1" layer of silt after setup- vacuum or ?

[Newreeflady]

So, just started running the new 56g tank. I didn't rinse the substrate (yeah, I know.) But this particular substrate (from MarcoRocks) has a very very high proportion of silt, unlike others I've used.

So, there is about a 1 cm layer of demarked silt on top of the sand bed. I'm running a Magnum 350 with micron filter right now. I thought maybe I should filter off the silt layer, but I can't see even 1 cm (sorry for title, it isn't 1", it's 1cm or about 1/3 of an inch) into the tank. Thoughts? I'm in no rush to put anything in, so if you think it'll work itself out I'll just leave it.

Thx,
-A

 

[wetbehindears]

Clean it

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I'm not hip to the origin of Marcosrock but I don't like silt anywhere in my system. I leaning towards removal.....

 

[NirvanaFan]

I'd remove it. Once it settles, it will just get kicked up again later.

 

[Newreeflady]

Ouf, such a pain. So, you guys don't think that the micron filter will do it, eh? I can almost see one of the rocks> :/

Gary, is that just for aesthetics, or is there another reason you don't like silt in there? I will say that my clowns love to kick up sand, so this is likely to bite me in the bum for a long while. Is it bad for the fish, or just a pain to look at?

I siphoned some from the sand/glass interface since it is the only area I can really see. Maybe it will pile there and make itself easy to remove in a few days?

Thx!
Angela

 

[wah-zoh]

i used carib sea sugar sized sand(similar to the marco sand). i didnt rinse it either, and it took for ever to clear up. i always had little cloudyness from it. that "silt" would build up in my sump and mess with the skimmer. try to get as much of it out as you can.

 

[Newreeflady]

Greeeeaaaat :/ Well, soon as I get it cleared more I will vacuum from the top layer as carefully as I can. Maybe I should not start running the sump yet (I'm just running the Magnum 350 filter right now, and can just flip on the CL and leave the sump off until I get the problem fixed.)

-A

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I run a 10 micron filter 24/7

 

[Newreeflady]

Well, tried vacuuming to no avail. It's all or nothing, so I left it. It gets clear more quickly once disturbed now, leading me to believe that the Magnum's micron filter is working. I also went ahead and started running the sump and skimmer- skimmer is pulling white cloudy silt concentrate.

 

[Newreeflady]

Well, I ended up running a micron filter sock and continually running and cleaning a Magnum 350 micron filter whilst periodically stirring up the sandbed so as to create a cloud of dust for cleaning. Finally minimal silt is coming up. I'll probably pull the pumps and clean them when I'm certain the silt thing is mostly done.

So, yeah, lesson learned: Rinse FIRST. Why do I have to learn everything the hard way? :/

Angela