sand bed crap

brucebowers18 · 04/14/2012, 05:52 PM

can someone tell me what this is on my sand bed and how to get rid of it?

thank you
Brucesand bed 001.jpg

sand bed 003.jpg

sand bed 002.jpg

RN....... · 04/14/2012, 05:59 PM

Looks like diatoms, how old is the tank?

nlgill13 · 04/14/2012, 06:01 PM

Welcome to ReefCentral

It looks like either a diatom bloom (which will go away on its own), or a cayno outbreak (is it stringy?).

ReeferYork · 04/14/2012, 06:06 PM

I would say Cyanobacteria, at least from my experience it looked very much the same in my tank.

There was a write up about Cyano and a 3-day lights out in another thread that basically entails physically removing what you can (turkey baster or the like) then keeping all forms of light out of the tank for 36 hours.

I did this method and while it still makes a rare appearance every now and again, its easily cleaned out.

brucebowers18 · 04/14/2012, 09:43 PM

tank has been up about 5 years. I dont think its cyano, as I have had that before, and this is a different color. so perhaps "diatoms"? how dod I get rid of that? thanks a bunch!!

can it be caused by increased water temp? over feeding? or what might have caused it in first place?

Bruce

nlgill13 · 04/14/2012, 09:54 PM

Diatoms usually occur in new tanks that are going through the initial cycle.

Maybe dynoflagellates?

skidoctor · 04/14/2012, 10:06 PM

What kind of water are you using. RO/DI and lights of for a few days. Its from silicates in tap water.

brucebowers18 · 04/15/2012, 05:51 PM

using Ro/DI water.........well, I am pretty sure it is my tank guy delivers it.

Lighting = 2 x 400 watt halides on ends, 1 250 watt halide in center, with 2 x 6ft blue actinics.........actually only 1 of the 400 watts is working, ballast has been at Coralvue for SEVEN MONTHS for repair, nice huh..

the stuff on sand bed is under the one working 400 watt..........should I turn that 400 off?

brucebowers18 · 04/15/2012, 05:55 PM

actually, in looking at some images of the diatoms algae, it looks like that I think...........so turning lights off takes care of that? I have all kinds of algae issues it seems however, from cyano to these...........gets frustrating........

brucebowers18 · 04/15/2012, 06:19 PM

so I went in to the tank and tried to pull some of it out. its not stringy, however, its like a layer on top of the sand bed, it can be sucked up with a turkey baster.........however, when I did this is kind of speard it around...

thanks everyone

sucker_fish · 04/15/2012, 06:59 PM

looks like diatom bloom to me, they can commonly occur in established tanks if new equipment such as pumps, powerheads, etc. are added. they should go away on their own.

nlgill13 · 04/15/2012, 07:01 PM

It will not hurt your system to try the 3 days of lights out...Good luck

brucebowers18 · 04/16/2012, 12:20 PM

thanks everyone........halides are out............

hopefully this works, I will also mix in some water changes to see if that assist............

04/14/2012, 05:52 PM	#1
brucebowers18 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: nampa, Idaho Posts: 28	sand bed crap can someone tell me what this is on my sand bed and how to get rid of it? thank you Brucesand bed 001.jpg sand bed 003.jpg sand bed 002.jpg

04/14/2012, 06:06 PM	#4
ReeferYork Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: McHenry, IL Posts: 77	I would say Cyanobacteria, at least from my experience it looked very much the same in my tank. There was a write up about Cyano and a 3-day lights out in another thread that basically entails physically removing what you can (turkey baster or the like) then keeping all forms of light out of the tank for 36 hours. I did this method and while it still makes a rare appearance every now and again, its easily cleaned out. __________________ Christopher 34G Cadlights Mini-II, 6x24w T5HO, 2x MP10wES, Cadlights PLS-50, Tunze Nano ATO, Cobalt Neo-Therm Heater.

04/14/2012, 09:43 PM	#5
brucebowers18 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: nampa, Idaho Posts: 28	sand bed tank has been up about 5 years. I dont think its cyano, as I have had that before, and this is a different color. so perhaps "diatoms"? how dod I get rid of that? thanks a bunch!! can it be caused by increased water temp? over feeding? or what might have caused it in first place? Bruce

04/15/2012, 05:51 PM	#8
brucebowers18 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: nampa, Idaho Posts: 28	sand bed crap using Ro/DI water.........well, I am pretty sure it is my tank guy delivers it. Lighting = 2 x 400 watt halides on ends, 1 250 watt halide in center, with 2 x 6ft blue actinics.........actually only 1 of the 400 watts is working, ballast has been at Coralvue for SEVEN MONTHS for repair, nice huh.. the stuff on sand bed is under the one working 400 watt..........should I turn that 400 off?

04/15/2012, 05:55 PM	#9
brucebowers18 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: nampa, Idaho Posts: 28	sand bed crap actually, in looking at some images of the diatoms algae, it looks like that I think...........so turning lights off takes care of that? I have all kinds of algae issues it seems however, from cyano to these...........gets frustrating........

04/14/2012, 05:59 PM	#2
RN....... Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 29	Looks like diatoms, how old is the tank?

04/14/2012, 06:01 PM	#3
nlgill13 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Boulder,CO Posts: 1,291	Welcome to ReefCentral It looks like either a diatom bloom (which will go away on its own), or a cayno outbreak (is it stringy?).

04/14/2012, 09:54 PM	#6
nlgill13 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Boulder,CO Posts: 1,291	Diatoms usually occur in new tanks that are going through the initial cycle. Maybe dynoflagellates?

04/14/2012, 10:06 PM	#7
skidoctor Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Geneva, NY Posts: 542	What kind of water are you using. RO/DI and lights of for a few days. Its from silicates in tap water.

04/15/2012, 06:19 PM	#10
brucebowers18 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: nampa, Idaho Posts: 28	sand bed crap so I went in to the tank and tried to pull some of it out. its not stringy, however, its like a layer on top of the sand bed, it can be sucked up with a turkey baster.........however, when I did this is kind of speard it around... thanks everyone

04/15/2012, 06:59 PM	#11
sucker_fish Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Covington, TN Posts: 441	looks like diatom bloom to me, they can commonly occur in established tanks if new equipment such as pumps, powerheads, etc. are added. they should go away on their own. __________________ <------- Have you ever seen tortoises playing leapfrog? Current Tank Info: 40 B w/ T5's and tunze 9002 skimmer. no sump. 90 gal. mixed reef, 36"x16"x16" sump/fuge, reef octopus xp2000 skimmer, water blaster hy5000 return.

04/15/2012, 07:01 PM	#12
nlgill13 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Boulder,CO Posts: 1,291	It will not hurt your system to try the 3 days of lights out...Good luck

04/16/2012, 12:20 PM	#13
brucebowers18 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: nampa, Idaho Posts: 28	sand bed crap thanks everyone........halides are out............ hopefully this works, I will also mix in some water changes to see if that assist............