I just put sand in my aquarium and water turned dirty brown.?

Question

First of all I washed the sand like 20 times with warm water and then even boiled it .

Then I took a glass and fill it up with cleaned and boiled sand and added it to aquarium from the top basically throwing from the top. Filter was closed during this.

Now my water is dirty brown colour and I cannot see anything in it . Where did i mess it up or how can I clean it now .

Please help.

Thanks for all of you for your expert advices .

Well I am thinking of getting rid of the dirty water rather than starting all over again.

The sand was from the beach and was very beautiful and clean in looking.

So form your responses now I'll let the filters run for like 2-3 days and then see if it gets clear .

If not then I have to start all over again .

FOr now it looks like a mud in there even though i washed like crazy.

Answer 1

well i would have to say you didnt clean the sand good enough just leave it over night with the filter off and it will settle.
i always clean my gravel or sand with a strainer and leave the water running over it for about 1/2 an hour to an hour.
works every time.
also when you put the sand in the tank dont just throw it around,
it is best to put it as close to the bottom as possible (with hand fulls)


good luck

Answer 2

Well after you washed and boiled the sand with hot water, you should have then rinsed it with cold water. Hot water tends to be cloudier than cold and the pipes from which the hot water comes through the tap are usualy more corroded and the water is not as pure as it would be cold. This may not have directly effected the cloudiness but is more for the pupose of proper rinsing. I don't know if you bought the sand pre-packaged from a fish store but if so all you are doing is rinsing packing dust and general dust and potential debri, you shouldn't have had to "sanitize it" by boiling.

Boiling the sand was not necessary, just a thorough repetitive rinsing with cold water or hot and then cold water would have been fine. As long as you rinsed with cold water last to rinse any impurities that may be from the hot water pipes.

I get the impression that you filled the tank up with water first and then are adding the sand using the cup as a scoop. You should have waited to put any water in the tank untill after you have added all of the sand to the bottom of the tank.

Besides avoiding cloudiness this is also the most logical way for the purposes of volume. If you filled your tank up to the top and then added the sand your tank would overflow.

After you line the bottom of the tank with the sand then you may add water very carefuly diffusing it with your hand or a clean saucer or the side of the glass so that you are not directly pouring the water into the sand with any pressure as this will stir it up and cause some cloudiness as well. Add the water slowly untill you have enough in that you can continue adding the rest without needing to diffuse it without the problem of stirring up the sand.

EDIT: You say you got your sand from the beach? This is usualy not a good idea because there are many things that could be in the sand that could be harmful for your tank. In this case though, boiling was a good idea. I still don't advise using sand from a beach but it is your decision ultimately.

Answer 3

ok been there done that a million and one times.my wife has 13 Tanks with the smallest one being 180.I also raise alligators.
So,I would think you proably got this sand from the river ???This is the3 same thing as masonary sand or builder grade as they call it which is a VERY DIRTY sand.
ok your filter does not need to be closed what is causing the dirty water is dirt,and small pieces of sand that is very very light in weight.OK take a large container and put maybe 5 pounds of sand to it at a time fill with water and shake,let set for just a moment then slowly pour the water off do this over several times(you're getting kind of a film onm it too proably)then place the container under a faucett and allow a low flow of water to run into this until the sand that is heavey enough to settle,settles the water will eventually go clear as a whistle.you then place this sand into the tank and repeat the process until you have all the sand you need.then place a rock or something into the tank and pour the new water onto this as filling the tank.The water will still cloud but,have your pump running(over the side type is better)evry so often you will need to pull the entire filter and wash it and the filters out in the sink.It can take a few days still for the water to completly clear but it will if you keep removing the "ENTIRE FILTER SYSTEM"and clean it.I just did 40 pounds into a 100 gallon three days ago.took 24-30 hours but,it's cleaner than clean can be.Now remember sand does have it's downside if you don't keep the extra food out of the tank after feeding it don't take long to stink.

Answer 4

firstly i would only use only aquarium sand, the best way i found was empty your tank if its up and running, if its already empty even better keep the water from the tank just put it in buckets for now put the sand in the bottem of the tank put in your plants- rocks etc get a jar put it in the tank standing up and fill with the water and this wont kick up the sand as much also get a new car sponge cut up and put in the filter for 24hrs - 48hrs this will collect the small particals then when its all settled down change the filters back and when the tanks full take the jar out

Answer 5

You did not say this was a fresh water or salt water aquarium.Beach sand is a very poor bottom covering for an aquarium >It packs too tight and promotes the growth of anarobic bacteria which produces deadly gasses for living organisms. You can tell this is happening after the aquarium is up for a couple of weeks by stiring up the sand >if bubbles come out it is sulphur dioxide and not oxygen Also over a month or so you will see the sand turning black on the bottom and sides of the aquuarium.If you stir this up it will smell like rotten eggs The preferred substraights use larger particals such as gravel which alow more water and air flow thru them

Answer 6

This is a natural occurrence. The cloudiness is from all the sand being stirred around. Think of taking a tablespoon of sand and putting it in a cup of water and stirring. It looks really gross at first, but give it a few minutes and the sand settles and your water is clear. Same will happen with your tank, it may just take a few days for it to completely settle. Good luck!!

Answer 7

try putting the sand in the tank before the water. you cant clean every bit of dirt off the sand. if you wait about 20 minutes the dirt should settle down into the sand anyway.

Answer 8

it happened to me too!!!!!! u should not mix sand and water in an aquarium whatever u do to the sand u will get dirty brown water u should get the fish out put them in a cup change the water and then put the fish in it

Answer 9

well personally i think the health of the fish is more important instead if it looks good or not. So maybe the white sand is better. And maybe just leave them out of the sun in some part of the room thats shady? Hmmm interesting....

Answer 10

Ditto to Ash

I can tell you she knows a hundred percent what she's talking about, if you would see her tank, you would believe it

her tank has sand substrate, so yes she's right


EB


If you want to see pics of her tank, just drop me or her a line, and you will get a link to it