Light red color on my sand, help!

kdblove_99 · 12/10/2006, 11:25 PM

About 1 week ago i noticed this light red color on my sand well i did s water change. But it came back within a few days.

My tank has been up and running since February.

Any ideas on what this is and what i can do to get rid of it?

Unarce · 12/10/2006, 11:28 PM

It's likely cyanobacteria, also known as red slime algae. It thrives in tanks with high nutrients and phosphates. Usually in low flow areas of the tank.

Address the parameter issues in your tank and siphon out the slime as often as you can. This is the best way to deal with it before resorting to a chemical solution. Chemi-clean does seem to be a safe product if you're looking for a quick-fix.

HTH

Nu2SW · 12/11/2006, 12:06 AM

How big is your tank, Depending on how big it is. I got some chemi-cleen you can have. Another reefer gave it to me. My fight is over, at least for the time being.

Let me know, I can bring it on friday. Just remind me on thursday

kdblove_99 · 12/11/2006, 12:24 AM

Edwin,

I have a 180 gallon and won't be at the meeting on friday.

I have a christmas party through work i have to attend. But, Thank you for your offer

dots · 12/11/2006, 12:28 AM

I agree with Unarce 100% on this. The chemi-clean may work to clean up the cyano if you have already addressed the problem. I have found the major contributer to be lack of flow. FWIW, I used chemiclean before and from my experience is not effective 100% of the time.

It is still my theory that as your tank matures you will encounter more and more diverse growths of algae.....If your params and tank are up to snuff, you will pass through these "levels" as your tank matures....if not, ie not enough flow or too many nutrients you will have an outbreak, as in this case cyano. If you don't fix it, it will return.

kdblove_99 · 12/11/2006, 12:34 AM

I cant imagine not having enough flow. I have 2, MJ900 maximods and 3 maxijets 1200's 1 maxijet 600 and a pengium 1140 and also my return.

I thought i had them positioned well. but maybe i should aim some towards where the red is in the sand?

kdblove_99 · 12/11/2006, 12:34 AM

BY the way, thanks for all the responses!

Nu2SW · 12/11/2006, 07:31 AM

Ive increased the flow and it made mine worse, So from my experience, increasing the flow didnt help. Ive had the issue twice and both times chemi-clean worked.

robertloop · 12/11/2006, 09:50 PM

Hey guys... I have some of that in my tank. I can honestly not remember when I did not. It comes and goes with the flow of water chemistry. Unless you have very low flow, it really cant take over. Just get some sand sifter marine life and take some measures at lowering phosphates. The only time I had to resort to chemical treatment was years ago in a tank that had very low flow. I used tetracycline using a method that cannot recommend. ALothough I now have chemiclean that I've never used. If I ever MUST, I will use the chemi. You might just wait and see where this goes. Maybe throw some phosguard in the sump. (what I do)

pepe.king.prawn · 12/12/2006, 12:03 AM

It MAY NOT be cyanobacteria from what you have described. I would recommend that you look up some pictures of cyano as a comparison. If it's a rusty red color that's quite light, it could be a diatom problem. Diatoms thrive on silicates, so I would recommend that you try aluminum oxide based phosphate removers (like phosguard, if I recall correctly.. any that are white beads), which will also trap silicates. Hope this helps. Good luck. Oh also, in either case increased flow in your display will likely help.

kdblove_99 · 12/18/2006, 11:07 PM

Its defiently Cyano.

Those who use Chemi clean. you just turn off your skimmer and UV?

Also did you wait the 48 hrs before yuou did the water change or did you do it sooner?

pepe.king.prawn · 12/18/2006, 11:39 PM

just follow the directions. Definite turn off skimmer, uv and remove carbon. wait the 48hrs then add carbon. you can change water, but carbon will be sufficient to remove the antibiotic.

MrMikeB · 12/19/2006, 02:10 AM

I am always a fan of trying to understand the problem first and how it came to be before rushing to fix it. Getting rid of it ASAP is good for now, but it will do little towards understanding why it got there in the first place - and you may very well be in the same spot in a couple of months, and maybe cause other problems to pop up. Kind of like getting the snake to eat the field mice who are eating the corn, and now the snakes are out of control but we got corn!

Typically this stuff needs the simple ingredients of life - light in the right spectrum, phosphates, nitrates and CO2. Have you checked any of these to see if they are out of balance? Do you use an RO/DI unit for the water? Are the lights on too much? Any dead spots where CO2 pockets could be building up? I have also heard that the consistent use of kalkwasser causes the the phosphates in the water to precipitate and collect along the LR and substrate and effectively not being filtered out of the system.

Just another perspective...

12/10/2006, 11:25 PM	#1
kdblove_99 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Frederick,CO Posts: 8,683	Light red color on my sand, help! About 1 week ago i noticed this light red color on my sand well i did s water change. But it came back within a few days. My tank has been up and running since February. Any ideas on what this is and what i can do to get rid of it?

12/10/2006, 11:28 PM	#2
Unarce Unshackled Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Rocklin, CA Posts: 4,941	It's likely cyanobacteria, also known as red slime algae. It thrives in tanks with high nutrients and phosphates. Usually in low flow areas of the tank. Address the parameter issues in your tank and siphon out the slime as often as you can. This is the best way to deal with it before resorting to a chemical solution. Chemi-clean does seem to be a safe product if you're looking for a quick-fix. HTH __________________ ¡pɹɐɥ os noʎ ǝlppnɔ plnoʍ I Current Tank Info: starting to get that itch again

12/11/2006, 12:06 AM	#3
Nu2SW Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Arden Fair Posts: 1,772	How big is your tank, Depending on how big it is. I got some chemi-cleen you can have. Another reefer gave it to me. My fight is over, at least for the time being. Let me know, I can bring it on friday. Just remind me on thursday __________________ _____________________________ Its Only $100 Dollars dear.... ______________________________ Current Tank Info: Looking to get back in

12/11/2006, 12:28 AM	#5
dots Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 6,258	I agree with Unarce 100% on this. The chemi-clean may work to clean up the cyano if you have already addressed the problem. I have found the major contributer to be lack of flow. FWIW, I used chemiclean before and from my experience is not effective 100% of the time. It is still my theory that as your tank matures you will encounter more and more diverse growths of algae.....If your params and tank are up to snuff, you will pass through these "levels" as your tank matures....if not, ie not enough flow or too many nutrients you will have an outbreak, as in this case cyano. If you don't fix it, it will return. __________________ ~Doug

12/11/2006, 07:31 AM	#8
Nu2SW Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Arden Fair Posts: 1,772	Ive increased the flow and it made mine worse, So from my experience, increasing the flow didnt help. Ive had the issue twice and both times chemi-clean worked. __________________ _____________________________ Its Only $100 Dollars dear.... ______________________________ Current Tank Info: Looking to get back in

12/11/2006, 12:24 AM	#4
kdblove_99 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Frederick,CO Posts: 8,683	Edwin, I have a 180 gallon and won't be at the meeting on friday. I have a christmas party through work i have to attend. But, Thank you for your offer

12/11/2006, 12:34 AM	#6
kdblove_99 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Frederick,CO Posts: 8,683	I cant imagine not having enough flow. I have 2, MJ900 maximods and 3 maxijets 1200's 1 maxijet 600 and a pengium 1140 and also my return. I thought i had them positioned well. but maybe i should aim some towards where the red is in the sand?

12/11/2006, 09:50 PM	#9
robertloop Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Orangevale, CA Posts: 868	Hey guys... I have some of that in my tank. I can honestly not remember when I did not. It comes and goes with the flow of water chemistry. Unless you have very low flow, it really cant take over. Just get some sand sifter marine life and take some measures at lowering phosphates. The only time I had to resort to chemical treatment was years ago in a tank that had very low flow. I used tetracycline using a method that cannot recommend. ALothough I now have chemiclean that I've never used. If I ever MUST, I will use the chemi. You might just wait and see where this goes. Maybe throw some phosguard in the sump. (what I do)

12/12/2006, 12:03 AM	#10
pepe.king.prawn Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: east bay CA / UC Davis Posts: 778	It MAY NOT be cyanobacteria from what you have described. I would recommend that you look up some pictures of cyano as a comparison. If it's a rusty red color that's quite light, it could be a diatom problem. Diatoms thrive on silicates, so I would recommend that you try aluminum oxide based phosphate removers (like phosguard, if I recall correctly.. any that are white beads), which will also trap silicates. Hope this helps. Good luck. Oh also, in either case increased flow in your display will likely help. __________________ -Tristan Current Tank Info: 180gal live rock tank (no fish, no corals.. just live rock)

12/18/2006, 11:07 PM	#11
kdblove_99 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Frederick,CO Posts: 8,683	Its defiently Cyano. Those who use Chemi clean. you just turn off your skimmer and UV? Also did you wait the 48 hrs before yuou did the water change or did you do it sooner?

12/18/2006, 11:39 PM	#12
pepe.king.prawn Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: east bay CA / UC Davis Posts: 778	just follow the directions. Definite turn off skimmer, uv and remove carbon. wait the 48hrs then add carbon. you can change water, but carbon will be sufficient to remove the antibiotic. __________________ -Tristan Current Tank Info: 180gal live rock tank (no fish, no corals.. just live rock)

12/19/2006, 02:10 AM	#13
MrMikeB Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Fair Oaks, CA. Posts: 1,793	I am always a fan of trying to understand the problem first and how it came to be before rushing to fix it. Getting rid of it ASAP is good for now, but it will do little towards understanding why it got there in the first place - and you may very well be in the same spot in a couple of months, and maybe cause other problems to pop up. Kind of like getting the snake to eat the field mice who are eating the corn, and now the snakes are out of control but we got corn! Typically this stuff needs the simple ingredients of life - light in the right spectrum, phosphates, nitrates and CO2. Have you checked any of these to see if they are out of balance? Do you use an RO/DI unit for the water? Are the lights on too much? Any dead spots where CO2 pockets could be building up? I have also heard that the consistent use of kalkwasser causes the the phosphates in the water to precipitate and collect along the LR and substrate and effectively not being filtered out of the system. Just another perspective... __________________ - Viva el Swap! Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef; 80g Ricordia/zoa tank; 115g SPS; soon - 2,000g megaplex!