Need Help, Sand Bed Problem

[Ricety22]

I recently bought Carib sea live sand from petco and added to my tank without rinsing (the bag says you don't have to) the dust cloud lasted a few days but it eventually settled. I then set up the tank (rock, filter, heater) and I realized that the sand bed had a layer of settled dust. Am I going to be able to siphon the sand bed without creating a dust storm? I already have 2 clowns in the tank and I'm worried that I will not be able to siphon (I only have one saltwater tank).

[MinnFish]

How long has the tank been running? From start up?

[Ricety22]

It's been running for a couple a weeks, I used bio spira at the start (the tank cycled in 2 days) and added fish 2 weeks later to be safe. I have not done a water change but I want to

[MinnFish]

Using floss as filtration should take care of the remaining dust. Fish should be okay. Good luck. If, the tank has cycled. Then, a water change would be okay. I would blow the dust first, then WC.

[Jayva]

I just went thru that. Go to Joanne fabrics and buy a half quarter yard of white felt. Take out your sponge and cut to size. Rinse the felt and put on top of the sponge. Put the filter on low. It'll polish the water. And you'll have filter floss for months for $1. Optional. Seachem's clarity. Clumps up the dust and makes the filter catch it. Warning. It'll cloud the tank for 2 hours.

[Clown79]

Its normal. Stir it up and it will catch in the current and get trapped in the filter floss. Vacuum your sand with water changes.

 

There is a reason you aren't supposed to rinse live sand, it removes everything in the pkg that makes it live which defeats the purpose.

You use fabric felt?

[cruiZe]

I siphon out dirty portions of my sand, rinse it and put it back all the time

[brandon429]

http://reef2reef.com/threads/the-official-sand-rinse-thread-aka-one-against-many.230281/#post-2681445

 

 

the thread is literally written for that topic of sand dusting Ricety22

 

you'd simply take apart the tank, fix the sandbed, put it back in about 30 mins like new have zero probs. there's like ten tanks in there linked doing the work a nano has it easy. you pre identified a real problem for nano reef aquarists, good catch Rice

 

The neat part is rinsing doesn't deactivate bacteria stuck to the surface area of sand grains. it only removes silt and makes everything better when starting out a new tank.

 

freshwater rinsing wouldn't even sterilize a cold metal steel ball with not much surface area, much less a convoluted piece of limestone that at the microbial level looks like the grand tetons.

[Clown79]

I have had NO issues from not rinsing it. My water cleared in 2 hrs.

I regularly vacuum my sandbed and have with every tank.

 

My personal point, keeping instructions simple - don't freak out, its dust and will clear by the time the cycle is done. The easiest thing to do is stir it and let the filter remove the dust.

[Mariaface]

Honestly, the dust will be light enough to be vacuumed out. Starting off strong with the vacuuming might even help you keep up the husbandry in the future Go ahead and disturb the sandbed every couple of days so your mechanical filtration catches some, siphon it out with water changes, and let it happen.