Sand Bed Question...see pic

mmarisca · 01/28/2015, 12:53 PM

My tank is about 2 months old....my sand bed is getting this reddish tint to it under the surface. See the attached pic. I haven't vacuumed it at all and have a cleanup crew that consists of snails and crabs. Any comments/concerns?

GilliganReef · 01/28/2015, 01:01 PM

Looks like a normal SB to me.

ryeguyy84 · 01/28/2015, 03:04 PM

I've always hated that. I don't know if you are supposed to but I have a little pole that i run along the glass a little bit at a time to keep it a little cleaner.

FraggledRock · 01/28/2015, 03:10 PM

Looks like cyano. rest assured it is only the visible glass surface as it needs like to grow. Deep sandbeds are ticking time bombs tho.. Nitrogen gases build up there.

morleyz · 01/28/2015, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FraggledRock

Looks like cyano. rest assured it is only the visible glass surface as it needs like to grow. Deep sandbeds are ticking time bombs tho.. Nitrogen gases build up there.

One of the points of a DSB is produce nitrogen gas, which is harmless by the way (you're currently breathing roughly 78% nitrogen). Not sure how that is a ticking time bomb.

The oft cited reason for toxic DSB is the build up of hydrogen sulfide, not nitrogen gas.

Maybe take a moment and read this http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2268433 or the many other threads about DSBs. They are about as hotly debated as anything in reef keeping and there are really no definitive answers, and anyone who says they are absolutely good or absolutely bad is just tooting their own horn.

Hopefully no one is running home to strip their aquarium of their sand bed right now.

davidfrances · 01/28/2015, 06:52 PM

Your tank is only 2 months old. What you are experiencing is part of the normal maturation of a sand bed. Unless I am mistaken, you do not have a "deep sand bed."

Don't worry about it. As your sanded increases bio-diversity, the cyano will gradually subside. If it really bothers you, stir it up, push it a back from the glass, clean your glass, and push it back. No big deal.

I stir portions of the sand beds on my 250G DT's at least once a week.

DragRacinGramps · 01/28/2015, 07:26 PM

Thank you for that "factual" response morleyz, there really does need to be a lot more like that here, especially for the newer folks.

rfgonzo · 01/28/2015, 11:12 PM

I will agree with morleyz, first of all what you have is completely normal, Second of all you do not have a DSB, third of all do you see the small little bubbles that are held up along the glass? That's a good thing which is the end of your nitrogen cycle. Everything about what you're seeing is normal.

mmarisca · 01/29/2015, 08:03 AM

Thanks for all the input...confirmed my suspicions but just wanted to make sure.

jrp1588 · 01/29/2015, 08:47 AM

You certainly don't have a deep sand bed, I'd call it a medium sand bed. It has many of the same issues DSB's can run into, yet without the benefits. If it were me, I'd remove an inch or so.

MondoBongo · 01/29/2015, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrp1588

You certainly don't have a deep sand bed, I'd call it a medium sand bed. It has many of the same issues DSB's can run into, yet without the benefits. If it were me, I'd remove an inch or so.

based on what exactly? what "issues" are you concerned about here?

this looks completely normal for a 2 month old sand bed to me. my sandbed went through a period of small bubbles and some algae looking stuff, which went away over time.

what benefit would "removing an inch or two" gain the OP?

Quote:

Originally Posted by morleyz

Hopefully no one is running home to strip their aquarium of their sand bed right now.

forget the tank, i'm trying to figure out how to strip all this nitrogen out of the air!

jrp1588 · 01/29/2015, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MondoBongo

based on what exactly? what "issues" are you concerned about here?

this looks completely normal for a 2 month old sand bed to me. my sandbed went through a period of small bubbles and some algae looking stuff, which went away over time.

what benefit would "removing an inch or two" gain the OP?

forget the tank, i'm trying to figure out how to strip all this nitrogen out of the air!

I've read is not recommended to go between a deep and shallow sand bed. As I said, you get the negative aspects of a DSB without many of the benefits.

MondoBongo · 01/29/2015, 12:01 PM

what negative aspects? where did you read it? sounds like dubiously vague advice to me.

FraggledRock · 01/29/2015, 12:04 PM

just leaving this here for extra reading

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2268433

jrp1588 · 01/29/2015, 12:11 PM

Well, the buildup of organic matter for one. However, since it's not deep enough to create a good environment for denitrifying bacteria, it just acts as a nitrate factory.

Here's a thread all about it.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...diate+sand+bed

Looks like beyond page 1, it got mired in DSB talk. I can't seem to find the article where I originally read this.

FraggledRock · 01/29/2015, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrp1588

Well, the buildup of organic matter for one. However, since it's not deep enough to create a good environment for denitrifying bacteria, it just acts as a nitrate factory.

Here's a thread all about it.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...diate+sand+bed

Looks like beyond page 1, it got mired in DSB talk. I can't seem to find the article where I originally read this.

It seems like DSB talk is a "follow the white rabbit further down the rabbit hole"

one link to another link to another link and then back here LOL

01/28/2015, 03:10 PM	#4
FraggledRock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New York, New York Posts: 2,185	Looks like cyano. rest assured it is only the visible glass surface as it needs like to grow. Deep sandbeds are ticking time bombs tho.. Nitrogen gases build up there. __________________ “For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.”― Jacques-Yves Cousteau MarineBio.org Current Tank Info: 40 Gallon Breeder w/ Bean Animal Overflow 20G Sump, Mixed Reef.

01/28/2015, 07:26 PM	#7
DragRacinGramps Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: S.E. MI Posts: 152	Thank you for that "factual" response morleyz, there really does need to be a lot more like that here, especially for the newer folks. __________________ 75g mixed, t5 4 bulb,eshopps 100h,gfo/carbon reactors,UV, 2-3" bed 16 head frogspawn,12 head hammer,trumpet,brain LPS,orange mushroom,kenya tree,finger leather,spaghetti leather,zoos,gsp,toadstool. Current Tank Info: 70 Gallon Freshwater planted, and a 75 gallon sumpless mixed reef

01/28/2015, 11:12 PM	#8
rfgonzo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,280	I will agree with morleyz, first of all what you have is completely normal, Second of all you do not have a DSB, third of all do you see the small little bubbles that are held up along the glass? That's a good thing which is the end of your nitrogen cycle. Everything about what you're seeing is normal. __________________ 210 gal reef, 75 gal Refuge with 55 Gal sump mixed reef 100 gal Reef, 75 gal Refuge with 55 gal sump. SPS/LPS & 100 gal Japanese Dragon Moray eel tank with 40 gal sump 75 gal Brazilian Dragon Mor

01/29/2015, 12:01 PM	#13
MondoBongo Obligate Feeder Obsessed Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,061	what negative aspects? where did you read it? sounds like dubiously vague advice to me. __________________ [Citation Needed] "You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right" - xkcd Current Tank Info: A rectangular shaped money pit.

01/29/2015, 12:04 PM	#14
FraggledRock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New York, New York Posts: 2,185	just leaving this here for extra reading http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2268433 __________________ “For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.”― Jacques-Yves Cousteau MarineBio.org Current Tank Info: 40 Gallon Breeder w/ Bean Animal Overflow 20G Sump, Mixed Reef.

01/28/2015, 01:01 PM	#2
GilliganReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 379	Looks like a normal SB to me.

01/28/2015, 03:04 PM	#3
ryeguyy84 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,753	I've always hated that. I don't know if you are supposed to but I have a little pole that i run along the glass a little bit at a time to keep it a little cleaner.

01/28/2015, 06:52 PM	#6
davidfrances Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Parkville, MO Posts: 666	Your tank is only 2 months old. What you are experiencing is part of the normal maturation of a sand bed. Unless I am mistaken, you do not have a "deep sand bed." Don't worry about it. As your sanded increases bio-diversity, the cyano will gradually subside. If it really bothers you, stir it up, push it a back from the glass, clean your glass, and push it back. No big deal. I stir portions of the sand beds on my 250G DT's at least once a week.

01/29/2015, 08:03 AM	#9
mmarisca Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 97	Thanks for all the input...confirmed my suspicions but just wanted to make sure.

01/29/2015, 08:47 AM	#10
jrp1588 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 1,864	You certainly don't have a deep sand bed, I'd call it a medium sand bed. It has many of the same issues DSB's can run into, yet without the benefits. If it were me, I'd remove an inch or so.

01/29/2015, 12:11 PM	#15
jrp1588 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 1,864	Well, the buildup of organic matter for one. However, since it's not deep enough to create a good environment for denitrifying bacteria, it just acts as a nitrate factory. Here's a thread all about it. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...diate+sand+bed Looks like beyond page 1, it got mired in DSB talk. I can't seem to find the article where I originally read this. Last edited by jrp1588; 01/29/2015 at 12:48 PM.