# Do you wash your substrate before you in the tank or not?



## socool

just want to know if you guys clean your substrate before you put in your tank? i got flourite substrate by seachem and it was recommended per instruction not necessary to pre clean them before put the tank. just add water slowly. that what i did and when i plant the plants or move thing around it get murky.. I'm so tempted to pull it all out and wash it. and it gonna be suck to pull out my DHC because i just planted week ago. but hate the fact it dirty.


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## aquarist

I always wash mine. But since you've already added it to the tank you will probably just have to wait for it to settle. If you are having problems with us making a mess when you are moving plants around and things of the nature then you can always try adding a sand cap.


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## junglefowl

I do rinse a few time to get all the small dirts out before put in the tank.
No worry, frequently water changes will help clear it out in the tank.


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## Knotyoureality

aquarist said:


> I always wash mine. But since you've already added it to the tank you will probably just have to wait for it to settle. If you are having problems with us making a mess when you are moving plants around and things of the nature then you can always try adding a sand cap.


Seachem Fluorite is too large a particle size to 'cap' with sand--the sand works its way to the bottom in an incredibly short time.


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## prighello

If it's flourite I'd wash it or it will cloud for days.


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## Sierra255

I had that same problem with fluorite and why I don't have it in any of my aquariums any more. I didn't find it to be that extraordinary as a plant substrate either. Eco-complete is a good plant substrate though. I will generally wash all of my substrates prior to adding them to the aquarium unless it says specifically not to. There is usually at least some benefit to washing it beforehand.


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## socool

i cant stand the dirt fly out when the algea eat move it all around so i pulled the trigger and empty the tank then wash it out.


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## pelphrey

I have activ flora in a 20 gallon tall. Washed it a few times. No problems. I have flourite black in a 20 long. I washed both bags probably 10 times each. When I added it to the tank and filled it there was no cloud. Haven't tried eco complete yet.


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## pantherspawn

I wash everything.. Multiple times. Then let it dry before putting it in the rank. Just my routine. 

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk


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## lochaber

I sometimes wash substrate, but usually don't have the patience/effort to do it properly (or sometimes, just do it at all...).

I've had good luck setting up tanks by putting in the substrate damp/wet (empty tank), heavily misting it with a spray bottle full of treated water, planting (spraying/misting while planting to keep plants wet), and then gently filling.

I think the misting/spraying helps to wash the fines down into the lower reaches of the substrate, so they are less likely to be stirred up into the water column once you add water.


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## Absolut Talent

Ive only used regular gravel, but I still wash the bejesus out of it. Mostly because i want to cut down on the amount of fine dust particles that float around and get trapped in the filter and such. My thinking is, the cleaner something is going in, the longer the system will be clean.


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## talontsiawd

Flourite is just about the only substrate I have used that I feel you have to rinse. It took me forever as well. It was the first substrate I used and continued to use it on other tanks. I finally bought some other types, went to rinse and nothing really happened. With the Flourite, I felt even after an hour, I still could go longer. 

I wouldn't worry about pulling it out though. Just let you filter catch it and then clean your filter.


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## socool

Like i mention earlier i pulled the substrate out because i can't stand the murky water when fish move it around so i pulled the substrate and clean them. now my plants start to dying i got these low light plant made from topfin and some DHG that now is dying too. i check the water temp and it was at 80F some how! remember it was around 74-78F and i didn't have any issue then. I've been using florinmulti fertilizer by britewell it did pretty good job the leave was very green. I home these plants rebound now that lower temp and get some root tab.


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