Onyx sand
 

I *thought* I rinsed it well enough. I thought wrong. I spent nearly 10
minutes on each bag, flowing clean water through it to remove the "residual
dust". "Residual" my left one. This stuff is *all* dust. The tank looks like
a sandstorm at midnight, and has been sitting for hours. Any ideas on how I
can rectify this FUBAR, and still make use of the sub?

mt,tia,iai.

Billy

Onyx sand
 

"WD" wrote in message
news:Pscca.72285$eG2.11803@sccrnsc03...
I *thought* I rinsed it well enough. I thought wrong. I spent nearly 10
minutes on each bag, flowing clean water through it to remove the
"residual
dust". "Residual" my left one. This stuff is *all* dust. The tank looks
like
a sandstorm at midnight, and has been sitting for hours. Any ideas on how
I
can rectify this FUBAR, and still make use of the sub?

mt,tia,iai.

Billy

That onyx sand is pretty, but a real pain. I usually throw a two or three
hagen powerheads with quickfilters attached to them in overnight, usually
clears things up pretty well by morning. That is, assuming there is no fish
in the tank, be a wild ride for the fish. In a 29, i use a pair of 402's,
in a 68 i used a pair of 802's, in a 95, a pair of 802's with a pair of
402's. Other than that, best i could recommend would be a magnum with a
micron cartridge.

HTH

Onyx sand
 

In article BCkca.77970$eG2.12673@sccrnsc03, WD wrote:
"Richard" wrote in message
...
That onyx sand is pretty, but a real pain.
*Now* I find that out. g Thanks. I'll scrounge up a couple PH's.

LOL, I just let mine sit when I did my Onyx 29 gal tank. Took close to
24 hours before things started to clear up well. Took close to 72
before it was really clear. I didn't worry about any powerheads - I
just stuck my HOB filter in there and let it go to town.

One thing I've noticed in that tank is that the water is rarely as
polished as my lacquered gravel tank. It seems to be really easy to get
particulate matter floating in it. I'm not sure if this has anything to
do with the Onyx or maybe it's just the lighting...


--
Ross Vandegrift


A Pope has a Water Cannon. It is a Water Cannon.
He fires Holy-Water from it. It is a Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses it. It is a Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses the Hell out of it. It is a Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He has it pierced. It is a Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He makes it official. It is a Canon Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
Batman and Robin arrive. He shoots them.

Onyx sand
 

"Richard" wrote in message
...
That onyx sand is pretty, but a real pain.


*Now* I find that out. g Thanks. I'll scrounge up a couple PH's.

Onyx sand
 

Onyx does have a fair amount of fines in it but I like that. I wash a bag in
a three gallon pail by letting the finest stuff overflow and working the
gravel with my hand. I really don't want to wash away all the fines just the
stuff that would be floating dust in the tank. I don't blast it with a high
pressure stream either. When the grey froth disappears I stop the overflow.
It takes less than 5min per bag for me.

Of course the water is dusty when it is first added to the tank but the
fines that aren't collected by the filter (I just put floss in to collect
the fines that don't settle) eventually settle into the substrate just like
in nature. You'll get a slightly whiter look to onyx as a result and you may
want to stir the surface a bit to kick up the dust and let a bit more of it
get removed or just wait and let gravity and time take their course.

I'd rather not be in such a hurry to get the substrate stable and lose the
fines. The substrate is going to be there a long time and the fines help
keep the roots planted better. And the finer grains look more natural than a
bunch of lumpy gravel to my eye.

jmo

jtm

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Onyx sand
 

So is the consensus that Onyx has worked pretty well for everyone? If so,
im going to choose onyx over 100% flourite substrate.

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