# Substrate causing dirty water! Help!



## kkaso783 (Sep 25, 2008)

Hi everyone I just got all my equipment for my 55 gallon tank setup and after adding my substrate and 55 gallons, my water was so dark in color you could not see through to the other side. I setup my canister filter and ran it and the debris clogged the filter. I cleaned the filter through and started it up and now the water is clearer and just cloudy.  It's still pretty hard to see through and I cannot properly plant until I have better visibility. I tried to plant and stirred up all the gravel dust which made it worse. I have read up on this and see that it should go away within a day or two but what do you guys think? Thanks!


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## 1aqumfish (Jul 28, 2008)

Is this a layered substrate, soil then gravel or sand? Or maybe a commercial gravel, what brand? Did you rinse the gravel or do any preparation before use? I see lots of people helping here but more info is necessary for some answers.


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## kkaso783 (Sep 25, 2008)

I used Seachem Flourite and I did not rinse the gravel, I just poured the gravel into the bottom of the tank and filled her up.


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## kiwik (Apr 3, 2007)

i dont have experience with fluorite, but clouding up of the water is normal. When you disturb the substrate, the debris will float into the water column and cause murkiness. The cloudiness you see now is probably due to a bacterial bloom. IME, a bacterial bloom leaves within a week. You can do a 50% water change for now and wait it out.


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## 1aqumfish (Jul 28, 2008)

I use fluorite myself I always rinse it first, to get the mud out. Once its clean I have had good results with it. This gravel is worth the money.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

It takes quite a while to rinse the crud out of flourite. I'm afraid that you will continue to have a mess every time you try to plant or move things around. If I were you I'd set up two hoses, one out and one in and stir things up and just rinse rinse rinse until things are mostly clear. You can get hose connectors that go to your faucet. You can drain into your tub. I assume you don't have animals in there, right? That's my two cents.


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## pepperonihead (Nov 25, 2004)

*Flourite is notorious for causing a pyroclastic cloud*

Every time you touch it! I have it in my 72 Gallon Bow front. I rinsed it for hours and still had this problem. It has been in my tank for about two years and it still clouds the water if I am not very careful planting in it. I invested in a H.O.T. magnum filter which I use with Diatomaceous earth to clear it out when ever this happens. Flourite is great stuff but you cannot rinse it enough. I would do what Tex Gal suggests and do it for a long long time!!!


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## nyrangerslmb (Nov 23, 2008)

It's the clay in the substrate, its similar to the clay used for koi ponds, it will settle after a few days and water changes. Expect a "gray film" on everything for a few days.


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

If Flourite does use clay as part of the makeup it is interesting indeed. If we are to believe what is written about Koi the breeders in Japan raise three foot fish in two years in clay bottom ponds. If I can extrapolate from Goldfish that I have observed this is entirely possible. I chose Eco-Complete and Sand blasting sand as my last substrate for a seventy five a couple of years ago and am now sorry I did not choose the Flourite but the black stuff wasn't available then. The extra aggravation of the clay getting all over the tank could be a small payment for the added benefit.


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## oregon aqua (Jan 30, 2008)

I use Flourite In my 55g. It stayed cloudy for about a week, Then cleared up. I did not rinse well nor did i poor water in slowly as they suggest. It will always cloud water when planting or moving it around so i recomend planting as soon as possible not waiting for it to clear as you will just make it cloudy again. but it does clear back up very fast (2-6 hours) One secret to it is to use Seachem Clarity. It greatly reduces the cloudiness time. I really like the way the flourite looks once it clears up and think its well worth the trouble.


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## pepperonihead (Nov 25, 2004)

I really like Flourite too. I would love to try the black stuff. But I still get a Pyroclastic cloud if I am not careful planting or removing plants.


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## jtburf (Jul 23, 2008)

Question about using these HOT Magnum filters... I'm batteling a green water issue and was wondering if I can put DE in my canister and clear it up?

Thanks,
John


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Yes, the diatomaceous earth filters are supposed to clear out the GW.

BTW, if you rinse the Flourite ENOUGH it will not keep clouding your water and coating everything. I've used it for years and have it in two of my tanks. I always rinse, rinse, rinse.


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## Chostshrimp (May 28, 2007)

Just for next time,

Flourite is very small,sharp, and is moved about during packing that makes alot of dust. It takes a good 2 hours to clean yuor flourite. Clean it very well until the flourite creates visiable water.( IMPORTAINT) THEN ALLOW IT TO SUNDRY IN A TOWEL OR LET IT DRY COMPLETELY this would harden the little slates and create less dust. If you skip the drying, you going to have to wash it everytime you move the gravel around. When I first used Flourite I dumped it in, and had to wait a week to get to "cloudy",It was pitch brown and so dusty that 3 of my albino cories died....So it's best to wash and dry Flourite to really enjoy it...


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