Brown pellets on sand identification

Mr. Wiggles · 03/23/2018, 07:20 PM

Hi all. My tank has been doing well but I've been noticing these brown pellets on my sand. They appear to be adhered to the sand grains and have a swirl look to them under the microscope. Any ideas what it is or how I can keep my sand bed whiter?

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nikon187 · 03/23/2018, 07:53 PM

diatoms and flatworms?

Mr. Wiggles · 03/23/2018, 07:57 PM

I think too big for diatoms, these are macroscopic, circular and seemingly hard and calcified. I can vac the and bed but then over a day or two this stuff popps back. I have some on the glass and frag plugs as well.

Mr. Wiggles · 03/25/2018, 05:56 AM

Any other ideas out there?

AlSimmons · 03/25/2018, 10:18 AM

Spirorbid worms perhaps? Why they're showing up in abundance on the sand bed is beyond me though. The rocks, glass, powerheads etc is more their style when it comes down to colonizing an area.

CanhMan · 03/25/2018, 10:33 AM

Following this thread...the microscopic pictures are cool.
I have the same issue which recently started after I refreshed and increased the amount of GFO. Is it possible to put in too much? Got some of this brown film on my fuge bed as well. Will try to adjust the flow and see if that helps.

Mr. Wiggles · 03/25/2018, 03:40 PM

Hmm...I've seen those worms elsewhere in the tank. I'll see if I can get some better pictures. These brown things almost look like a barnacle of some sort.

03/23/2018, 07:20 PM	#1
Mr. Wiggles Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Posts: 197	Brown pellets on sand identification Hi all. My tank has been doing well but I've been noticing these brown pellets on my sand. They appear to be adhered to the sand grains and have a swirl look to them under the microscope. Any ideas what it is or how I can keep my sand bed whiter? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/23/2018, 07:53 PM	#2
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	diatoms and flatworms? __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

03/23/2018, 07:57 PM	#3
Mr. Wiggles Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Posts: 197	I think too big for diatoms, these are macroscopic, circular and seemingly hard and calcified. I can vac the and bed but then over a day or two this stuff popps back. I have some on the glass and frag plugs as well.

03/25/2018, 05:56 AM	#4
Mr. Wiggles Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Posts: 197	Any other ideas out there?

03/25/2018, 10:18 AM	#5
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	Spirorbid worms perhaps? Why they're showing up in abundance on the sand bed is beyond me though. The rocks, glass, powerheads etc is more their style when it comes down to colonizing an area.

03/25/2018, 10:33 AM	#6
CanhMan Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 76	Following this thread...the microscopic pictures are cool. I have the same issue which recently started after I refreshed and increased the amount of GFO. Is it possible to put in too much? Got some of this brown film on my fuge bed as well. Will try to adjust the flow and see if that helps.

03/25/2018, 03:40 PM	#7
Mr. Wiggles Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Posts: 197	Hmm...I've seen those worms elsewhere in the tank. I'll see if I can get some better pictures. These brown things almost look like a barnacle of some sort.