Re-cycling with LR

[pat zeller]

I am re-cycling my first tank with 20 pounds of cured live rock from my first attempt and 45 pounds of uncured rock placed in a 72 gallon tank. I replaced the CC from my first attempt (about 75% of the tank, the balance was sand) with sand. I now have all sand. I have a wet/dry filter with a skimmer in the sump. I used about 50% of the original water with 50% new water from a fish store. The tank has been cycling for 2 1/2 weeks.
The tank got very cloudy/milky at first and then cleared by the end of the first week. Since then, the fine white sand (about 25% of the sand bottom) has a lot of tan/brown coloration that is actually working it's way down ( you can see this on the sand that is against the glass). It's difficult to tell if the tan particles are building on the other protion of the sand as it's a tan/brown color. There is a lot of the tan/brown particles suspended in the water and there are areas of build up on the rock itself. If you disturb a rock, the tan/brown particles float and become suspended as well.
Is this die off? Do I need to do anything (vacum, water change)? Is this the stuff that my clean up crew will eat when introduced in a month or so?
Also, it appears that a lot of the rock has died off. Is this expected.
Thanks

 

[nacl-man]

From your description I would say everything is progressing normally.
How much water movement do you have? IMO stuff shouldn't be hanging out and not moving in the water. Get a couple of powerheads and aim them at the LR to keep sand and detrius from settling on them.
Keep your test kits handy, when the cycle is finished do a 30% water change and you should be G2G.
My .02

 

[flydan]

Hey,
I agree that it sounds like you need more circulation in your tank. I would also start testing the water perameters as it may be time to start slowly adding a clean-up crew.
HTH,
Dan'l

 

[pat zeller]

Thank you for your advise. I re-directed the head from my pump and it appears to help. I will look into a powerhead anyway as I will probably need one as I get established.
Thanks again,
Pat