Screwed Up...

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I changed from gravel to sand a couple of weeks ago. I used playsand from argos. I did empty the tank first ( put fish and filter in my other tank so not to stress the fish to much, and to keep the bacteria alive). The bag said it was clean sand but it's always good to give it a good rinse as you don't know whats been left in it, i also bought some spare sand as until i get used to the cleaning method with sand i'm going to lose a lot!!!!!

I put the sand in before i put my filter back in as sand is quite abrasive, will wreck anything it's in contact with given time, so any floating particles will get sucked into the filter and do loads of damage.

I suppose this post is a bit late but i hope it helps someone!!!!

What is your sand-vacuuming method? `Cos I know gravel-vacs will vac up a lot of sand into the bucket. My thought was just re-use what got vacced up.

The play sand was a cool idea of yours, but I wanted black sand to make my amber-copper rocks and driftwood stand out better.

I'm current method is using the gravel vac but about 1 inch above the sand in a small swirling motion. It does get the rubbish up but it's a technique i need to perfect!!!

 

[Musho3210]

what kind of sand is it, you said you got it at your ps (i call them lfs), very very few lfs carry silica sand, they normally only carry aragonite.

 

[Kilo]

what kind of sand is it, you said you got it at your ps (i call them lfs), very very few lfs carry silica sand, they normally only carry aragonite.

I don't know whether it was aragonite or silica sand, but I remember it was called Tahiti Moon. Very nice looking sand—whether it's real or not. I don't know if there is natural black sand anywhere in the world. Never knew there was if there is. I thought black sand was man-made. All I've ever seen was golden and light yellowish sand that you see on the beaches. My new filters that I dropped in the pump yesterday turned gray by the evening. Today they're black. I need to either rinse them in the sink or put more new ones in.

 

[Kilo]

Sand will compact after awhile. Plant debrie, detrius, other stuff that dies and sinks into the sand rots and forms pockets of noxious gas. Well that's the common information. The solution is Malyasian Trumpet Snails who stir around in the sand in the light and come out at night. Eventually you will be gifted with them. =-) The other solutions are don't keep the sand deep enough to be able to build up large pockets and stirring the sand yourself. Is it true and real? Haven't a clue, but I don't test it either. The common wisdom taught by the oldtimers is good enough for me until I know better.

When I first got the sand and saw all those bubbles (and I've seen many bubbles in the gravel, too) I stirred it all by hand. I knew if I didn't, the bubbles would carry sand up with them and float on the surface and eventually getting into the pump again. Those Trumpet snails would be nice to have, but no one carries them here, and only one PS can order almost any fish, so maybe they can order almost any snail, but for now I have to wait. They said they can order me a stingray if I wanted one, but I guess I'll pass on that `cos I only have a 46G tank. A stingray might need 200Gs.

I saw my snail moving this morning, but it looks like it's burried in the sand now. If it doesn't move soon, I'll have to move it,`cos it seems to me that if it's burried in the sand, then it's stuck and can't move, and could die from hunger or no way to breath. Beats me, I'm still new at this aquarium hobby life. I didn't get any tips and secrets from my mother and neighbors when the use to have aquariums when I was a child. All I did was feed them when they asked me to, and watch them swim around.

 

[jollysue]

Tahitian Moon sand is I believe an all natural sand--it is not artificial.

Don't use sand with silica as that is glass and will scratch the fish and irritate them.

Check in the snail forum and the sell and trade forum for someone near you. Most will be glad to share their trumpets. Once you have them you will have more than you need, even though they are a handy creature to have in a sand bottom tank.

You will learn how to add sand to the tank w/o so much drama.

 

[Kilo]

Well, I don't know what to do. The stupid pump is really done for now,`cos the motor won't even buzz anymore. The first time it stopped pumping, it at least made a sound. A few people say they have sand, and they say they never have problems. So, it stinks that the bags never said "Rinse First", and that the PSs never mentioned to it either, and even though I waited until the sand settled to the bottom, there were micro pieces of it that could not be seen floating in the water and stopped it up the first time, and now again.

So now I wonder what they're gonna say. They'll probably say they cannot do an exchange, even though their return policy on everything but pets are unlimited, and even though a newby wasn't told to rinse the sand and the bags didn't say to rinse either. If they don't do an exchange, the fish will die `cos I won't have $50 to spare for a couple weeks, nor can they stay in another aquarium for a couple weeks without a pump. Looks like I may have to go back to gravel and I didn't want gravel to begin with. Sand is nicer, but it doesn't seem like it's gonna work for me.

I'm getting ready to drive to the PS where I got this at and see if they'll do an exchange. If not, I'll go to their other store across the city, so I'll let you all know later on what happened. I have to hurry `cos I don't have a lot of time `cos I have to go to work pertty soon, and so this surely didn't need to happen today, it should have happend Friday or last evening when I was off.

Thanks!

 

[Kilo]

Okay, the store arcoss town exchanged my pump. I came up with what I thought would be a good idea, but it didn't work `cos it restricted water flow—I put a small sponge in the tube to catch all the sand that I just can't see floating around in the water, but it just wouldn't let the water flow; so now I have to see how long this pump will last. I've even shortened the tube as they told me to do at the PS, but I don't see how that's gonna work if the micro pieces are everywhere floating in the water.

They said it may have been too close to the bottom and vacuuming up the sand from there, but it was around 5 inches from the bottom, now it's about that much from the surface. So we'll see what happens by the time I get home tonight after 11:30pm—or within a couple days. My next idea was a screen that I could rap around the tube's vent, but I haven't found a screen with holes tiny enough to keep sand out. Do you all have any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[jollysue]

Panty hose

You will have to rinse it often, daily at least, but it will work for the time being. Also do more water changes to get the dust out. It is the dust most likely.

Did they let ypu keep the pump? If so post a link to a picture of it. Maybe we can squeeze some more life out of it to help turn the water . I would use floss for now to pre filter the water and save on the more expensive media. You could even wrap floss around the intake screen.

 

[Kilo]

Panty hose

You will have to rinse it often, daily at least, but it will work for the time being. Also do more water changes to get the dust out. It is the dust most likely.

Did they let ypu keep the pump? If so post a link to a picture of it. Maybe we can squeeze some more life out of it to help turn the water . I would use floss for now to pre filter the water and save on the more expensive media. You could even wrap floss around the intake screen.

Thanks for the idea of yours. I've tried it and it restricted quite a bit of water-flow, but at least it was flowing some, unlike my idea—the white filter pad inserted into the tube. Yes, they gave me an exchange on my pump. Here's so far the best picture of my pump that I can find online... http/www.drsfostersmith.com/product/swat...95&breeds=1

And I'm not sure I know what ya mean by using floss to filter the water, but I'm all ears—I mean eyes.

Thanks!

 

[Musho3210]

Tahitian Moon sand is I believe an all natural sand--it is not artificial.

Don't use sand with silica as that is glass and will scratch the fish and irritate them.

Check in the snail forum and the sell and trade forum for someone near you. Most will be glad to share their trumpets. Once you have them you will have more than you need, even though they are a handy creature to have in a sand bottom tank.

You will learn how to add sand to the tank w/o so much drama.

Try telling that to a whole bunch of people who get silica sand for their bottom dwellers since its smooth lol. My cories litterally breathe this sand, as well as my kribensis.. I heard someone say that tahtian moon sand isnt good for bottom dwellers since its a sand blasting sand and it has sharp edges, but ive never used nor seen it so dont take my word for it.

 

[jollysue]

True Tahitian Moon sand I do not believe is the sand blasting stuff. There is the bad stuff and the natural stuff. Some people have used artificial substitutes that have carbon and other ingredients that are not recommended for aquariums. Carib Sea Tahitian Moon Sand is recommended and sold by most fish and aquarium suppliers. I get mine from Drs. Fosters and Smith. The link below is not DrsFosterandSmith. This one gives more detail. Time to do your research.

Tahitian Moon Sand by Carib Sea

I have sand that contains silica that was recommended some years ago by a fish hobbyist. I have since been educated by The_Wolf's research into acceptable aquarium substrates and andywg's badgering . I am now replacing my substrates that have silicates in them with natural sand--such as play sand.

As to floss: Floss is the stuff that is on one side of your filter pad inserts. You can buy it separately. It is great to have on hand in case you need to run the filter without carbon to medicate. You can also add some extra to prefilter before the filter pads. It can then be rinsed in some aquarium water and reused until the trouble is over.

Floss

The Wolf's thread

Edit: Having looked over breifly the info from The_Wolf, I find you may be correct about the silica, but not the Tahitian Moon Sand. I have used QuickRite Sand for ages. It does not have clumping factors, etc., but last time I went to buy some, the hardware man told me that it contained silicates and aquriasts had told him they couldn't use it for that reason. So I have been changing over to play sand and LPS sand. So I am now at a loss as to what's what. I also know that some of the artificial sand used a few years ago also was decided to be a bad thing and was replaced by a different product. I still have some in Betta tanks. I will probably continue to replace the silica sand and will most likely chose aquarium sand, because I like the sand a little heavier.

But clearly from The_Wolf's research Silica is acceptable. My Bad!

 

[ICEEGRL]

I have that same sand. It is not sharp. I have kept corys on it for a long time. (even fry) I have not had any trouble with it.
To fix the filter all you have to do is get a sponge filter big enough to fit over the intake. You may have to cut the hole a little to fit it on there. You want it to be snug though. Take a needle and thread and sew up the hole at the bottom.
Then when it starts to slow down the flow you just rinse it out and put it back on.
I have a sponge for almost all of my filters.
View attachment 46801
Hope that helps.

 

[jollysue]

As to the Marinland bio filter: I have never had one burn out from anything, including sand. On the Aqua Clears I can get the little fan to start turning again so it pumps water. They don't have an external impeller; it is internal, and a pen or something can be used to get it spinning again. So if the motor has stopped althogether and kicking it won't get it started again then I don't know any more to do than make sure the impeller is clean and seated correctly in a clean socket.

 

[Kilo]

Thanks all!

I'm gonna try a micro thin piece of cotton that I've seen at craft stores. I guess the nylon was way too fine to let the water go through enough. I'll try this tomorrow afternoon `cos I have to go to work soon; don't have enough time to mess with the aquarium today. The water is getting clearer—slowly. It supposedly pumps the entire tank every 8 minutes, but I know some of the dirty water goes right back in all day and night long.

I like the sponge rings there, Iceegrl, but I have not seen any sponges that cover the whloe intake vent. The PSs sell those sponge rings, and they sell regular sponges that are way too big or too small; and the floss, I thought ya were talking about dental floss. But I did have something similar, and I put in the vent and on the the vent, and it wouldn't allow any water flow at all; but if I can get floss much less dense than what I had, then maybe it'll work.

JollySue, the night manager at work never had pump problems either, and he runs a salt and sand tank. It must be my luck.

And my Tahitian Moon sand has not hurt any of the fish, not even the plecos, nor the eel; since it's always burying itself everywhere in the bottom.

Also, does anyone know where I can get a fluorescent light that makes the water look blue or purple. I bought one that the PS said would, but it's no different than the one that came with the aquarium—the bulb is as white as any office ceiling light and so it makes the water clear-white. Reason why I want one is that my neighbors that use to have an aquarium had their water lit with a purple hue. Mine doesn't even have the faintest blue or purple hue at all. I just think this makes an aquarium look really nice—especially at night. If the bulbs are white, the water will be a clear-white. Don't they make bulbs made of lavendar or purple or a blue one glass? I sure can't find any online, and the PSs don't know anything about the lights either.

Thanks!

 

[jollysue]

I meant to puit the floss in the filter box before the filter pad as media. There are all colores of li8ght spectrums. You should be able to find some online. Corallife ColorMax gives the water a pink tint; for blue light you will probably want an actinic blue light usually for deep water reefs, I have them on my Tanganyikan Reef Tank with the blue Moba frontosa. But some are bluer than others.