Are they gonna die?

[browning_boy20]

I get out o the shower and this is what I see (see attachment)

My powerheads auction cup came loose and stirred up one heck of a sand storm. Will this kill my fish? I have that fine sand in which I hate and should replace but I will be upgrading soon so I will not bother at this time. I have a hippo tang flame angel three clowns a zebra eel and a couple other small ones. What's the chances of survival?

[keithhays]

how old is the sand bed? It looks like it is either new or regularly vacuumed. If that's true, then the only danger is a cloudy tank.

[browning_boy20]

It's less than 6 months old. I didn't know if a cloudy tank would displace all the oxygen and kill all the fish.

[keithhays]

It's less than 6 months old. I didn't know if a cloudy tank would displace all the oxygen and kill all the fish.

A cloudy tank isn't what causes the issue, it is released sulfides from a mature sandbed with anoxic zones in it. You shouldn't have much to worry about.

[browning_boy20]

I think my next tank is going to be a bare bottom or either a coarser sand. I hate this fine stuff. Also mp40's sound good now since they have a magnet vs suction cup. I hate to spend that much on powerheads for a fowlr though.

[keithhays]

I think my next tank is going to be a bare bottom or either a coarser sand. I hate this fine stuff. Also mp40's sound good now since they have a magnet vs suction cup. I hate to spend that much on powerheads for a fowlr though.

I have both bare bottom and shallow coarse sand bed, its a lot less of a headache. I use the korlia, I don't mind spending money, but I wouldn't spend vortech money on a powerhead. Besides, fowlr's need flow too.

[jrp1588]

Looks just like my tank when I pulled out all the sand to convert to bare bottom. It stressed them out some, but everyone was fine.

[browning_boy20]

When you go bare bottom, is it hard to keep the nasty green hard algae from covering the bottom? I have to scrape my glass every two days to keep it off the sides and front.

[keithhays]

When you go bare bottom, is it hard to keep the nasty green hard algae from covering the bottom? I have to scrape my glass every two days to keep it off the sides and front.

"Hard" green algae is actually coraline, but I feel your pain. I have a top tank and a bottom tank. The bottom tank has no light of its own, it will be a fowlr aggressive system, but I have to keep my barebottom tank clean for the light to not be obstructed to the bottom tank.

[jrp1588]

I don't plan to scrape the bottom, just going to siphon out the detritus.