New (to me) Tank Challenges - 50 Gallon Saga

[VickiK]

So...I got this tank off of Craiglist from a really nice dude who has and knows tanks. (his is a 180 gallon or some crazy thing) It came with a Fluval 306 that doesn't work real well (bought a 406 this morning to replace it) and I cannot figure out what substrate is in that tank! It looks like black Seachem Flourite (or something similar) and A TON OF PEAT MOSS or something. It's gross. When the water finally settled after two days of running the crappy 306, there was this fluffy thick layer of sediment on top of the black substrate. It's horrible stuff.

Here's (attached image) of what it looked like when I first added water to the tank and substrate. Black as night! It finally settled after two long days of running the crappy 306 and this morning, I did a 85% water change - almost to the bottom -- and then my siphon hose stopped working.

What the hell is in there and how do I get it out?? Or do I want to get it out? I'm going to plant this tank and I see guys on the internet (Dustin) using actual DIRT. Am I just being a weenie?

VickiK



Edited to add, this stuff also looks like it has Osmocote in it to boot.

 

[clownie]

Probably just good ole dirt. it was capped with the gravel. Your best bet is to use a colander or fine screen and rinse it all out. If that is too much you can always chuck it at use this. http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/black-diamond-medium-blasting-abrasives?cm_vc=-10005

 

[VickiK]

I'm leaning toward "chuck it".

 

[hose91]

Agree with Clownie, looks like it was some sort of dirt (maybe plain ol', maybe something more prepared) but the process of moving it has reversed the "dirt capped with gravel" to "gravel capped with dirt", lol. At least that's what it sounds like. You have minimal time invested in this tank at this point, it's the perfect time to suck all that crap out and start fresh. You won't regret it. Good luck!

 

[VickiK]

Thanks for the the feedback!

Yesterday morning, before work, I ended up doing two more complete water changes, sucking the water all the way down as far as I could go. I figured out what was happening with my siphon hose; it was so full of that fluffy dirt, it wouldn't suck anymore! When I got home from work, I got the Fluval 406 fired up and while it certainly looks much better than it did, it's not crystal clear like my other tanks. I guess I'll be hauling some more buckets out this morning for another fabulous water change. ha!

I gotta tell ya, setting up that filter yesterday was something else. I must have taken it apart and put it back together at least three times before I finally got it going. The instructions say "don't fill with water". B.S. I'd be still pumping on that prime knob if I hadn't! It's quiet as a mouse though. I love that.

 

[VickiK]

@hose91 I took your advise. It was the "suck all that crap out - you won't regret it" that stuck with me.

And so I did. My water looks fabulous. No more crap.

And now I get to go spend more money on fish stuff. That's always fun.

 

[VickiK]

New substrate in new tank!

I'll slowly be changing the plastic plants to real ones - like I did in my 30G. I've already rearranged the rocks to make it look more cavey too.

 

[clownie]

Looks great! Major change from the first pic LOL!

 

[Dmf]

i would chuck it, i do it with sand all the time. I just give bags of cheap gravel away and sell my more expensive gravel after short use. good luck would love to see more photos when finished!

 

[VickiK]

@Dmf - finished? What is a finished tank? I don't believe I've ever had one. hahahahahaha!

@clownie - I should have taken a pic before the very FIRST water change on this tank...but if you put a 4 foot piece of black construction paper in front of your face, you'll get the same effect.

<== close up of really cool cavey rock thing I did

 

[Dmf]

"VickiK,
Great pic I know what you mean, it seems we are always working on them, or the fish are always moving something or breaking something in Ikes case Those Red Devils Known to be heater blasters! I just put river rock in the bottom of mine and now i just went out and got 2 bags of play sand and 2 bags of black sand. Think the cichlids like the sand better. Just now what to do with the 25$ a bag river rock lol I just sold the last i had for 25$.. but this is 100g and 2 75g full of it. Lot of river rock

 

[VickiK]

I'm going to be looking up some fish tomorrow morning with my coffee....Red Devil and Frontosa - neither of which I've ever heard of but want very much to see what a "heater blaster" looks like! ha!

 

[VickiK]

Installed a Electric Blue Ram duo from the Co-op yesterday that will hopefully pair. Strangely enough, these are kind of a "dream fish" of mine. I've watched a gazillion YouTube videos on how to keep them alive. Hopefully, I'm up to the task! (they got some new live plants and a rubber mouth pleco to hang with too)

Currently, the only roomates they have are 6 redfin tetras and one random catfish that looks kind of like this guy (below- he was a mercy-buy when I was getting gravel at Petco) One of the things I read about Rams was that they like to have roommates and lots of plants and caves to feel safe. Done and DONE.

 

[VickiK]

...and so this morning, while I was fretting that the Rams weren't getting their share of the bloodworms..... I was dropping in some Repashy cubes and one of them burped up a bloodworm. I laughed out loud.

I need to stop worrying so much about these little blue beauties!