# Does Flourite ever get clear?



## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

I am re-doing the substrate and I bought Flourite. I have been rinsing the stuff for almost an hour now and still no signs of the water getting clear. I bought 5 bags, 75lbs and I'm still on the first bag. Im using a screen and using a cooler. seriously it's driving me nuts. I know its clay based, so I'm not sure if it is supposed to ever get clear. am I wasting my time?????


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

You can not rinse flourite clear. It is basically calcinied clay which means the more agitation, the more "dust" as it breaks apart. Just put it in and give it a few days to settle. The tank will clear up.


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## xerxeswasachump (Mar 29, 2006)

I doubt it. When i laid down fluorite for my 55 it clouded up the water for weeks. I eventually bought 3 bottles of that water clairifier stuff and put them all in, eventually it worked. It still kicks up tons of dust when i go to plant something.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

I've managed to get my Flourite fairly clear before putting in the tank, but yes, it does take an awful lot of rinsing. What you can do to help a great deal is to rinse it until its not making mud anymore, then lay it out in the sun to dry.


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## CaysE (May 21, 2006)

I rinsed mine for an hour and put it in the tank. It was practically mud in the tank it was so cloudy. After a few days of getting no clearing at all, I stuffed polyfill fiber into the filter and ran it at full flow. Changing the polyfill every day, it eventually started to clear up enough where I could see the bottom of the tank. I then did gravel cleanings and 90% water changes every day for almost 2 weeks before I was happy with it. It still gets little cloud bursts when I plant something, but it doesn't cloud up the tank anymore. Patience is key here, you will love the look (and plant growth) when it's all said and done.


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## SueM (Jan 23, 2004)

Ive used it for years and never had a cloud problem.
What I did was use a 5 gal bucket, put a hose down in the bottom and let it run full blast.
I stirred it once in awhile, but other then that just walked away & let it do its thing.


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2006)

hi this is not my idea, but a suggestion from another message board so I get no credit.

put the substrate in the tank and level the stuff
lay some large garbage bags over it and weight the edges with clay pots, rocks or whatever you might have.
fill the tank.
gently remove the garbage bags.

someone mentioned floss. I did the same, but with box filters. next time I'll try the garbage bag trick.


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## CaysE (May 21, 2006)

You're still going to get tons of cloudiness as soon as you even move the substrate to plant something or turn on the filter if you don't rinse it first. The hose in the bottom of a bucket is the best way to do it.


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## northfacehiker (May 31, 2006)

Here's what I did (I put 60lbs in my 55 gallon tank)

Get a colander (strainer like you use for spaghetti or macaroni).
Pour in enough to fill the colander about 3/4ths.
Rinse (without stirring) until water runs clear from the bottom.
Add to tank. If this requires too many trips, add to a 5 gallon bucket and dump in the tank when 1/2 full.

You will still get some cloudiness this way, but it will clear up much faster than no rinsing at all.


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## northfacehiker (May 31, 2006)

Here's what I did (I put 60lbs in my 55 gallon tank)

Get a colander (strainer like you use for spaghetti or macaroni).
Pour in enough to fill the colander about 3/4ths.
Rinse (without stirring) until water runs clear from the bottom.
Add to tank. If this requires too many trips, add to a 5 gallon bucket and dump in the tank when 1/2 full.

You will still get some cloudiness this way, but it will clear up much faster than no rinsing at all.


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## dmarcus (Apr 13, 2006)

has anyone laid down a bed of flourite as a subastrate and than placed another maybe 1/2 inch of fine gravel on top of that. I have rams and i understand they like light colored soil so im gonna do this method. I have heavily planted tanks and so i was hoping that the fish would like it and that it could keep down the dust clouds.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

It works.....in the beginning. The different substrates will eventually mix together.


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

Simpte said:


> It works.....in the beginning. The different substrates will eventually mix together.


i thought of that too, but as soon as you syphon the tank, its gunna mix and cloud up anyhow. 

i worked on ity for a few hours and got it as clear as its gunna get until in the tank and settled for the long haul. tx for all the tips though. I ended up using a 60q cooler, I put a screen over the drain hole so it wouldnt get plugged up. I then used a 5g buckets and rinsed it in there untill the water was relatively clear, then put it in the large cooler bag by bag. i then stuck the hose in and let it go for a few hours mixing it now and again with the bottom water drain unplugged. like i said, its as good as it will get pre tank.

cheers.


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## Anonymous (Jan 15, 2005)

Hello,

I don't have any planted tanks, and have never used flourite to know, but had an idea while reading this thread that may be worth trying. Why not just put a layer of flourite in the tank, what ever is going to be used, and then covering with screen? On top of the screen place whatever "normal" substrate you want to use. I did this years ago when I tried saltwater to keep blennies and jawfish from messing with my plenum and it sounds like it would work for this purpose also.

Larry Vires


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

The screen will choke the plant roots and you will be forced to clip them if you move the plants at any time. Nice idea in theory though.


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