Bubbles on/in sand - DSB at work?

[Scoot]

Just upgraded to a more "full" dsb last week - 4" to 5" throughout, 6" in some places, by adding a couple inches of sugar-fine sand. (although I wish I had a layer of courser sand over that).

After about 5 days, I'm seeing tons of bubbles on certain parts of the substrate. I've always seen a few through the glass, but this is a big increase. Once in awhile, a bubble or two will break loose and float lazily to the surface.

These bubbles are suddenly showing up in various patches throughout the substrate.

Is this denitrification at work? (I really, really hope so!)

 

[roka64]

I'm seeing tons of bubbles on certain parts of the substrate. I've always seen a few through the glass, but this is a big increase. Once in awhile, a bubble or two will break loose and float lazily to the surface.

I could be wrong, but that looks kind of like cyano......You might want to rearrange your phs, to get it moving on those areas.

 

[Scoot]

I don't think so - I've got cyano in other spots, this ain't it. Plus, the bubbles break free easily. Bubbles in Cyano seem more "stuck." The greenish behind the bubbles is fresh blenny poop

Plus, there are million of tiny bubbles in the sand below, visible through the glass, that weren't there a few days ago.

I AM going through some cyano issues though, I lost my main return pump a few weeks ago, picking up new one tomorrow. I had to use one of my powerheads as a temporary return pump.

 

[roka64]

I'm actually going through the same thing. That stuff only grows on the substrate, right? I think mine is happening because my lights are almost/or a little over 6 months old (T5-Nova extreme). Do you have any lighter colored hair algea growing (almost the same tint)? I also had a little patch of the red cyano in a dead spot. I'm really curious, since it is happening in my tank.

 

[Scoot]

I do have some fuzz over sone LR - mostly the acropora skeletons.

I'm thinking not cyano (regarding the bubbles) though because, at least along the glass, these are really popping up where there are lots of bubbles in the top 2" of substrate. Of course I can't tell about bubbles under the substrate further back in the tank.

These just don't look like the slimy bubbles I see with cyano in my fuge.

 

[roka64]

Hmmm. Maybe I should get a pic of mine and we can compare notes! I'll see if I can snap a shot tonight.

 

[melosu58]

I believe once you get your circulation going back in that area you`ll be OK. It could also be some trapped air from adding the sand that is making it to the surface.

 

[Scoot]

So this isn't indicative of denitrification?

 

[melosu58]

It could be. Kind of hard to tell from the pic.