# Dust - ugh!



## dougbraz (3 Feb 2021)

30 gallon planted tank (60X50X40cm) with two 9litre bags of ADA Amazonia soil as substrate - Dragon stone and wood all placed on top. I was told that it did not need to be rinsed before use) It's about 2" deep at the front at maybe 4" at the back. I filled it up with water to the level of the soil before planting (probably mistake nr 1) and then after planting, topped it off - and had essentially a brown fog in my tank for a few days. No, I didn't wash the dragon stone before, either (mistake nr 2). Did a few daily 50% changes and it improved, added activated charcoal to clear the tannin for a bit, then proceeded to use Purigen. I have an Eheim Ecco 2232 canister which is supposedly enough for filtration ('just", I think).
To cut a long story short, it is fairly heavily planted (stems at the back and an assortment mid-front) yet still it looks a bit 'dusty'. To be honest, every time I touch the bottom to pick up a dead leaf, or plant something, there is a little dust storm that eventually dissipates, but not fully. The tank is 3 months old, I do partial water changes of about 25 litres every 5-7 days yet the tops of the leaves (like anubias) are still dusty and of course, when you brush it off, back into the water it goes to settle down somewhere else!
My question basically is: how long before most of the dust settles down completely or is removed by water changes? I am not seeing crystal clear water in my immediate future.


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## Cherries (4 Feb 2021)

I always clean substrate and boil any wood because then it is hard for me to remove this stuff and I don’t want my fish breathing it all in their little bodies but I have never cleaned sand so been having dusty water, but it has always cleaned up during the next few days and then no problems at all.
Try doing larger water changes daily and see if that helps, but you should have clean water by now so no idea here really. Sorry


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## GHNelson (4 Feb 2021)

Hi 
Can you take a close up picture of the ADA....low down at the front of the aquarium.......showing the depth!


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## dougbraz (5 Feb 2021)

hogan53 said:


> Hi
> Can you take a close up picture of the ADA....low down at the front of the aquarium.......showing the depth!



Sure - here you go, right at the glass.








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## GHNelson (5 Feb 2021)

Yes, It does seem to be a bit dusty near the substrate!
It doesn't look as though its broken down completely though, which would produce a lot more dust.

Only things I can suggest is siphon as much out as possible using a tube with a intake strainer as you don't want to disturb the substrate causing more dust!
A small hang on filter will help, packing it with filter floss!
When adding fresh water use a colander.
hoggie


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## dougbraz (5 Feb 2021)

hogan53 said:


> Yes, It does seem to be a bit dusty near the substrate!
> It doesn't look as though its broken down completely though, which would produce a lot more dust.
> 
> Only things I can suggest is siphon as much out as possible using a tube with a intake strainer as you don't want to disturb the substrate causing more dust!
> ...



Great suggestions - thanks!
Doug


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## Franks (8 Feb 2021)

Have you tried Seachem Clarity? It works by binding the tiniest particles in the water column so they clump and get caught in your floss instead of passing through it. As long as you have filter floss in your filtration and good flow, it should sort that out in a few hours I would think.


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## dougbraz (8 Feb 2021)

Franks said:


> Have you tried Seachem Clarity? It works by binding the tiniest particles in the water column so they clump and get caught in your floss instead of passing through it. As long as you have filter floss in your filtration and good flow, it should sort that out in a few hours I would think.



Thanks Franks - i haven’t (yet) because I was/am trying to avoid just adding chemicals to solve all problems - although, yes, it sounds really tempting. To be honest, i only have the smallest disc of floss in my tank filter, so maybe that would not be the ideal solution? What do you think? 
Thanks,
Doug


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## dougbraz (10 Feb 2021)

Franks said:


> Have you tried Seachem Clarity? It works by binding the tiniest particles in the water column so they clump and get caught in your floss instead of passing through it. As long as you have filter floss in your filtration and good flow, it should sort that out in a few hours I would think.


Gone and bit the bullet - bought some Clarity. Fingers crossed!


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## dougbraz (12 Feb 2021)

dougbraz said:


> Gone and bit the bullet - bought some Clarity. Fingers crossed!



Changed the floss in my canister for some new stuff. Added another internal filter loaded with floss. Added the Clarity, got cloudier to start with, that went in a few hours, but to be honest, didn’t notice any amazing clarity afterwards. Actually think the water turned yellower (go figure). I only have a small branch which I think has leached all it could in the first two months. Did a small water change -15% and when poured down the sink, most definitely clear, but also yellow tinged.
Renewing my purigen today to see what happens over the weekend when will do a larger water change.
Oh well, off we go..


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## Cherries (12 Feb 2021)

I guess you won’t be able to get rid of it so fast or at all, it’ll just gonna keep getting dusty and cloudy. I would actually remove that substrate and replace it with something better, but that is up to you 😊


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## dougbraz (12 Feb 2021)

Cherries said:


> I guess you won’t be able to get rid of it so fast or at all, it’ll just gonna keep getting dusty and cloudy. I would actually remove that substrate and replace it with something better, but that is up to you



That would involve tearing everything down and starting again! The worst is that I was sold the ADA Amazonia as “the best” hassle free substrate (dia I also say expensive??).
Anyway, yes, if after a few more months there is not much improvement, we may do a re-do.


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## Cherries (12 Feb 2021)

Yeah, I would just do a re-do of the tank.. Had to do re-dos of my tanks before as well. Hard work! 😵 But it pays the price and leaves you with an actual hassle free tank.


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## dougbraz (12 Feb 2021)

Just when you think it’s maybe “getting there”.....oh well..


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## Franks (13 Feb 2021)

Sorry to hear the Clarity didn't work as expected. If the water went cloudy, it's likely doing something in bonding the bits of dust together which is effectively what you are seeing as 'more cloudy'. 

Sounds to me that if the substrate is constantly kicking up, it's something that you'll always have to live with or minimise replanting. 

Good luck with the outcome, keep us updated.


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## PARAGUAY (14 Feb 2021)

Small internal filter filled with just filter wool changed daily try it for a week


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## dougbraz (21 Feb 2021)

PARAGUAY said:


> Small internal filter filled with just filter wool changed daily try it for a week



Did that and seems to have solved it - thanks! Not 100% clear, but 98.... the difference will come out with water changes.


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