Can dust from araganite sand kill coraline algae?

[banjocat]

Did things a little backwards and added araganite sand today about a week after I had added live rock. Despite rinsing it really good it really clouded up my water. I've been running the filter to clear it up some and rinsing the dust out of the media every once in awhile. After about 5 hours I'm finally able to see all of the rocks in the aquarium. I'm even able to see some amphipods now. My only concern is there seems to be a fine dust sticking to everything. Will this kill the coralline algae on the rocks? It does look less red now.

Also it has been almost a week and the only life I've noticed on the live rocks are amphipods and coralline algae. I've been cycling with a piece of shrimp tail and I've only noticed amphipods feeding on it. Could it take awhile before more things show up, or should this be all I expect from this rock? I still need more rock, so I wasn't sure if I should try rock from another store.

 

[Cu455]

The dust won't do much. Fan it off with your hand or use a turkey baster to blow it off the rocks. Organisms are not going to just show up. They will have to be placed in your tank. It will take a few months for things like micro stars, worms and other stuff to reproduce, inhabit the dry rock and become noticeable. You would have to place a bunch in your tank to start.

 

[banjocat]

The dust won't do much. Fan it off with your hand or use a turkey baster to blow it off the rocks. Organisms are not going to just show up. They will have to be placed in your tank. It will take a few months for things like micro stars, worms and other stuff to reproduce, inhabit the dry rock and become noticeable. You would have to place a bunch in your tank to start.

Thanks, I probably was just over worrying about the coralline algae. I've been having trouble finding a turkey baster(was going to use it to spot clean another aquarium). If I need it, I think a cheap flavor injector(without the sharp tip attached) might work for what you suggest though

 

[ska_kid]

was it dry sand you added?

 

[banjocat]

was it dry sand you added?

I added it wet after I rinsed it. If you mean was it live sand, no. Didn't think live sand would be necessary if I used live rock.

 

[banjocat]

The water is now clear. The filter did the trick. Hopefully it wasn't too hard on the hob filter. I'll clean the impeller/motor today. There still is residue on the coralline algae so maybe I'll see if squirting water on it with a flavor injector will help. The dust seems to stick to things though unless wiped off.

 

[Cu455]

I don't think the injector will do a good job. Give it a try it won't hurt. If it doesn't work wave your hand to clean the rocks.

 

[banjocat]

I ended up getting some live rock from another store. This rock is definitely more lively. So far I've seen several asterina starfish, a bristle worm, and a few other critters that were too fast to identify. Could end up being too lively. Saw something scurry into a hole that hopefully wasn't a mantis shrimp. Wouldn't mind one too bad though, if it isn't a giant species, because I was intending this as an invertebrate tank and may not add any fish. It's so fun checking in after the light has been off for awhile.