Has anyone here at MFK used the ultra fine Crayola Crayon brand sand for a subtrate? I am experiencing challanges in all three tanks that have some of it in there.
I first used it in a 55G tank. I bought two large bags (Lime Green & Raven Purple) of it from Walmart for like $2 per bag. That was to be the only subtrate used in the tank, and still is. Filtration is Aquaclear 70, Topfin 60 & Hydrosponge III.
Around a month later.
I used a navy blue shade in a 20 gallon long Brackish setup at ~ 50% Crayola/ 50% gravel. Filtration is Marineland Penguin 150 & Whisper in tank 20'
These were in August - September of 2008.
I used the remainder of the navy blue crayola in a 20 gallon long freshwater at ~ 20% crayola/ 80% gravel. Filtration is Topfin 30 & Hydrosponge III
First off, I have a well and my untreated water tests
PH 7.2
Clorine 0
GH 150
KH 150
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 20 <== Retested many times to be sure!
Here are my "challanges" that I have experienced:
1. Water cloudyness in these three tanks is unlike any of my other 9 tanks with the exception of the Pirannah tank! The 55G is by far the worst, followed by the 20 Gal long 50/50, then the all gravel Pirannah tank and the 20 Gal Long 20/80. I practice 50% weekly water changes in all 12 tanks.
2. PH tend to drop into the low 6.'s in the %% within the week.
3. In all 12 tanks my KH drops off overnight, and have extremely regular reading in the double digits as low as 10 with 40 - 60 being the mean average?
4. Flounder's love the extremely fine Crayola subtrate, but constantly kick up clouds of it and kill filters left and right.
Any ideas what is going on?
I first used it in a 55G tank. I bought two large bags (Lime Green & Raven Purple) of it from Walmart for like $2 per bag. That was to be the only subtrate used in the tank, and still is. Filtration is Aquaclear 70, Topfin 60 & Hydrosponge III.
Around a month later.
I used a navy blue shade in a 20 gallon long Brackish setup at ~ 50% Crayola/ 50% gravel. Filtration is Marineland Penguin 150 & Whisper in tank 20'
These were in August - September of 2008.
I used the remainder of the navy blue crayola in a 20 gallon long freshwater at ~ 20% crayola/ 80% gravel. Filtration is Topfin 30 & Hydrosponge III
First off, I have a well and my untreated water tests
PH 7.2
Clorine 0
GH 150
KH 150
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 20 <== Retested many times to be sure!
Here are my "challanges" that I have experienced:
1. Water cloudyness in these three tanks is unlike any of my other 9 tanks with the exception of the Pirannah tank! The 55G is by far the worst, followed by the 20 Gal long 50/50, then the all gravel Pirannah tank and the 20 Gal Long 20/80. I practice 50% weekly water changes in all 12 tanks.
2. PH tend to drop into the low 6.'s in the %% within the week.
3. In all 12 tanks my KH drops off overnight, and have extremely regular reading in the double digits as low as 10 with 40 - 60 being the mean average?
4. Flounder's love the extremely fine Crayola subtrate, but constantly kick up clouds of it and kill filters left and right.
Any ideas what is going on?
