$5 make-over and a whole new look..

Stacef · 03-09-2008, 12:57 AM

Thanks to Sas and Teresa's help, my boyfriend and I got a whole new look to our 90 gallon freshwater today. We took out our rock substrate, and replaced it with Sand. We used 100 pounds of play sand. 2 bags at ONLY $2.49 a piece at Menard's. Washed it tons and tons of times. After about 4 hours of washing it, we then removed the rock, and put the sand in. It looks amazing! The fish are doing great.

I have a ton of live plants in our tank, to add to the decor. We have this hill behind us with decent sized rocks, so we went and grabbed those, boiled them, then rinsed them good, scrubbed them too.

The tank looks amazing! Only spent $5 and it's a whole new tank. Later on when the tank clears up I will add some before and after pics. Probably tomorrow I don't see it being cmpletely clear tonight.

One question---now what to keep the sand algae free. I DO use tap water for this tank. I know, you all are going to say to use R/O. BUT--what should I get to keep the top of the sand clean, looking like Sas and Teresas? Chinese algae eaters? More loaches? What do you all think? Thanks!

plecosword · 03-09-2008, 01:48 AM

we need pics!! That is really cheap sand!

corrado007 · 03-09-2008, 03:18 AM

Yes, do you have before and after pics?

plecosword · 03-09-2008, 08:52 AM

yeah that's a great idea!!

NATIVEVAMAN · 03-09-2008, 10:13 AM

I have a pleco to keep the bottom algea free along with a couple of some kind of algea eater and they do a fine job.The pleco does not seem to want to go high in the tank(there may be enough algea in the substrate for him without going high).It has grown to double his original size in 6 weeks.

sasquatch · 03-09-2008, 11:00 AM

you cant get off that easy lol, we need pics, what lighting,filtration, nitrate levels, are you adding ferts, whats the bio load,covered tank? etc. Told you that sand was dirty (read understatement!) but it is pretty, it must be river sand with silt? probably make a great plant substrate right out of the bag

boozeman · 03-09-2008, 11:06 AM

NATIVEVAMAN · 03-09-2008, 11:54 AM

While on excursion on the James river my sweety and I found some really interesting rocks and brought them home for the oranda tank.I practicaly got in the shower with them to scrub them.I put them in the tank and everything looked great.About a week later I noticed some red forming on the rock and the tank smelled of iron.Even the small amount of algea in the tank was rust colored.I did a 20 gallon water change and put poly pads in the filter.A week later i did another massive water change and put in more poly filter.Finally 40$'s worth of poly filter and 5 massive water change's all the iron is gone.Take a hint from this and be very careful about the rocks you put in the tank.There are dangers.No fish were harmed during this random act of stupidity lol.

rlcline76 · 03-09-2008, 12:19 PM

Wow...NATIVE, you shared a mishap with us. Mark this down in the calendar stacef, it won't be happening again! lol

I agree, let's get a few pics up.

NATIVEVAMAN · 03-09-2008, 12:26 PM

I guess I am going to have to blame this one on Cathy lol.

rlcline76 · 03-09-2008, 12:29 PM

That sounds about right! lol

Stacef · 03-09-2008, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NATIVEVAMAN

I have a pleco to keep the bottom algea free along with a couple of some kind of algea eater and they do a fine job.The pleco does not seem to want to go high in the tank(there may be enough algea in the substrate for him without going high).It has grown to double his original size in 6 weeks.

My problem..my pleco is a wuss! hahah He just hangs out behind the intake of the filter...

Stacef · 03-09-2008, 12:59 PM

Ok guys! Here are the before and afters, I had to wait until it settled and cleared!

Before---

After!!! I have NOT scaped it like I want yet.. I put all of the rocks and plants in last night when I was finishing up..couldn't see a thing, so there will be more pics to come of the final scaping..

Stacef · 03-09-2008, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sasquatch

you cant get off that easy lol, we need pics, what lighting,filtration, nitrate levels, are you adding ferts, whats the bio load,covered tank? etc. Told you that sand was dirty (read understatement!) but it is pretty, it must be river sand with silt? probably make a great plant substrate right out of the bag

Ok, the pics are up, so Ill answer questions.
Lighting, I have MH's on my fresh, I know..what a waste right now!! But they came with my tank..

Filtration, I have The Marineland Penguin 350.

Nitrates--Not sure, was going to test today after the shock of everything.

Bio load--way to much! We are actually taking 5 fish out today (just gouramis that we started the tank with again when we moved last year) And taking all of my little catfish things that are claimed to be algae eaters! This should help big time with the bioload!

Sas you were right, that sand was VERYYYY dirty! But paid off.

sasquatch · 03-09-2008, 02:32 PM

whelp! theres some of the answer, overlit try some window screening as a tank cover, the bubbler should go, its counter productive to co2 retention and your plants cant do the nutrient removal job, fish load looks fine to me?
the new look is FANTASTIC!!! what a change for $5's, Teresa always laughs at me, any noticeable change is like $100 lol, when I got our rocks I poured muriatic acid on them, 1 fizzed and went to the garden

03-09-2008, 12:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
Stacef Golden Moray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Dubuque Posts: 2,620 View Gallery Karma Komment	$5 make-over and a whole new look.. Thanks to Sas and Teresa's help, my boyfriend and I got a whole new look to our 90 gallon freshwater today. We took out our rock substrate, and replaced it with Sand. We used 100 pounds of play sand. 2 bags at ONLY $2.49 a piece at Menard's. Washed it tons and tons of times. After about 4 hours of washing it, we then removed the rock, and put the sand in. It looks amazing! The fish are doing great. I have a ton of live plants in our tank, to add to the decor. We have this hill behind us with decent sized rocks, so we went and grabbed those, boiled them, then rinsed them good, scrubbed them too. The tank looks amazing! Only spent $5 and it's a whole new tank. Later on when the tank clears up I will add some before and after pics. Probably tomorrow I don't see it being cmpletely clear tonight. One question---now what to keep the sand algae free. I DO use tap water for this tank. I know, you all are going to say to use R/O. BUT--what should I get to keep the top of the sand clean, looking like Sas and Teresas? Chinese algae eaters? More loaches? What do you all think? Thanks! __________________ Stace My 72g Build-full of pictures, we all know you loce pictures! I've had to pay my price. The things I did not know at first, I learned by doin' twice. -Billy Joel

03-09-2008, 01:48 AM	#2 (permalink)
plecosword Acropora Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: So CA Posts: 1,888 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. we need pics!! That is really cheap sand! __________________ --Mario/Andre "Never try to tell everything you know. It may take too short a time" !!!20g for reals!!! 55G

03-09-2008, 03:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
corrado007 Plate Coral Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sacramento, Ca. Posts: 764 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. Yes, do you have before and after pics? __________________ Justin _________________________________ Please watch out for motorcycles (look twice, it could save a life). 90gal mixed reef w/40gal sump/fuge, ATO, Octopus NW-200 Skimmer, 2x 250W 12k Reeflux MH & 220W VHO actinics, Koralia #4 & #3, Mag 9.5 return, Aquacontroller jr., LR & LS, and community fish (Yellow Assessor, Bluespot Jawfish, paired Yellow Watchman Goby & Red Striped Pistol Shrimp, paired O Clowns, 1 Green Chromis, Yellow Clown Goby, Scooter Blenny, and a Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse). updated 7/11/09 Here's my 90gal Chronicle (Lots of pictures and DIY)

03-09-2008, 08:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
plecosword Acropora Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: So CA Posts: 1,888 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. yeah that's a great idea!!

03-09-2008, 10:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
NATIVEVAMAN Serpent Star Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Richmond va Posts: 209 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. I have a pleco to keep the bottom algea free along with a couple of some kind of algea eater and they do a fine job.The pleco does not seem to want to go high in the tank(there may be enough algea in the substrate for him without going high).It has grown to double his original size in 6 weeks.

03-09-2008, 11:00 AM	#6 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,981 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. you cant get off that easy lol, we need pics, what lighting,filtration, nitrate levels, are you adding ferts, whats the bio load,covered tank? etc. Told you that sand was dirty (read understatement!) but it is pretty, it must be river sand with silt? probably make a great plant substrate right out of the bag

03-09-2008, 11:06 AM	#7 (permalink)
boozeman The CodFather ~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: new york Posts: 8,802 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. __________________ ...and when I'm old and wise little things mean little to me like autumn winds they'll blow right through me and someday, in the mist of time when they ask you if you knew me remember that you were a friend of mine

03-09-2008, 11:54 AM	#8 (permalink)
NATIVEVAMAN Serpent Star Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Richmond va Posts: 209 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. While on excursion on the James river my sweety and I found some really interesting rocks and brought them home for the oranda tank.I practicaly got in the shower with them to scrub them.I put them in the tank and everything looked great.About a week later I noticed some red forming on the rock and the tank smelled of iron.Even the small amount of algea in the tank was rust colored.I did a 20 gallon water change and put poly pads in the filter.A week later i did another massive water change and put in more poly filter.Finally 40$'s worth of poly filter and 5 massive water change's all the iron is gone.Take a hint from this and be very careful about the rocks you put in the tank.There are dangers.No fish were harmed during this random act of stupidity lol.

03-09-2008, 12:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
rlcline76 Manta Ray Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 3,646 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. Wow...NATIVE, you shared a mishap with us. Mark this down in the calendar stacef, it won't be happening again! lol I agree, let's get a few pics up.

03-09-2008, 12:26 PM	#10 (permalink)
NATIVEVAMAN Serpent Star Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Richmond va Posts: 209 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. I guess I am going to have to blame this one on Cathy lol.

03-09-2008, 12:29 PM	#11 (permalink)
rlcline76 Manta Ray Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 3,646 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. That sounds about right! lol

03-09-2008, 12:59 PM	#13 (permalink)
Stacef Golden Moray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Dubuque Posts: 2,620 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. Ok guys! Here are the before and afters, I had to wait until it settled and cleared! Before--- After!!! I have NOT scaped it like I want yet.. I put all of the rocks and plants in last night when I was finishing up..couldn't see a thing, so there will be more pics to come of the final scaping.. __________________ Stace My 72g Build-full of pictures, we all know you loce pictures! I've had to pay my price. The things I did not know at first, I learned by doin' twice. -Billy Joel

03-09-2008, 02:32 PM	#15 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,981 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: $5 make-over and a whole new look.. whelp! theres some of the answer, overlit try some window screening as a tank cover, the bubbler should go, its counter productive to co2 retention and your plants cant do the nutrient removal job, fish load looks fine to me? the new look is FANTASTIC!!! what a change for $5's, Teresa always laughs at me, any noticeable change is like $100 lol, when I got our rocks I poured muriatic acid on them, 1 fizzed and went to the garden

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