Ok This Is The Deal

[rdd1952]

The sand in the other thread looks like simple play sand. It is very cheap but full of dust and takes forever to wash (took me over an hour to get a bag clean enough to use). That is where all the cloudyness and muddy color come from. I know you have it set up now but layering with sand has a problem. As the tank vibrates (from normal ground movements to those cause by normal foot traffic around the tank), the sand will eventuall filter through the coarser gravel and all end up on the bottom. Sand can be used as a base but not as a top or middle layer.

 

[Birdie]

Thanks for the update - I was only wondering this morning how that tank was coming along. It looks wonderful (afraid I haven't got anything useful to say re the ammonia puzzle though )

By the way, did you skim off some of/all the sludgy gunk from the top, or did it most of it just eventually settle, and then you did the water changes?

 

[modaz]

The sand in the other thread looks like simple play sand. It is very cheap but full of dust and takes forever to wash (took me over an hour to get a bag clean enough to use). That is where all the cloudyness and muddy color come from. I know you have it set up now but layering with sand has a problem. As the tank vibrates (from normal ground movements to those cause by normal foot traffic around the tank), the sand will eventuall filter through the coarser gravel and all end up on the bottom. Sand can be used as a base but not as a top or middle layer.

the sand is a base layer mixed with the fertilizer then a final layer of gravel, the effect from the front of the tank is only about an inch inwards, just did that at the front to give it that effect

 

[modaz]

Thanks for the update - I was only wondering this morning how that tank was coming along. It looks wonderful (afraid I haven't got anything useful to say re the ammonia puzzle though )

By the way, did you skim off some of/all the sludgy gunk from the top, or did it most of it just eventually settle, and then you did the water changes?

yeah i skimmed in off the heavier parts sank and stayed in place, was a bugger putting the plants in as it just stirred it up again but settled very quickly.

 

[AndreaC]

Just replied in your other thread but will here aswell. Your tank looks fantastic now and well done.

I thought you could use sand as an only substrate?? Ive seen tanks with nothing but sand on the bottom?? I always wondered about it stirring up like that as my worse fear. I use gravel.

 

[modaz]

i used sand in it previously and i found it great but but a bit of a swine to clean

 

[rdd1952]

I always wondered about it stirring up like that as my worse fear. I use gravel.

I've never used anything but sand in any of my tanks other than the 75 gallon (Eco Complete because I wanted it heavily planted). Once it settles, you really don't have to worry about stirring it up. If you move plants or things like that, you will stir it up a little but it will settle back pretty quickly.

i used sand in it previously and i found it great but but a bit of a swine to clean

Actually, I think it's the other way around. With sand, the waste lays right on top to be vacuumed. With gravel, it settles down in the crevices of the gravel and is very hard to get to. Just my opinion though.