Regular Member dnalex Posted July 24, 2013 Regular Member Share Posted July 24, 2013 Just at Petsmart, on sale $22 for the big bag in white. Getting it on payday for my new 55 Gallon!!! ######%%#+{?!]! I just bought mine last month! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member LauraThe3xplora Posted July 24, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 24, 2013 Just at Petsmart, on sale $22 for the big bag in white. Getting it on payday for my new 55 Gallon!!!No way, I have to check this and see if it's on sale at my petsmart, too! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member LauraThe3xplora Posted July 24, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 24, 2013 Instant Aquarium is packed wet and comes with packets of beneficial bacteria as well as a water clarifier. Super Naturals is dry and only has the clarifier. The clarifier works very well, by the way. I added my sand on a Friday afternoon - I took my fish out first, of course - and by Sunday afternoon my water was gin clear. It will look very cloudy when you first put it in, but it doesn't last long. My fish were only out for 2-3 hours. On Saturday it was about 95% clear and by Sunday it was completely gone. I'm guessing I wouldn't use the bacteria packet, but I'm glad to hear that the clarifier works well. So I would just put my fish in a QT tank until everything settled? And turn off the filters I assume. I think I'm gonna get the Instant Aq kind off of Drs. F & S when they have a promotion 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Tank Girl Posted July 25, 2013 Regular Member Share Posted July 25, 2013 Yeah, put your fish in another tank if you have it and turn off the filter. Let it settle for a bit before turning it back on. I drained the tank halfway, added the sand and clarifier and filled it back up. Turned the filter back on 2-3 hours later. I didn't use the bacteria, either. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member dnalex Posted July 25, 2013 Regular Member Share Posted July 25, 2013 Instant Aquarium is packed wet and comes with packets of beneficial bacteria as well as a water clarifier. Super Naturals is dry and only has the clarifier. The clarifier works very well, by the way. I added my sand on a Friday afternoon - I took my fish out first, of course - and by Sunday afternoon my water was gin clear. It will look very cloudy when you first put it in, but it doesn't last long. My fish were only out for 2-3 hours. On Saturday it was about 95% clear and by Sunday it was completely gone. I'm guessing I wouldn't use the bacteria packet, but I'm glad to hear that the clarifier works well. So I would just put my fish in a QT tank until everything settled? And turn off the filters I assume. I think I'm gonna get the Instant Aq kind off of Drs. F & S when they have a promotion Use all of the packets. They are not harmful and may help. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member LauraThe3xplora Posted July 25, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 25, 2013 Yeah, put your fish in another tank if you have it and turn off the filter. Let it settle for a bit before turning it back on. I drained the tank halfway, added the sand and clarifier and filled it back up. Turned the filter back on 2-3 hours later. I didn't use the bacteria, either.Oh draining the water is a good idea. It would settle faster. Thanks for all your help and advice! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Tank Girl Posted July 25, 2013 Regular Member Share Posted July 25, 2013 (edited) "Use all of the packets. They are not harmful and may help. " I'm well aware they're not harmful. I simply did not need them. My tank is well established. Edited July 25, 2013 by Tank Girl 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member dnalex Posted July 25, 2013 Regular Member Share Posted July 25, 2013 "Use all of the packets. They are not harmful and may help. " I'm well aware they're not harmful. I simply did not need them. My tank is well established. Um, I was directing the comment to Laura, advising her to do so, because it doesn't hurt to add the beneficial bacteria packet. I've had had my TMS for about 3 years now, so am sharing my own experience with the product. I'm not sure where it was, or how it was, that you took umbrage. But do carry on, and have a happy day. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Tank Girl Posted July 25, 2013 Regular Member Share Posted July 25, 2013 I saw my post, as well as Laura's, in your post and thought you were speaking to both of us. I was only commenting on why I personally chose not to use it. I took no umbrage whatsoever. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member LauraThe3xplora Posted July 25, 2013 Author Regular Member Share Posted July 25, 2013 "Use all of the packets. They are not harmful and may help. " I'm well aware they're not harmful. I simply did not need them. My tank is well established. Um, I was directing the comment to Laura, advising her to do so, because it doesn't hurt to add the beneficial bacteria packet. I've had had my TMS for about 3 years now, so am sharing my own experience with the product. I'm not sure where it was, or how it was, that you took umbrage. But do carry on, and have a happy day. Sorry, I didn't see your first post. Can bacteria actually live in a little packet? I thought they could not. Maybe I'll add both packets, maybe not. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member dnalex Posted July 25, 2013 Regular Member Share Posted July 25, 2013 "Use all of the packets. They are not harmful and may help. " I'm well aware they're not harmful. I simply did not need them. My tank is well established. Um, I was directing the comment to Laura, advising her to do so, because it doesn't hurt to add the beneficial bacteria packet. I've had had my TMS for about 3 years now, so am sharing my own experience with the product. I'm not sure where it was, or how it was, that you took umbrage. But do carry on, and have a happy day. Sorry, I didn't see your first post. Can bacteria actually live in a little packet? I thought they could not. Maybe I'll add both packets, maybe not. Sure they can, and while the nitrogen fixing bacteria (BBs) do not sporulate, they can enter into a starvation mode, where they can persist in the absence of oxygen and food for quite some time. Essentially, that's what those packets contain. Once exposed to abundance, they should respond accordingly. As I said above, they certainly don't hurt. Whether they actually help you or not, I cannot tell you for certain. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member yafashelli Posted July 25, 2013 Regular Member Share Posted July 25, 2013 Whenever I add substrate, I drain all but about three inches of water. Then I add the substrate, let it settle, fill and fill the tank slowly. Sticking your siphon hose into a bowl will help keep the sand from blowing around, during refill. ;)Sometimes, if it needs it, I'll fill it up, and drain it again, but so long as it's well-rinsed before, it shouldn't need to be refilled. The more water your tank has in it, the more time it'll take to settle. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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