Setting Up Tropical Tank

[liam74]

hi all, going to make a start on setting up my 125 litre juwel tank for tropical within the next couple of days, got 2 questions that i wouldnt mind a answer to please ?

1/ what is the best method to clean a tank and all decor ? it needs a very good clean (just lost a lot of C/W fish in this tank due to whitespot) i heard a very diluted dosage of bleach then washed down with lots of dechorlinated water is this true ? any other methods that can be used ?

2/ can you give me the pro's and con's of using sand instead of gravel ? i seen quite a few tanks which have sand and i must say i think it looks the dogs nuts . i also heard that you can use kids play sand ? is this true ? i just happen to have a spare bag of this that never got used in the sand pit this year. what is best way to clean the sand before putting in tank ? as i think its a bit fine to use a sieve

i will be back with more questions on stocking levels, what fish and plants to use etc etc.

but i will make a start on getting these tasks sorted first.

many thanks in advance

liam

 

[Luke_e]

I wouldnt use even a diluted version of bleech, just use hot water to clean the decor, and for the tank use warm water and scrub scrub.

The pros of sand are i believe it to look better, its easier to see the poop (so you know you need to clean it), its best for corys if you have them, easier for plants to root in, and i have lost any other ideas. The cons are it may cloud your water when you add it (but goes after a bit), and you might not want to see the poop on the water.

Kids play sand is fine (i think) aslong as you wash it througly (there is a topic about changing from gravel to sand, but seen as you'll be going straight into sand all you need to do is wash it.

 

[liam74]

thanks for quick reply, forgot to ask how deep should the sand be ?

liam

 

[debiasir]

i would use boiling water to clean every thing.

With the sand i would have it 1 inch deep or up to 1.5 inch deep if your having plants. to clean fill a bucket 2/4 of the sand and run a hose in the bucket till the water runs clear. remember with sand its a good idea to "stir" it everyso often so any build up of gases do not build up to much to do any danger.

god luck with it all

 

[liam74]

thanks for your reply's.

one more question, i want to have a couple of air stones under the sand so that the bubbles come up thru the sand, is this possible ? its just that the sand will be a lot more compact than having gravel in it which allows air to pass thru.

sorry for all the dumb questions, just wanting a really nice set up and with all your help i think this is possible

tia

liam

 

[SkiFletch]

airstones in sand probably isnt a good idea. methinks you'd have a lot of loose sand running around the tank if you tried that. also, if you go with sand make sure its LESS than 2 inches deep. If its more you can get bacterial colonies which create poisonous gas pockets that when stirred could harm your fish. If its less than 2 inches deep though you're fine

 

[liam74]

airstones in sand probably isnt a good idea. methinks you'd have a lot of loose sand running around the tank if you tried that.

d'oh forgot about that. air stones should be ok though as long as they not in the sand what ya think ?

tia

liam

 

[Luke_e]

Yea, just make sure it isnt covered by any sand, and it shouldnt be a problem.

 

[Annastasia]

I have airstones in tanks with sand. They should be perfectly fine, as long as they are not actually under the sand.

Another thing I do, is depending on the airstone, put it straight up and down. Then all the bubbles go right up, and don't really have a chance to stir the sand up. Though you really shouldn't have a problem with them the other way.

 

[liam74]

cool thanks alot everyone, going to make a start this evening hopefully

thanks

liam

 

[nino]

when my dad and i switched our 55 from coldwater to tropical, it really needed a good cleaning. we decided it would work best to use a VERY VERY dilute solution of bleach to help with some really difficult algae. it worked well and after very thorough rinsings could smell no traces of bleach. if you don't want to use bleach, vinegar will also work well for mineral deposits and since it is an acid will assist in killing anything bad that may be left. don't use hot water because the heat can have adverse effects on the glass like cracks and i don't know how it acts on the aquarium sealant. in this same tank we have an 10 inch airstone that is suction cupped along the back wall hidden by rocks and driftwood so you don't see the airstone itself, just the bubbles. i think it looks nicer, and maybe a bit more natural too.

as for sand, i'm only just beginning with it. i but it in my 2.5 gallon betta tanks to see if i like it. i think it looks great so far. your play sand should be fine for it, just give it a good rinsing before using it. the easiest way is to do a little bit at a time and get that bit good and clean.

 

[liam74]

hi, final question is silica sand ok to use in my aqarium? just that i got hold of some today and think it looks a lot better than normal sand colour as its white.

thanks

liam

 

[Annastasia]

Yep, it will be fine. You'll still need to wash it a lot though! Otherwise, your tank will get cloudy for a while.

Also, The-Wolf has written a very helpful article about sand in your aquarium...you might want to take a look at it.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=71597

 

[liam74]

just a little update, got the sand in tank this evening, filled with water and heater and filters on, been running for an hour now. i washed the sand very well but still cloudy, so i put a fluval 2 and a interpet pf mini in tank aswell as my juwel compact filter, how long roughly would you say before it clears ?

regards

liam