Live sand in freshwater?

Shaunjeffery · 12-24-2012, 04:19 AM

I started my new freshwater tank the other day with a layer of 30 lbs FloraMax and what I thought was 25 lbs freshwater sand...

I was putting everything away today snd noticed it was saltwater live sand. Well that explained the prolonged cloudiness and film at the top...

But what does this mean? I figure that my water will be very hard with a high Ph. I was planning on doing a community fish tank...

I don't have to empty the whole thing and start over do I? I can correct this with chemicals right?

Green_Flash · 12-24-2012, 04:20 AM

it has live saltwater bacteria and organisms (which I am guessing are going to die in freshwater) and also might buffer the water to a high pH and KH

slavecorps · 12-24-2012, 04:41 AM

It's gonna be rough...

If I were you, I'd start over unless you're planning on African cichlids.

Jeffww · 12-24-2012, 05:42 AM

PRobably a little salty too until a few water changes. I'd scoop it out and just run it through a sieve. Most of the sand will wash out and you'll have floramax left...A little calcium won't hurt if all that's left is some shell and whatever

Shaunjeffery · 12-24-2012, 06:41 PM

I spent the last 3.5 hours empting the water, rinsing the substrate in a colander and refilling the aquarium.

I lost a some FloraMax And still have sand mixed in. I will syphon it in the next few days and purchase some more FloraMax and some sand but read it more carefully.

12-24-2012, 04:19 AM	#1
Shaunjeffery Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Whitehall, MI, USA Posts: 7	Live sand in freshwater? I started my new freshwater tank the other day with a layer of 30 lbs FloraMax and what I thought was 25 lbs freshwater sand... I was putting everything away today snd noticed it was saltwater live sand. Well that explained the prolonged cloudiness and film at the top... But what does this mean? I figure that my water will be very hard with a high Ph. I was planning on doing a community fish tank... I don't have to empty the whole thing and start over do I? I can correct this with chemicals right?

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12-24-2012, 04:20 AM	#2
Green_Flash Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: United States Posts: 1,471	it has live saltwater bacteria and organisms (which I am guessing are going to die in freshwater) and also might buffer the water to a high pH and KH

12-24-2012, 04:41 AM	#3
slavecorps Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Chicago, IL / Orlando, FL Posts: 403	It's gonna be rough... If I were you, I'd start over unless you're planning on African cichlids.

12-24-2012, 05:42 AM	#4
Jeffww Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Houston Posts: 2,081	PRobably a little salty too until a few water changes. I'd scoop it out and just run it through a sieve. Most of the sand will wash out and you'll have floramax left...A little calcium won't hurt if all that's left is some shell and whatever

12-24-2012, 06:41 PM	#5
Shaunjeffery Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Whitehall, MI, USA Posts: 7	I spent the last 3.5 hours empting the water, rinsing the substrate in a colander and refilling the aquarium. I lost a some FloraMax And still have sand mixed in. I will syphon it in the next few days and purchase some more FloraMax and some sand but read it more carefully.