Playsand and Cloudy Water... is there a solution?

[repair]

If you are comming to Indy on the 16th I can pick up some pool filter sand for you

 

[Potts050]

I decided to use playsand as the substrate for my 20 long. Rinsed it out multiple times and poured off the water. It is substantially cleaner than it was straight out of bag, but is still clouding the water. Is there a solution to this? I want to let it settle out, but the current created by the filter (a HOB) seems to keep it circulating. Any help is appreciated as I only put in about half the amount of sand I want in the tank. I'd like to finish adding substrate tomorrow so I can get it planted and aquascaped Sunday.

Go to your local pharmacy and ask for some ALUM (Aluminum Hydroxide). Mix it up in hot water and pour the solution into the tank. Within a few minutes the suspended solids will begin to clump together and form particles that are heavy enough to settle out.

Then you will be able to vacuum the particles out using a gravel cleaner. You may have to do this several times to get all the fines out of the tank. Once finished, do a 75% water change and continue your setup as normal.

 

[itzacraze]

anytype of sand is hard anytime you gravel vac anytime the fish stirs you always have the fine grain sand in your waters current i totally switched all my sand and sent it away. you all i wish the best enjoy your sand i love the look but i am all over the natural dirt theme now

 

[skiptomyzoo]

I was an idiot and did this in my 90...a twenty I might just dump out and start again...but when I used playsand bc they didnt have pool filter sand, my water went so cloudy i couldnt see back more than 6 inches. What I did to overcome this was vaccum out the free floating stuff with a massive water change, then I added water clarity drops to the tank that I bought at walmart (similar to the pic I included), after I refilled it and it cleared it in a few hours. Otherwise, you have to wait much longer for the sand to naturally clump together instead, and then removed by the filter.

 

[crashinc25]

I was an idiot and did this in my 90...a twenty I might just dump out and start again...but when I used playsand bc they didnt have pool filter sand, my water went so cloudy i couldnt see back more than 6 inches. What I did to overcome this was vaccum out the free floating stuff with a massive water change, then I added water clarity drops to the tank that I bought at walmart (similar to the pic I included), after I refilled it and it cleared it in a few hours. Otherwise, you have to wait much longer for the sand to naturally clump together instead, and then removed by the filter.

Ehhhh..... are chemicals really a legit solution?

 

[skiptomyzoo]

Ehhhh..... are chemicals really a legit solution?

not sure if you mean your against them, or if they work...but if its a question of if it worked, then yes it did, and I was very surprised how fast.

 

[mike dunagan]

best answer to play sand it to take it out....


cheap pfs can be cloudy, but after a week mine cleared just fine... Looks great...but never will use lowes pfs by quickcrete not clean enough... but other that lesie pool store sells is the bomb.......

 

[crashinc25]

not sure if you mean your against them, or if they work...but if its a question of if it worked, then yes it did, and I was very surprised how fast.

To each his own, but I don't want chemicals in my air/food.... ergo I wouldn't use them in my tanks. my $0.02

 

[skiptomyzoo]

To each his own, but I don't want chemicals in my air/food.... ergo I wouldn't use them in my tanks. my $0.02

I agree and see it the same way, but lack of doing proper research before at the time (totally my fault), left me with no other choice, as I won't be doing that again. I was just giving him a solution if he really needed it, but like i said in that answer, I would just dump out and start over if it was me.

 

[Druu]

I was an idiot and did this in my 90...a twenty I might just dump out and start again...but when I used playsand bc they didnt have pool filter sand, my water went so cloudy i couldnt see back more than 6 inches. What I did to overcome this was vaccum out the free floating stuff with a massive water change, then I added water clarity drops to the tank that I bought at walmart (similar to the pic I included), after I refilled it and it cleared it in a few hours. Otherwise, you have to wait much longer for the sand to naturally clump together instead, and then removed by the filter.

Ah well, I added a bit more, it looks like it has settled out fairly well. Of course it helps that I rinse about 5-7 times per batch before putting it into the tank. I may add some more tonight, and hopefully it'll be cleared up by midweek.

best answer to play sand it to take it out....


cheap pfs can be cloudy, but after a week mine cleared just fine... Looks great...but never will use lowes pfs by quickcrete not clean enough... but other that lesie pool store sells is the bomb.......

Go figure. I just checked the bag and it's quickcrete.

If you are comming to Indy on the 16th I can pick up some pool filter sand for you

As much as I'd like to make it to Indy, I don't think I'll be able to make it. Thanks for the offer though.