Odd Cloudy Water Question/Problem

"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message
...
Ok, Stupid question time.

There are no stupid questions, just silly answers...

#1: How much flourite per gallon if I wanna use it with gravel? (Tank
is a 55g tall)

I used 4 bags of flourite and 2 bags of similar colored gravel, near
the
same size. I'd guess 6 bags for your 55, but I agree with NetMax, 90%
of
people mix it, to make it go farther...

#2: Is there an easy way to remove the Laterite from the current
gravel?

Maybe just chunk it... Sorry about the cost... but hold on a minute....

#3: Could it be the amount of water movement/filtration I have? A
friend of mine has never had this problem, and he is the one who
recommended Laterite to me, he uses it without problem.

If you have alot, I mean ALOT of movement, then you're really just
stirring
it up yourself... How about running your HOB filter, ONLY.... give it a
day
or so to settle down... See what happens... alot of it IS trial and
error...
It is totally possible you are pushing too much water around and the
laterite can't settle down enough, allowing it to become suspended
inthe
water column...

That's a good point. Whenever I use sand as a substrate, I turn off all
pumps and filters for a couple if days, and let the particulates settle
to the bottom. This way only the uppermost layer is as volatile to
return to the water column, and this layer tends to get a bit of a slime
coat on it, helping keep it down.

Another option is to pour in a flocculent, and use some fine disposable
floss in your filter for a few days. I think RedForeman ©® is on the
right track in trying to get your conditions to where the filters can
keep the water clean. It's worth a few trys before you tear it apart.

NetMax

#4: Does anyone else use Laterite without this problem?

I've only and always used Flourite... I love the look of laterite, but
I
started to use it in a 10g, and ended up taking it back, it was too
light,
like potting soil... Just didn't like it.. I got black onyx sand
instead...

--
RedForeman ©® future fabricator and creator of a ratbike
streetfighter!!!

==========================
2003 TRX450ES
1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
1987 TRX250R (sold)
1987 CBR600 Hurricane (sold)
1987 VFR700 Interceptor (sold)
1995 TRX300ex (sold)
2000 CBR600F4 silver/red (sold) *sniff*sniff*
'98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
==========================
ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø
"By US Code Title 47, Sec.227(a)(2)(B), a computer/modem/printer
meets the definition of a telephone fax machine. By Sec.227(b)(1)(C),
it is unlawful to send any unsolicited advertisement to such equipment.
By Sec.227(b)(3)(C), a violation of the aforementioned Section is
punishable by action to recover actual monetary loss, or $500,
whichever is greater, for each violation."

If you do send me unsolicited e-mail I will proof-read it at a rate
of $100 per hour (4 hour minimum).

Netmax, I think you are right, you have to give the new substrate time to
get covered in biofilm, this will bind things a bit. The OP must just be
patient.
--
**So long, and thanks for all the fish!**


"NetMax" wrote in message
...

"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message
...
Ok, Stupid question time.

There are no stupid questions, just silly answers...

#1: How much flourite per gallon if I wanna use it with gravel? (Tank
is a 55g tall)

I used 4 bags of flourite and 2 bags of similar colored gravel, near
the
same size. I'd guess 6 bags for your 55, but I agree with NetMax, 90%
of
people mix it, to make it go farther...

#2: Is there an easy way to remove the Laterite from the current
gravel?

Maybe just chunk it... Sorry about the cost... but hold on a minute....

#3: Could it be the amount of water movement/filtration I have? A
friend of mine has never had this problem, and he is the one who
recommended Laterite to me, he uses it without problem.

If you have alot, I mean ALOT of movement, then you're really just
stirring
it up yourself... How about running your HOB filter, ONLY.... give it a
day
or so to settle down... See what happens... alot of it IS trial and
error...
It is totally possible you are pushing too much water around and the
laterite can't settle down enough, allowing it to become suspended
inthe
water column...

That's a good point. Whenever I use sand as a substrate, I turn off all
pumps and filters for a couple if days, and let the particulates settle
to the bottom. This way only the uppermost layer is as volatile to
return to the water column, and this layer tends to get a bit of a slime
coat on it, helping keep it down.

Another option is to pour in a flocculent, and use some fine disposable
floss in your filter for a few days. I think RedForeman ©® is on the
right track in trying to get your conditions to where the filters can
keep the water clean. It's worth a few trys before you tear it apart.

NetMax

#4: Does anyone else use Laterite without this problem?

I've only and always used Flourite... I love the look of laterite, but
I
started to use it in a 10g, and ended up taking it back, it was too
light,
like potting soil... Just didn't like it.. I got black onyx sand
instead...

--
RedForeman ©® future fabricator and creator of a ratbike
streetfighter!!!

==========================
2003 TRX450ES
1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
1987 TRX250R (sold)
1987 CBR600 Hurricane (sold)
1987 VFR700 Interceptor (sold)
1995 TRX300ex (sold)
2000 CBR600F4 silver/red (sold) *sniff*sniff*
'98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
==========================
ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø
"By US Code Title 47, Sec.227(a)(2)(B), a computer/modem/printer
meets the definition of a telephone fax machine. By Sec.227(b)(1)(C),
it is unlawful to send any unsolicited advertisement to such equipment.
By Sec.227(b)(3)(C), a violation of the aforementioned Section is
punishable by action to recover actual monetary loss, or $500,
whichever is greater, for each violation."

If you do send me unsolicited e-mail I will proof-read it at a rate
of $100 per hour (4 hour minimum).

"Happy'Cam'per" wrote in message ...
Netmax, I think you are right, you have to give the new substrate time to
get covered in biofilm, this will bind things a bit. The OP must just be
patient.
--
**So long, and thanks for all the fish!**

I was patient. The water was clear for 2+ months before it got
cloudy. It sat cloudy for 9 months. I'm trying the whole no light,
no food, no filtration/water movement now to see if that makes a
difference.

T.

"Tom Hale" wrote in message
m...
"Happy'Cam'per" wrote in message
...
Netmax, I think you are right, you have to give the new substrate
time to
get covered in biofilm, this will bind things a bit. The OP must
just be
patient.
--
**So long, and thanks for all the fish!**

I was patient. The water was clear for 2+ months before it got
cloudy. It sat cloudy for 9 months. I'm trying the whole no light,
no food, no filtration/water movement now to see if that makes a
difference.

T.

Don't go no light/food/filtration too long. Light won't make much
difference, unless it was an algae bloom. Food won't make much
difference unless it was a food-driven bacterial imbalance. Turning off
the filter can starve off your good bacteria making the situation worse
(plus an ammonia/nitrite spike). No water movement has possibilities (if
you can move your working filter elsewhere for the duration). On a new
set-up, the filter being off makes no difference because there is no life
in the filter which you are trying to preserve.

Unless r.a.f.p. gave you better advice, I'd try a round of flocculants
(Clear-Water, Accuwater, P-Clear etc).

NetMax

For the record, I use laterite and have no clear water problems. I had some
red/muddy looking water for the first day, but it settled down quickly.
Since then the tank has been chugging along fine. It is heavily planted and
populated, with an ogf and two powerheads (55 gallon) and a population of
maylasian mud snails.

--
Chris

I had a similar problem with my 55 gallon tank. I used a chemical called
"Algae Fix" it's for planted tanks. It had the water CRYSTAL clear in
about 4 hours. The problem never came back. It wasn't a bacterial bloom
it was some sort of freakish algae bloom.

"Chris Oinonen Ehren" wrote in message
...
For the record, I use laterite and have no clear water problems. I had
some
red/muddy looking water for the first day, but it settled down quickly.
Since then the tank has been chugging along fine. It is heavily planted
and
populated, with an ogf and two powerheads (55 gallon) and a population of
maylasian mud snails.

--
Chris