# Argh!!! Sand dust!



## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

So I finally got my sump, si I set up the shallow tank on Monday. I got Seachem Pearl Beach sand to use in it. I rinsed it (I thought) well but then when I added most of the water to the tank, it started a major dust storm! 
I set up a magnum canister filter that I had on hand with the pleated micron filter, and that has been helping, but slowly. But every time I move any sand, it stirs up again. I don't mean a little cloudy, I mean opaque white. I think I'm going to set up a couple of aqua clear 110's as well tonight to speed things up. Any tips on media that might be more efficient than the regular sponges? Other tips? I've never seem anything like this. It's a lovely size and color of sand but definitely not worth this!


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## Shoryureppa (Jul 1, 2011)

This is what I was afraid of when i put a dsb on mine with sugar fine sand. I have 4 inches of sand in mine. I didn't rinse the sand. i put it in the tank, fill it up with water but water was hitting my rock instead of the sand, no sand storm. Then I turned on the return pumps only and put some live rock and mussells, waited a couple of days to get to[p layer of sand loeaded with bacteria, then I put my 2 mp40 in full blast with no sand flying around. check my build thread  hope this helps


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

Thanks. I've always used Nature's Ocean sand, and although it's fine, it is not dusty at all. I read the reviews and expected some dust with this stuff but I had NO idea!
Some of the reading I've been doing says to go ahead and add the LR (and sand to seed) and the bacteria will help settle and "cement" the fines so they don't blow around. Anyone disagree?


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Do it, and take pictures!


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

Ok, will do, tomorrow or on the weekend...


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## macKRAZY (Feb 15, 2012)

my tanks was milky, cloudy white for 4 days straight... i couldnt even see the back of my tank!

i added my LR on day 5 and it cleared by day 7... its crystal clear now!

its normal from what i've read, nothing to worry about... patience! lol


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

Well, the Magnum 350 canister with the pleated filter in has always been my emergency fall-back filter when nothing else works but it seems to have let me down this time...one night with an AC 110 and it's 95% better 

Thursday after 3 days with the Magnum...









Friday morning after 1 night with the ac110...


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## poobar (Feb 20, 2011)

I had this problem for weeks when I put my DSB in the sump.
Added a filter sock on the return for 12 hours. All clear!


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

New sand + Live rock will settle a dusty tank in no time!

The bacteria needs to colonize on the sand. It weighs the sand down. I have 6" of sand in my display. No sand storms, not piled up on one side.

Still have yet to add the MP40's I would like to, but that is just not in the budget yet. By the time that it is, the sand will be very mature, and won't move much.


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

Lol no mp40s in my future but the returns and koralia make for some pretty good flow, and its much better already. Gonna add some LR from my other tanks tomorrow and hope that'll improve it even more!


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## Mlevi (Jan 28, 2012)

*sand dust on filter impeller*

I'm a FW guy, just came across this thread, and figured I'd ask. Wouldn't all that sand floating around screw up the impeller in the filter when it 'dissipates'? Sorry if this sounds like a newb question, but that's what i am.


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

Noob questions always welcome, thats how we learn 
The aragonite sand used in saltwater is softer than the silica sand (play sand, pool filter sand) that might be used in fresh. The fines really are more like a talcum powder. I'm sure that running equipment covered in it isn't ideal, long term, and I do plan on rinsing everything off, but it won't do the same damage that a small a grain of silica sand could do.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

what filter? The filter that was used isn't permanent.


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## Mlevi (Jan 28, 2012)

carmenh said:


> The aragonite sand used in saltwater is softer than the silica sand (play sand, pool filter sand) that might be used in fresh.


Carmen,

Thank you for the prompt response, and making things "clear" for me  
I was looking at those pics from a FW perspective, and thinkin' that would really screw up a filter, especially a more expensive canister,

Al.


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Most saltwater tanks don't run canister filters 

The fine silt is microns in size. It will leave a haze on the tank, and everything in it. But a fast wipe down will clean that up.

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## Mlevi (Jan 28, 2012)

J_T said:


> Most saltwater tanks don't run canister filters
> 
> The fine silt is microns in size. It will leave a haze on the tank, and everything in it. But a fast wipe down will clean that up.


So much to learn....
The more I find out, the deeper I want to wade in...


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Well, come on in! The water is about 78* - 80* 


(there, you just learned something else  )


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## Mlevi (Jan 28, 2012)

J_T said:


> Well, come on in! The water is about 78* - 80*
> 
> (there, you just learned something else  )


[email protected] J T.

SW is on my bucket list 

For now, still playin' on the shores with FW, but I'll wade in someday. Every time I see a setup here, it looks might temptin', but I know what i see is just the results and there's tons o' effort that has gone into gettin' there. Its jus' that everyone here makes it look so easy....


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