I think I just salted my aquarium

[spikyho]

Hey guys, I just added about 10 lbs of sand to my 10g aquarium and I think i may have just inadvertently also created a brackish environment in my tank. The tank was cycled and had been running for about 2 weeks with a bunch of feeders in it and I just added some sand called "monterey beach sand" from my local ace. Anyways, its real cloudy right now and some of the tiny feeders aren't looking to good. Should I move them or do you think theyll be fine in there. Also if i just made my tank brackish is there any way to get it back to freshwater? Thanks

Ryan

[Tetris]

When you add sand to water, the water gets cloudy until the sand settles. This can take at least a day.

The fish aren't doing too well because... Well... You wouldn't do too well in a sand storm either.

[Girl Got Mojo]

To get rid of the cloudiness do a couple large water changes back to back
ending up with a complete turnover of water. That will also remove most of the
salt that you've added.

[hybridguy]

Its fine just give it a day to clear up.

[Lab_Rat]

Did you rinse the sand first? If not, I would do a large wc to get rid of some of the very small particulate that may not settle well.

[domjd05]

It's best to rinse sand before adding it to an aquarium... doing several large water changes in a 10g tank after doing a substrate change will definitely kick a cycle in your tank only increasing your chances for fish death... try a small water change.. perhaps relocate fish if you can, until it settles.. depending on your filtration it should settle in about 24 hours.

[Lab_Rat]

It's best to rinse sand before adding it to an aquarium... doing several large water changes in a 10g tank after doing a substrate change will definitely kick a cycle in your tank only increasing your chances for fish death... try a small water change.. perhaps relocate fish if you can, until it settles.. depending on your filtration it should settle in about 24 hours.

I don't understand this theory...how will large water changes induce a cycle? The majority of the bacteria reside in the filter media, not in the water column.

[MonkeyPox]

I don't understand this theory...how will large water changes induce a cycle? The majority of the bacteria reside in the filter media, not in the water column.

That is correct. The previous post is inaccurate.

[wynnEZ]

I don't understand this theory...how will large water changes induce a cycle? The majority of the bacteria reside in the filter media, not in the water column.

I think he meant when replacing your substrate (gravel to sand) that might cause a small cycle?

[Aeonflame]

I think he meant when replacing your substrate (gravel to sand) that might cause a small cycle?


Thats not right either, not enough water passes through the substrate to do that. You need to do some water changes, or even better, also remove the sand.. wash it thoroughly and then replace it.