# Adding Flourite to an Established Tank



## lachlan902 (Jul 9, 2008)

I have a fairly new, work-in progress 29 gallon tank with 2.8 wpg and plain gravel substrate and somehow without co2 my plants seemed to be growing well. I recently noticed some brown spots in some of my newer plants and was wondering if dosing iron or overhauling my substrate with flourite would be better. Even though this problem is most likely caused by co2, I was just looking for some general advice outside of that area.

If I dose iron will the substrate hold some of this nutrients and/or will it be distributed to (root-feeding) plants that seem to be having the problems?

If I do add flourite, how should I go about changing the substrate. 

Thanks and sorry, I'm new to all of this.

Unfortunately, I don't know the names of the plants.

Here are some photos (I apologize for the quality):


























The large plant to the left with the broad leaves and the mini-crypts??? are the plants that seem to be having issues. They are growing new leaves and flourishing but have brown spots and occasionally melting leaves.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

If it's just your crypts melting I wouldn't worry about it- crypt melt is pretty par for the course until the crypts get acclimated to your new tank.

Personally I'd still switch to fluorite 1) because it will contain and hold nutrients but your current gravel will not at all 2) because I like the looks better


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

Is it possible to just add a layer of fluorite on top of the regular gravel? The colors would be pretty similar so eventual mixung would not be a problem.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Sure.

Whatever pieces are bigger will be the ones that end up on top.

Make sure you rinse the Flourite REALLY REALLY well before adding it, though. IME it also helps to let it dry thoroughly after washing. I washed all of mine outside in a bucket with the hose, then spread it out in the driveway in the sun on an old sheet to dry. Worked really well. :thumbsup:


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

Will do, thanks a lot! roud:


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

So, when SeaChem says that the Flourite has been pre-washed they're joking, right? 

There is so much stuff coming out of it that I was afraid I was washing out all nutrients. But since everyone says "Rinse!" I'm rinsing like hell...


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## kevinstpeter (Mar 26, 2008)

Don't get too crazy about washing it, it never really comes clean. Just make sure to dry it really well and pour water into the tank CAREFULLY.


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

Yup, it's in. The water is a little milky, but not too bad. Let's see how it looks tomorrow.

Wow...I have 4x15W over a shallow 15 gallon tank, and the water really looks like fog right now. I would love to take a pic, but my wife stole the memory card from my phone.


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## BottomFeeder (Jul 26, 2008)

While I love Flourite, I had a bad experience putting it in my 20g last year. I washed it about 30 times and there was a ton of sand and silt still left. When I put it in the tank it clouded up really bad. 

I did hear a great tip for established tanks though. Put it in a baggy and use that to drop it on the bottom in a controlled manner. It should kick up less material.


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## t0p_sh0tta (Jan 24, 2008)

I washed my Flourite in the little mesh bags that are used to strain paint. 

$5 for a 3 pack from Home-Depot. Problem solved.


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## BottomFeeder (Jul 26, 2008)

great idea! much better than flooding a pale 30 times.


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

I used two socks belonging to my wife. While it gets the Flourite really clean, the sharp edges ruin the socks. I hid them deep down in the trash can so my wife doesn't find out.


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## robbob2112 (Oct 7, 2007)

For adding Flourite to an existing tank, I wash it well ... whatever method works for you, I use 5 gallon buckets and a garden hose... 

When I actually add it to the tank, I drain the tank way down, like 80% of the water out..whatever the mininum I am comfy with the fish in it... put in a tank divider to separate the fish from the part of the tank I am adding to... gently put it in and let it settle a good bit.. then fill i back up from the fish side slowly to minimumize the churn. Still gets a little cloudy, but nothing like adding it to a full tank and letting it fall all the way to the bottom.

I killed a few fish once from the blackout of adding it with fish in there.... least I assume that is what caused it as I found several dead the next morning....


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

More likely the combined stress.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I use a bucket and a garden hose and leave the hose continually running in the bucket while swirling around the substrate with my hand. Works pretty well. Kinda hard on the back unless you put the bucket up on a chair or something, though.

I dry it, add it to the tank, and then use a big bowl or a frisbee (if I can find one the dogs haven't torn up :icon_roll ) to pour water into when filling the tank to minimize disturbing the substrate.

4x15watts of light over a 15gal tank? You're running pressurized CO2 on that tank, right?


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## fish_fasinated (Mar 30, 2006)

im actually planning on a flourite and flourite sand mix guess this style of washing would work fine for both? the continual bucket churning i mean. im planning on doing this after i move so i won't even have the fish in there as i have to tear the tank down to nohting to get it up the stairs to my new apartment anyway.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I used it for both the black and black sand. You do have to be careful with the water pressure that it doesn't rinse all the sand right out of the bucket.


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## mpodolan (Mar 27, 2007)

You could use a paint strainer (as suggested by Rex) as well. It works very well, IME


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## Lynrem (Jan 13, 2014)

I know this is a very old thread but still very informative for what I want to do. 

Here is my situation:

I have a 75 gal tank that was set up just before Christmas (Santa was afraid it would break in his sleigh on Christmas Eve). It has fully cycled and has mollies, neon tetras, white clouds, julii cories, and ghost shrimp.

My current substrate is layered cheap pea gravel (40 lbs) and CaribSea® FloraMax™ (36 lbs) and cheap pea gravel (40 lbs). I had the pea gravel as the top layer because my wife thought it looked pretty. Now we wait to change it because 1) it is 2 course for the DHG to really root well in and 2) the ghost shrimp disappear in it (can't easily be seen).

I want to put a layer of finer black over top to solve both problems. I'm using flourite black (not sand) to solve both problems and add more CEC to my substrate.

This thread has answered most of my questions on adding to existing tank.

My plan is:
1- Rinse the Flourite well. 
(I use a large 30 qt cullender ad do 1/2 a bag at a time. it works really well with out overflowing the substrait since water goes out the bottom and sides. holes are small enough only the very smallest pieces go out. Might not work for sand.)

2 - Take out the DHG , banana plants and decorations, lower the water level to 50 % in the tank saving some of the current tank water. Leave the steam plants and livestock in.

3 - using a 2 cup glass measuring place a 1/2 to 5/8 layer of flourite over the existing gravel.

4 - Place decorations and replant the DHG and banana plants.

5 - refill tank with old and new water.

6 - put floss in the back of my Aqueon 55/75 filter.

Does this sound reasonable?

Should I mix some pure laterite clay in the pea gravel before toping it with the flourite?

Thanks
Dean


3


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## Lynrem (Jan 13, 2014)

Any comments on Should I mix some pure laterite clay in the pea gravel before toping it with the flourite?


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