Help,what is this and how to eliminate!?

[Jlabonte]

The black stringy stuff coming from sand

 

[Jlabonte]

Here is another photograph

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I don't know, but if someone could help, I 'd appreciate it to. I had the same thing. I believe it's algae, but I'm not 100% sure. How old is your tank?

 

[MINItron]

That is Cyanobacteria. It is a symptom of excess nutrients or poor water flow. The remedy is manual removal coupled with improving you water quality. Could also be an indicator that the lights are aging and need to be changed.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I don't think so, at least in my case. There's ton's of water flow and the water quality is good.

 

[MINItron]

How old is your tank? Over time the aragonite sand can become saturated with phosphate. The cyano will grow in the places with the lowest water flow over the sand bed. Even if you think you have good water parameters the cyano NEEDS two things to grow, nutrients and moderate to low water flow.

You can help battle this by vacuuming the mats up as soon as they form, and even leaving you lights off for 3 days. Make sure that you are filtering well during this. The cyano can release a lot of crud in you tank if it does off.

As I said before it is not uncommon for this problem to worsen as your lights age, and approach 6-8 months when they need to bee replaced as well.

 

[Jlabonte]

My tank is only 5 months old and the lights are bee within the month... It may be from low flow I will point my power head at te gravel

 

[Jlabonte]

Is there a predator to this type of Algea?

 

[obscurereef]

Yeah it's cyano. It's a bacteria that uses phosphates to grow. Phosphates can come from your water source (if TDS reading is high, you'll know that's your problem). What type of water are you using and have you tested the TDS? If it's tap you'll want to use RO or RO/DI water instead. Phosphate can also come from food, so cut down on food if you're overfeeding. I've gotten cyano when my tank was new and when it was established. Goes back and forth if you don't keep it under control. For a quick fix you can get GFO in a bag or a more efficient way--phosban reactor. Unfortunately there's not a well known animal that eats it.

 

[MINItron]

Some snails will eat it, but not really well. Nassarius snails are helpful because the keep the sand turned and don't allow waste to accumulate in the sand. In fact, you won't see them on the surface unless there is something to eat. Most of the time all you see are their little siphons sticking out.

Sand sifting stars aren't much help because they eat so much you need either a very dirty tank or a huge sand bed. Sand sifting fish are much the same. Eventually the starve once there is nothing left to eat in your tank.