New Setup

[webber555]

I'll start up a new thread here for my new setup questions...

Question 1: I've just received all my ordered gear and have setup the tank with play sand as the substrate and some assorted rocks that have been 'vinegar tested' and boiled.
I've filled it up, but despite my best gentle efforts, the water has clouded up from the swirling sand. Is it best to leave to settle or can I put the filter/heater/air on? Will the sand eventually settle with the filter blasting away as well as an air curtain and another stone?

 

[BigC]

Let the tank settle for a few hours then turn on all the electrics, I wouldn't bother with airstones or bubblewalls.
Regards
BigC

 

[jnms]

This maybe an obvious question, but did you thoroughly wash the sand before you put it in the tank?

 

[webber555]

As per the advice of the 'setting up' topic I used pre packaged playsand - it says prewashed on the packet so no I didn't wash it again.

 

[BigC]

I would have still been inclined to give it a good wash regardless.
BigC

 

[webber555]

Oh well, 1st mistake I guess - I can still do a water change and/or wash and replace sand if you think it's necessary... I haven't started cycling yet, still to find ammonia!

 

[Mr Bliss]

Here's what I did with my planted tank (not only does it have sand on top, it also has soil underneath; a really effective combo at clouding the water). I filled the tank to about half full and planted the tanks. Major cloudiness ensued. Then I siphoned out as much of the cloudy water as I could, and carefully filled the tank again (using a dinner plate on top of my pile of bogwood to protect the substrate from being disturbed). Result: crystal clear water on day one. So if it bothers you, you could siphon out some of the water and do the same, although unless you have plants in there it doesn't matter; the sediment in the water will gradually settle in a few days.

edit: The only problem with the unwashed sand is that you may experience some temporary cloudiness every time you plant/uproot plants or if you have fishes who like to dig. You could minimize this by taking out only the surface layer (a centimeter or two) of the sand and washing that, if you don't want to go through the hassle of taking it all out.

 

[jnms]

I used playsand in my tank - the package claimed it was 'pre-washed' - however I still washed it. Each 3kg of sand needed about 100litres + of water before it would run clear. You are not going to get that sand in your tank clear with just water changes - and the dirt is way too much for a filter. It really would be best if you took it back out and washed it again...a pain I know, but in the long run it will be worth it.

The sand will only get kicked up by the fish and water changes if you don't...

Sand settles very quickly - within just 1 or 2 mins. It is the dirt from the sand which continues to float in the water. Clean sand won't cloud water, it simply settles to the bottom right after being stirred.

 

[webber555]

Yeah I basically came to the same conclusion, was planning to clean and redo anyway. Thanks for the replies, good to get the inevitable mistakes out of the way before I kill anything I guess...

 

[OldMan47]

Easiest way I have found to clean sand is to fill a bucket maybe 1/3 full of the sand and then run a garden hoe through the sand full blast. When the bucket gets full, pour off the water and repeat. In 5 or 10 minutes, the water will not cloud up when you run the hose through the sand and stir it up. At that point you have 1/3 bucket of sand ready to be used in the tank. Repeat as needed to get enough for your substrate. A typical 55 gallon tank can get all the sand clean in less than an hour if you are willing to do the work. It will take longer if you need to stop for a beer or something else.

 

[webber555]

I've cleaned and refilled and also have added a plant - got it from the LFS so may need help identifying later - will post a pic later - water is basically crystal clear from day 1 now!

Now if I could just find some ammonia....

what is the best alternative if I can't find any? Prawns in a sack? Fish food?

 

[toshapetriji]

Robert Dyas does good ammonia. Around 2 pounds for 500ml. Brand name is Kilrock.

 

[webber555]

Robert Dyas does good ammonia. Around 2 pounds for 500ml. Brand name is Kilrock.

do they ship to Australia? That's the problem, there just isn't anywhere here who sells it - cloudy ammonia abounds but I can't find anything else. I even asked my LFS, who asked me why I would need that? They then proceeded to tell me to just get a few hardy fish or to throw some fish food in for 'a few days' to get the filter right...

Here is my tank just setup - can anyone identify the plants so I know what I'm up for in terms of care for them. They don't have to be permanent, just something that looked good and to keep me busy while I find some ammonia and start my cycle...

 

[webber555]

Ok, next question, add to the one above...

The filter I have uses wool as its media which I think is still suitable and has a large enough surface area to promote the growth of bacteria. What happens when it comes time to change the wool? There is two pieces to the filter (top and bottom) which have separate wool in each. Is it a matter of changing each at different times in order to keep a constant supply of bacteria in there? Or do I replace the wool with a heap of sponges that I can replace on rotation?

 

[Mr Bliss]

Ok, next question, add to the one above...

The filter I have uses wool as its media which I think is still suitable and has a large enough surface area to promote the growth of bacteria. What happens when it comes time to change the wool? There is two pieces to the filter (top and bottom) which have separate wool in each. Is it a matter of changing each at different times in order to keep a constant supply of bacteria in there? Or do I replace the wool with a heap of sponges that I can replace on rotation?

Not sure about wool, but sponges generally don't need to be replaced. All you need to do is rinse them occasionally in water you've taken from the tank (NOT tap water). If you keep the wool, yeah, only replace part of the media at a time.

If you can't get ammonia, see if you can find ammonium carbonate (also called baker's ammonia, hartshorn). Drug store would be the best place to look. It's a bit trickier to get the ppm right with this stuff since it's in powder form, but about half a teaspoon per 10 gal brings water to 5 ppm ammonia. It's been ages since I used this stuff and can't remember if it was easy to dissolve or not, but it'll probably be easiest to dissolve it in a smaller amount of water first and pour that in the tank.