?

Quikrete play sand in aquarium?

I'm just wondering if quikrete play sand would be safe to use in a freshwater tank? Seeing as its only 5 dollars for 50 pounds it'd be nice. I know I'd have to clean it a lot but that's fine with me. Does anyone know if its alright? Thanks in advance to anyone who helps...

www.monsterfishkeepers.com

It sure is

 

[Retired Viking]

Quikrete is what I picked up at FleetFarm. I have not used it yet in my aquarium but it looks good and has play sand written on it.