LR still flaking -- huh?

[EBR]

Hi -- I've got a fairly new 55 gal tank with about 120# of LR from liverocks.com (wonderful stuff!). A little history: the tank has actually been running since last summer with a few damsels. All was well, and I was finally able (financially) to make the plunge and invest in the rock, which arrived at the beginning of April. The damsels found their way back to the LFS, and now that the tank has re-cycled with the rock, has two new percula clowns and a cleaner shrimp calling it home (this past weekend). All seems well -- they are eating the frozen Mysis like crazy, and the shrimp has taken a shine to a particular rock and keeping it clean.

However, the rock is still generating a fair amount of "dust" that easily blows off with the turkey baster, similar to when it was cycling. I hope I didn't get the clowns too early, but the 'trates, 'trites, and ammo went through the cycle as I expected. Tonights reading are:

Ph 7.6
alk/buffer 240 ppm
Hardness 400 ppm (we have a well, not public water)
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 30 ppm
ammo 0

Anyway, does this sound right? Like I said, the fish seem fine, but the rock is still getting all fuzzy and producing this dust that just keeps coming off. The rock is just beautiful with all the coraline algea, and I'm worried about it flaking too much. BTW, I've got Seachem Reef builder and Calcium supplements on order and should be here any day now.

Any thoughts or sanity checks appreciated.
Thanks.

Matt

 

[reefrunner69]

Not sure how much "dust" your talking about but some detritus is expected to be generated by the rock and the hichikers on the rock.

 

[EBR]

Well, this is my first venture into SW and liverock, so I'm not sure what to measure against. Over a few days, and the first thing I didn't expect, is that most of the rock will grow a fuzziness everywhere, in addition to a general dusty look. I read somewhere that [during cycling] that it was important to keep it clean so as not to suffocate anything underneath.

But when gently hit with the turkey baster, a fairly significant cloud will blow off. In fact, many areas of the rock that were perfectly/completely covered with the purple coraline algea now has the underlying rock exposed -- almost as though the surface is breaking down.

Could I be using the turkey baster with too much force? Is the limestone underneath that brittle?

Matt