substrate question?

Question

If i have a fully cycled freshwater tank and i plan on adding some sand to it, will the new sand affect the cycled tank in any way? is there anything i should know before i introduce the sand to the tank?

Also, i am currently using some old white rocks as substrate, they are turning green. Is that ok?

how bad is algae for a tank? i sort of like how the green looks on the white rocks, but i do clean it off the sides of the tank...

also, it is not exactly a frewater tank, I keep it quite brackish because i have green spotted puffers...

Answer 1

As Tiki said, replacing the substrate completely could cause a mini-cycle, but nothing major. Nitrifying bacteria in aquariums are mostly in the filter and the substrate, so removing the substrate bacteria shouldn't be too big of a deal. If you are really concerned about it, remove half of the gravel, replace it with sand, and a week later, do the same for the other half... For a brackish water tank with Puffers, you can afford a higher pH, so most sand is fine for your tank. Crushed coral, pool filter sand, Aragonite, Tahitian Moon Sand, and most other sands will work great, just avoid light, dusty sand like playsand (all freshwater substrate must be washed well before adding to your tank, regardless of type)... When you add the sand, turn off the filter to prevent it from sucking it up and damaging the impeller... Other than that, it is a pretty simple procedure and you will really enjoy the final result...

Cleaning sand can be a bit of a hassle the first few times, but once you get the hang of it, it is just as easy (if not easier) than cleaning gravel... Simply hover the tubing over the sand (without the vacuum attachment) and watch the debris get sucked away as the sand stays put... Being so compact, sand often develops anaerobic areas (where bacteria that can only survive WITHOUT oxygen reproduce and decay)... The anaerobic decay of material creates hydrogen sulfide, which can be toxic (and when released, causes a rotten egg smell). As long as you stir the gravel once a month, you really avoid all potential anaerobic issues...

The green is simply algae. Algae is very common in uncycled tanks as the nitrate builds up... As soon as it fineshes the cycle, you will see less and less algae. You can aid the prevention of algae with weekly water changes and limited light duration. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Soop Nazi

Answer 2

Algae is fine in a tank, most fish will nibble on it, don't think the puffers will though lol. Algae bothers the fish keepers more then the fish.

For the sand, just be sure to rinse it good, and are you removing the rock/gravel in there? Or just mixing it with the sand? If you're completely removing the rock/gravel, it may go through a mini cycle. I just did that to one of my tanks, had no problems with it. Just be sure not to change out the filter pad for awhile. If you're just mixing the sand in with the rocks, shouldn't be a problem at all. In either case, just monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels for awhile, and if they do start showing up, it will most likely just be minimal and for a short duration.
Good luck!!

Answer 3

Make sure u soak whatever you decide to put into ur tank and use a toothbrush to clean some of the algae off
You don't really want an algae problem in ur tank do ya?

Answer 4

The green is probably just algae, which will happen. Be careful as to what type of sand you use. Sand can mess with your aquariums PH. You can get sand for fresh water aquariums, just read the directions on the back of the bag and you'll be alright.

Answer 5

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