Buildup on gravel

[breannabigelli]

Hey everyone! I was wondering if anyone could help me understand why I’m having such bad buildup on my gravel and how I can fix it?! (The pic is just one small corner of my tank btw) I never had this issue when my tank first was up and running (it’s been running for about 5 months now) and now I’m having green & purple buildup all over the gravel like it’s COATED in it and all over my live rock as well (not all of it but some of it) and even on the walls of my tank. This picture was taken literally a few days after I did a water change and full on clean of my gravel and walls of my tank. It builds up so quick!! To give you a quick overview it’s a 40 gallon tank with 8 fish (6 clowns & 2 blue damsels) I have a couple hermits I did have a bottom feeder but he unfortunately died a while ago. I just have a marine land bio wheel filter for it which has been working fine (that I can see) but the guy did say I may have to change it eventually he wasn’t sure if it would be compatible with saltwater so maybe that has something to do with it?!
Any help is greatly appreciated I’m not sure what to do!! Thanks so much! [emoji3590]

 

[AquaticMan26]

Hello!
So that red stuff you have there is called cyanobacteria and you can get it for a number of reasons including too many nitrates. If you’re okay with treating the tank then I’d suggest using a product called Chemi-Clean as it will clear that up pretty well and pretty quickly. That being said, you’re going to need to find out why it’s happening to truly get rid of it for good. I would do some research on causes and see what you can do to fix it.

 

[breannabigelli]

Hello!
So that red stuff you have there is called cyanobacteria and you can get it for a number of reasons including too many nitrates. If you’re okay with treating the tank then I’d suggest using a product called Chemi-Clean as it will clear that up pretty well and pretty quickly. That being said, you’re going to need to find out why it’s happening to truly get rid of it for good. I would do some research on causes and see what you can do to fix it.

Hey! Thanks so much for your response! I’m happy to know what it is because it seemed odd to me. I have added a photo of my water readings the NO3 does look fairly pink which last time I tested it it wasn’t that high. I have added some live rock to the tank recently and did a water change because of it maybe that’s what’s causing the nitrate to spike? I will definitely order some of the chemi clean to help clear it up thanks so much for that suggestion!

 

[bribo12]

Do you have a better test kit? Strips can be notoriously inaccurate. Cyano usually forms due to low flow, as well as due to having elevated nutrients. Do you have power heads? Are you using rodi or tap water? It can also be one of the ugly stages as your tank cycles but if it is everywhere I’d probably pin it to one of the reasons I listed above. 8 smaller fish in a 40 isn’t a huge bioload for a 40 depending on the clown/damsel species but at 5 months it could be a lot. Idk what you meant by “bottom feeder” as well but in sw there is no such thing.

On another note 6 clowns will never work in your system. You’ll eventually get a pair and they will most likely kill the others.

 

[breannabigelli]

Do you have a better test kit? Strips can be notoriously inaccurate. Cyano usually forms due to low flow, as well as due to having elevated nutrients. Do you have power heads? Are you using rodi or tap water? It can also be one of the ugly stages as your tank cycles but if it is everywhere I’d probably pin it to one of the reasons I listed above. 8 smaller fish in a 40 isn’t a huge bioload for a 40 depending on the clown/damsel species but at 5 months it could be a lot. Idk what you meant by “bottom feeder” as well but in sw there is no such thing.

On another note 6 clowns will never work in your system. You’ll eventually get a pair and they will most likely kill the others.

Hey thanks for your reply! I don’t I’ve been meaning to get a better test kit but only have the strips for now! I don’t have any power heads I just have the bio wheel that creates a flow and a little bubbler. I use reverse osmosis water that’s what they told me to use cuz they said tap water wasn’t good. Oh that’s funny idk I’m from Toronto that’s a term we use here for like little bottom surfing fish that stay at the bottom of the tank and eat stuff in the gravel. Like hermits and stuff too would be considered bottom feeders. I don’t remember the name of the guy I had he was absolutely gorgeous I loved him I was so upset when he died but he would just graze the gravel and mind his own biz! He was the best!
That’s funny you mentioned the clown thing too other people on this page have told me the same! I’ve been having issues with them fighting a lot I have a divider in there right now because one guy was getting bullied really bad. I am planning on returning a few back to the store the guys at the store told me to get 2 sets of 3 so they can form their own little groups but clearly they are dumb lol
I would be so upset if one of them got killed so I really need to do something about it !
thanks again for your advice, I really appreciate it!

 

[Sniperhank]

Though cyanobacteria is the result of excess nitrates and phosphates in our water columns, it appears that there is no powerhead in this system to move water around. This will be necessary for CO exchange, but also removes the low flow areas that cyanobacteria thrives in.

This is a setup in the early stages of life. There is going to be algae and cyano. Make sure you have 1 lbs of live rock and sand for your nitrate cycle. Use ro/di water and do weekly 10% water changes. You'll do just fine.

 

[bribo12]

Ah gotcha on the bottom feeder! I just know fw people always call plecos and catfish and such bottom feeders and imo sw fish usually are more complex in the roles they fill in the aquarium.

Yeah sounds like your lfs kinda took advantage here. I wouldn’t take their advice anymore. I’d definitely add a powerhead, you don’t have to get anything crazy just something that will move water. Maxi jets are pretty cheap and do the job. As far as the hang on back filter does it have one of those bio wheels? What kind of media are you using in it? You can run like chemipure elite or Blue in the filter. Puritan is good as well it just needs to be recharged once it is used up.

 

[breannabigelli]

Ah gotcha on the bottom feeder! I just know fw people always call plecos and catfish and such bottom feeders and imo sw fish usually are more complex in the roles they fill in the aquarium.

Yeah sounds like your lfs kinda took advantage here. I wouldn’t take their advice anymore. I’d definitely add a powerhead, you don’t have to get anything crazy just something that will move water. Maxi jets are pretty cheap and do the job. As far as the hang on back filter does it have one of those bio wheels? What kind of media are you using in it? You can run like chemipure elite or Blue in the filter. Puritan is good as well it just needs to be recharged once it is used up.

Thanks so much for your advice! Yea clearly they are dumb! I really appreciate your guys advice on here because it makes way more sense! I wanna return some of my clowns to them but im scared because I don’t wanna talk to them [emoji23]because they will probably just tell me to keep them! I have added a powerhead it’s only for a 10 gallon I think though so I should probably upgrade it so they get more flow! Yes it does have a bio wheel I have added a photo of the filter without the cover. I just buy the replacement cartridges that you have to rinse and replace them every so often. I just feel like it doesn’t do it’s job cuz honestly the filter is like barely ever dirty and for a tank this big with so many fish I expected it to get dirtier. My previous tank was a fresh water and was only like 5 gallons and I was replacing the filter all the time, this tank the filter always is pretty clean?! Just seems off!

 

[breannabigelli]

Though cyanobacteria is the result of excess nitrates and phosphates in our water columns, it appears that there is no powerhead in this system to move water around. This will be necessary for CO exchange, but also removes the low flow areas that cyanobacteria thrives in.

This is a setup in the early stages of life. There is going to be algae and cyano. Make sure you have 1 lbs of live rock and sand for your nitrate cycle. Use ro/di water and do weekly 10% water changes. You'll do just fine.

Thanks so much for your advice! I have added a powerhead but I’m gonna buy another stronger one because it’s only for a 10 gal I believe. It totally makes sense I didn’t have any flow besides the filter flow which I guess I just assumed was enough [emoji2362]I am adding the rest of my live rock in a few days and I’ll get some flow going and hopefully we will be good! would you recommend like one strong power head or a few smaller ones?

 

[Sniperhank]

You want to run a reef tank from 10-50x turnover of the water column. It's best to have a couple, as that helps reduce dead spots.

 

[bribo12]

I’d add another stronger one on the opposite side of the tank then the one you have now. The jebao powerheads are affordable and work well. Only issue is their customer service is bad if the pump quits on you which they can be known for. How much would you be looking to spend and is it gonna only stay as a fowlr system? Or corals?

 

[Gouramiboy9142]

Water changes and water movement/powerheads are a big help in removing cyano. Also, if you have the room for one, conches are usually pretty adamant cyano-grazers, though they do require sand beds. My sand tiger conch went to town on and got rid of a bunch of green cyano that was in my aquarium earlier in the spring.


- Diego

 

[Chris A.]

It’s cyanobacteria by the looks of it. It is an indication or very low oxygen. Dangerously low in your case. You probably have a source of microbial hydrogen sulphide occurring in any place where water can be trapped away from the main water column and becomes anoxic. Microbes inhabit it and begin anaerobic metabolism that creating a deadly gas, hydrogen sulphide. Look for place in the system where water can be trapped in pipework and not able to access the dissolved oxygen in the main system. Culprits are usually pipework, auto top ups, dead pumps that are left in, ball valves and dead ends in pipework. Crack all ball valves. I'd think your system has crashed. Are there any fish alive? I’ve kept marines for over 40 years and never seen such a bloom of cyanobacteria if that is what it is. Difficult the tell with the limited photograph. If you’ve used pipework to support rockwork, if that is filled with water, then Bob’s your uncle.