Sand Substrate Delimma

[shokanti]

Hi Everyone!

 

5 Gallon fish tank- only 1 fish (betta) some live plants all look healthy. 

I have thinking the last thing is to change the substrate in my tank.

Its white Sand from Petco. 

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/imagitarium-black-aquarium-sand-20-lbs-2558278

I have to change the water of my tank every month, then change the filter sponges as well.

the tank just becomes cloudy with bateria bloom OR white algaea, Im constantly cleaning the tank. I had shrimp cleaning up any type of film(but overall they die with in a couple of days.)

My parameters in the fish tank is good. 

At some point, the last thing I can think of is changing the substrate from Sand to River Stone Peebles. (sometimes there is a smell but does not smell earthy nor amnonia, just a weird smell.) I pick up the fish waste (fish only eats 2 pelletes a day.) 

 

It just becomes a hassle every month to change the water completely and re-tank the betta and then place it back in. 

Another question:

How do you dry this fine gravel sand substrate and store it away for a future fish tank. 

[Galabar]

When you say "change the filter sponges," what do you mean by that?

 

[FLFishChik]

I agree with @Galabar that it would help if you clarify what you mean by  "changing the filter sponges". If you are changing them every month PLUS doing a complete water change, this could very well be the issue.

 How long has the tank been set up?

1) Filter sponges are housing a lot of your beneficial bacteria and in changing them so often, your basically throwing them out.

2) in a 5 gallon tank (of which I have several), I find I need a weekly water change of 25% - 30%.  And you shouldn't need to remove your Betta to do this. Example - I change 25% of my Bettas tank water every week just using a small cup and a pitcher. Then replace it with fresh dechlorinated water. I vacuum the substrate every other week. At no time do I ever need to remove him while this is done. I am hoping that you don't mean that you are also rinsing the substrate. If so, then you are basically crashing your cycle and restarting every month.

 

 If you take away a large population of beneficial bacteria, then change 90%-100% of your water at the same time, your basically crashing, if not near crashing your cycle causing a bacterial bloom in the tank much like we experience when first cycling a tank.

  You shouldn't be changing your sponges out every month. Instead, rinsing them in a some dirty tank water when you've done a small water change should be enough to clear the sponge of debris, but keep your beneficial bacteria intact. Also, think about doing smaller water changes more often. Your parameters will remain more stable that way vs. letting waste and detritus build up in the tank causing ammonia and nitrite spikes from decaying plant debris, fish waste and fish food over a month, then doing a large water change.

[VariegatedReticulated]

Have you considered small snails like ramshorn or bladder/pond snails? I only ask because I always have trumpet, bladder, and ramshorn snails in my smaller planted tanks. What about additional decor to increase surface area for beneficial bacteria to hang out on?

I have a betta in a similar 5.5 gal setup: plants, sand, sponge filter and I truly think the snails help balance the tank, though I also keep floating plants-- but you do have to pull snails periodically since they breed. Good luck! 

[shokanti]

On 10/1/2023 at 6:34 PM, Galabar said:

When you say "change the filter sponges," what do you mean by that?

 

I have to change the sponge completely. 

On 10/1/2023 at 8:16 PM, FLFishChik said:

 

 How long has the tank been set up?

1) Filter sponges are housing a lot of your beneficial bacteria and in changing them so often, your basically throwing them out.

2) in a 5 gallon tank (of which I have several), I find I need a weekly water change of 25% - 30%.  And you shouldn't need to remove your Betta to do this. Example - I change 25% of my Bettas tank water every week just using a small cup and a pitcher. Then replace it with fresh dechlorinated water. I vacuum the substrate every other week. At no time do I ever need to remove him while this is done. I am hoping that you don't mean that you are also rinsing the substrate. If so, then you are basically crashing your cycle and restarting every month.

The tank has been clear water for nearly a month and half. (nothing new hasn't changed in yet) I pull out some water from the fish tank, squeeze the sponges in there, and place the sponge back. As soon as I do that, a bacteria bloom or the fish tank becomes so cloudy [I scrub the fish tank walls.] It takes 3 weeks with no development of clear water. I will do also do water changes, the water would not get any better. :(!

 

On 10/2/2023 at 1:41 PM, VariegatedReticulated said:

Have you considered small snails like ramshorn or bladder/pond snails? I only ask because I always have trumpet, bladder, and ramshorn snails in my smaller planted tanks. What about additional decor to increase surface area for beneficial bacteria to hang out on?

I have a betta in a similar 5.5 gal setup: plants, sand, sponge filter and I truly think the snails help balance the tank, though I also keep floating plants-- but you do have to pull snails periodically since they breed. Good luck! 

My betta is too aggressive for the snails :(!!

he nips at their eyeballs.

 

Thank you for the replies!! 

[Galabar]

On 10/2/2023 at 5:19 PM, shokanti said:

I have to change the sponge completely. 

Every time you change your sponge, you throw away your biological filtration.  Why do you need to change the sponge?  Can you just squeeze it out (clean it) in a bucket of tank water?

[Tanked]

I find myself with more questions than answers.

I'm going to assume that you aggressively rinsed the sand on Day 1.  For storage: dry your sand on a baking sheet in the oven or spread thinly on plastic or cardboard in the sun for a dew days.

"I had shrimp cleaning up any type of film(but overall they die with in a couple of days."  Was this a 1 time event? Did they die or did the betta kill them?  It might help if you list your parameters. Are you adding anything other than a declorinator to the water?

Ultimately I would follow @FLFishChik's suggestions.  I would also consider: waiting out the bloom, adding a mesh bag of carbon to the tank, buying a bottle of bacteria to insure that you have enough of the 'right' bacteria.

[Guppysnail]

@shokanti this may be of help to you. Replacing the sponge in your tank and cleaning so much plus total water change you reset the nitrogen cycle. You will get a bacteria bloom as it re-cycles. It’s also a bit rough on your betta. 

 

[Shrimp Doggy Dogg]

You said all the plants look healthy and your water parameters are good so I guess I don't really understand why you want to change anything.  Are you just wanting to change the look?