# Flourite substrate and muddy looking water



## kater08 (Jul 16, 2014)

I want to cry!!! I am putting together a planted tank and bought the original brown Flourite substrate. OMG I am so disappointed and I don't know what to do. I washed and washed and washed it and it's still dirty looking. So I finally have up on washing it and put it in the tank and started to fill it. Now it's settled for a few hours and it looks like sewer water!!!! I've done lots of research and everyone is saying that cloudy water is 'normal' when first using flourite. But this is more than 'cloudy'. I'm so sad and don't know what to do!!!! Help!!!


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Perfectly normal; give it about a week to settle down.

I was surprised when I first started using Flourite too, despite repeated washing.


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## kater08 (Jul 16, 2014)

Darkblade48 said:


> Perfectly normal; give it about a week to settle down.
> 
> I was surprised when I first started using Flourite too, despite repeated washing.


I'm just so stressed out over this!!!! I ordered plants online. I didn't think they would come so soon....but they'll be here tomorrow! I can't put them in this tank looking like that. Ugh.


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## Sergeant Dude (Mar 7, 2014)

kater08 said:


> I'm just so stressed out over this!!!! I ordered plants online. I didn't think they would come so soon....but they'll be here tomorrow! I can't put them in this tank looking like that. Ugh.


Your plants will be just fine. They don't care what the tank looks like. As long as they have light, they will be happy.


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## CannaBrain (Oct 3, 2008)

I'd still wait for the particles to settle if you have anything w/ fine leaves like r. walichii or myriphylum, cabomba, hair grass, etc. Other than that, if you're desperate, you can consider a product w/ a flocculant like accu-clear or something. This will make those particles heavier so they sink to the bottom or get trapped in your filter easier. 

Patience will be your best friend here.


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## kater08 (Jul 16, 2014)

Sergeant Dude said:


> Your plants will be just fine. They don't care what the tank looks like. As long as they have light, they will be happy.


Except I won't be able to see where I'm planting lol


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## kater08 (Jul 16, 2014)

CannaBrain said:


> I'd still wait for the particles to settle if you have anything w/ fine leaves like r. walichii or myriphylum, cabomba, hair grass, etc. Other than that, if you're desperate, you can consider a product w/ a flocculant like accu-clear or something. This will make those particles heavier so they sink to the bottom or get trapped in your filter easier.
> 
> Patience will be your best friend here.


Not sure if I should turn the filter on or not....I thought the movement would just continue to stir things up.


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## 180g (May 20, 2014)

kater08 said:


> Not sure if I should turn the filter on or not....I thought the movement would just continue to stir things up.


im pretty sure you should turn it on but wait for someone ells as I am not 100%


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Jan 16, 2013)

I'd you stuff your filter with pillow stuffing or something similar it'll hell speed things up. I wouldn't concern yourself with flow, just water polishing for a few days.


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## kater08 (Jul 16, 2014)

Well it settled a little overnight. Still makes me nervous. But I need to be patient.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

kater08 said:


> Well it settled a little overnight. Still makes me nervous. But I need to be patient.


It will probably remain cloudy for a few more days.

Patience is one of the biggest things this hobby requires.


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

The day I put the Flourite in it but before I filled it up completely. Early morning.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=14289&pictureid=61986
Later that day.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=14289&pictureid=61993
Look at the dates on them. This was a couple of weeks later.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=14289&pictureid=50337
Notice my moss wall is covered/w the dust. If you don't want your plants to look like this put them in a bucket till the tank clears.
I could not shake off the wall, but you can with the plants if they are already in there.
Patience is the key. I have extra high light in this tank. So don't mind the Clodophora algae on the bottom or "tree" etc because
I cultvate it. Not everyones taste I know but here is a pix from a few days ago.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=14289&pictureid=60930


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## dbw27 (May 19, 2014)

Thank you so much for this thread. It made up my mind about not using flourite.

Thanks!

dbw


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## kater08 (Jul 16, 2014)

dbw27 said:


> Thank you so much for this thread. It made up my mind about not using flourite.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> dbw


Glad I could help. Haha.


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## gmh (Jul 16, 2014)

I've used Kent Pro-Clear on occasion to clear up water in a hurry. You just have to clean out filter media often as they will really get gunked in a hurry until the tank clears.
Also, It's a little late for this advice, but I've used a quarter inch hose to siphon water into a tank with new substrate. The source water has to be elevated above the tank of course for the siphon to work. 
I also laid the little hose outlet over a large dinner plate I had placed on the bottom.
The water gently flowed over the plate and gradually filled the tank over the course of an hour or two. The water was clear.


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## kater08 (Jul 16, 2014)

So I got my plants and tried planting them. I literally can't even see what I'm doing. I could just feel around. I'm so frustrated.  I don't even know if they're planted correctly because I can't see anything.


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## Trickster 75 (Mar 23, 2014)

Is the Flourite Black Sand as "dirty" as the regular Flouite?


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## kater08 (Jul 16, 2014)

Not sure. But I decided the live plant thing wasn't for me.


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## jeffhbrandon (Aug 9, 2013)

Yep, the joys of flourite....it will continue to bomb up your tank for years to come if you stir it when cleaning too!!! wouldn't use it again if I got it for free, stuff is nasty; better of going with top soil for what it's worth.


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