rusty orange 'dust' on my sandbed. Why?

[joeltb]

Hello,

After moving an established tank to a new one, I disturbed the sand bed, experienced a murky green tank which cleared it self up after a water change. I have since 'cleaned' the sandbed(scooped the orange 'dust' out), did a large water change and 1 day later, the rusty orange dust is back on the sand bed. I am using RO water only.
This has been happening for 3 weeks so far. I do 1 10% water change a week and cut back on the iodine supplement.
What else can I do?

 

[Anonymous]

Leave it alone. It was disturbed and needs to reestablish itself. Let the critters do the work.

 

[joeltb]

Won't this make it worse?
Anyone else?

 

[jdeets]

Sounds like diatoms. Leave it alone. That's normal when a tank is establishing itself. When you moved the sand bed and disturbed it, its efficiency was compromised, so it's like a younger tank. In my system (which is over a year old now), I still get diatoms from time to time--usually when a powerhead comes loose and disturbs the sandbed or something like that. It will eventually go away, but by continually disturbing the sand bed, it will take longer. Patience, patience.