Sand substrate = cloudy water

[Toby_H]

If your tank suddenly got cloudy... that means there are tiny particles suspended in the water...

Those tiny particles were either in the tank prior to adding the sand, which means you need to clean your tank better on a week to week basis...

Or the tiny particles were introduced when you added the sand, which means you needed to wash the sand better..

The only other explaination is you by some random chance got a bacteria/algae bloom the instant you added sand... which is so exceptionally unlikely it should be ruled out based on common sense...

 

[KYeasting]

When I switched one of my old tanks over to sand, I had cloudy water for about a day. I used 3M Colorquartz. Even though the quartz is very hard (doesn't break itself apart in the bag while shipping) it still needed rinsing. I rinsed the living daylights out of it and I still got cloudy water. The next day the water was fine. The only advice I can offer is to be patient!

 

[shelbyzman]

I put sand in my fish pond (without rinsing it.....yeah I know a big no-no) The water looked like a giant that had diarrhea took a dump in the pond. After about 6 large water changes, the water has cleared up. So I would recommend some major water changes.

 

[BigDaddyMagnum]

yea deff dont trust that not one bit man... tanks need to be supported.... maybe for now it might seem like its fine.. but after months and years of wear and tare the tank will eventually give in and do damage