whats on my sand?

[paul87]

I was thinking it was cyano but its brownish and I haven't seen any gas bubbles trapped in it. I've had the red slime cyanobacteria outbreaks before but it was always red. Any ideas? Maybe an algae of some sort? Eitherway I don't like it!

 

[Mrc8858]

Sounds like diatoms.

 

[paul87]

I forgot to post pics sorry.

 

[apet66]

Definitely diatomes. They will go away. It's a normal process of a new tank.

 

[paul87]

Anyway to help get rid? Stir the top of the sand or vacuum with baster? Or could it be to much nutrient from feeding? I feed my tank twice a week. I use fuel, coral frenzy, frozen prawn roe, and frozen squid.

 

[tanner1990]

I would just leave it

Do u have cuc

 

[paul87]

Yea I haveca good CUC which was recently expanded.

 

[apet66]

How long has your tank been running? If you try to suck it off the sand, you will take sand with it. What does your cuc consist of?

 

[Crystal A]

Leave it be as ugly as it is. They will go away I once all the silicates have been consumed. Just a natural part of a tank establishing itself.

 

[paul87]

Its been running almost half a year but I put everything from my 1 year old 35 gallon into it. Water, sand, rock, coral and livestock. I'm just gonna leave it be for now.

 

[paul87]

My CUC consist of a lot of snails including trochus, nerite, nassaris, magarite, cerith, and 1 Turbo snail. I also have a cleaner shrimp and blue leg hermits. Plenty of pods and 1 emerald crab in the fuge. I've also seen bristle worms in my DT.

 

[paul87]

I did recently add some dry clean pieces of lace rock to my tank. Could this cause it maybe?

 

[Tlro]

I did recently add some dry clean pieces of lace rock to my tank. Could this cause it maybe?

I experienced the same thing when I added a bit of new dry rock to my established tank. When away after about 2 weeks. :}

 

[apet66]

I did recently add some dry clean pieces of lace rock to my tank. Could this cause it maybe?

Yes, there could've been silicates in the rock and that's whats fueling the diatomes. Just wait it out.

 

[paul87]

OK thanks