help on my sandbed

[sinner]

hi guys recently my tank bloomed with purplish red stuff on my sand they are of huge sizes and are "flim" on my sand bed which is very ugly... i've added seachem's phosguard and carbon for 3weeks but to no avail... my questions are as follow:

1. will coraline grow on sandbed?

2. if it's not coraline then is it diatoms?

i've also changed my timing for my lights from 2PM to 8PM daily (usual 12pm to 8pm) feeding of pellets once every 2days and DT dose once every 2days... addictives twice a week (mon and fri) have also not introduce any life stock or coral recently except for on tiny purple headed coral banded shrimp....

what other factors should i take into consideration?

[alanseah]

it's cant be diatoms for sure... coraline on sand never heard of...

got photo of it..???

[Terryz_]

Cyano huh... Diatom is brown rite???

[sinner]

unfortunately not at the moment... will get it up later tonight... went to check with lfs and was told if there are bubble on sand bed it'll be diatoms... came back checked and found numerous bubbles

[sinner]

ok i managed to get a pix of it!

pls advise

[sinner]

hmmm should i scrub this off too?

[Terryz_]

Look like cyanobacteria...

[sinner]

any ideal how this happened and how i can get rid?

[huanjie]

Hi Sinner,

I my tank experience the same dark slimy thingy a month ago.

but mine is abit greenish in colour, and with bubbles but the bubbles can be frrom the diatom that was there before the slimy stuff starts to grow..

Try the ultra life redslime remover. I tried it about 2 weeks ago, It remove every single slime from my tank within a few days. And since what is does is only oxidising the stuff and turn them into oxygen (I learn from the Shop owner), I suppose it is vry reef safe. So far, all the livestocks looks as happy as ever.The best thing about it is no changes to nitrate level, remain at <1 mg per litre.

but do remember to stop skimming after following the instruction which is not part of the instruction or watch it closely, cause it will over flow the cup in no time.

[huanjie]

oh , those pinky stuff on the glass cleaner are coraline, ok to leave them, or scrap them off in the tank so that they can start growing other parts of the tank, hope it help.

[sinner]

Hi Sinner,

I my tank experience the same dark slimy thingy a month ago.

but mine is abit greenish in colour, and with bubbles but the bubbles can be frrom the diatom that was there before the slimy stuff starts to grow..

Try the ultra life redslime remover. I tried it about 2 weeks ago, It remove every single slime from my tank within a few days. And since what is does is only oxidising the stuff and turn them into oxygen (I learn from the Shop owner), I suppose it is vry reef safe. So far, all the livestocks looks as happy as ever.The best thing about it is no changes to nitrate level, remain at <1 mg per litre.

but do remember to stop skimming after following the instruction which is not part of the instruction or watch it closely, cause it will over flow the cup in no time.

can i know where i can get hold of one of this?

[huanjie]

Sinner,

If you are in the east, try Katong Oden, can't remember the name,

if you are in the west, try hong leong.

Alternatively, I am sure there are reefers out there whom have plenty left over to spare, maybe you can get a bargain from them

As for mine, cause I am still observing make sure no more out break or else you can have the remaining 3/4 bottle.

Good luck !

[sinner]

i'm in the east and izit marine pets or something?

[Achilles Tang]

Sinner, what's on your sandbed is cyanobacteria.

What's on your magnet is coralline algae.

I suggest a skimmer upgrade or lots of water changes. You should be having a high level of dissolved nutrients that's fueling the cyano.

Usage of GAC and Rowaphos will also help greatly.

[RockyBoy]

Think lawn mover blenny or hermits will luv this?

[Achilles Tang]

Nope. Nothing eats cyano. It tastes bad.

[flubberina13]

Nope. Nothing eats cyano. It tastes bad.

Wow!!!

he really go all out to advocate responsible reefing...fancy tasting cyano...

Must be bad for tummy after that...

Mind I ask...how many charcoal tablets you downed after consuming them?

[Achilles Tang]

Funny, Flubby, funny.

I don't have to eat flatworms, nudibranchs and mandarin fishes to know that they are bad-tasting or toxic right?

*knocks flubby on the head with a frozen block of cyclop-eze* HINT!!!

[Jun Hong]

Cyano outbreak is cause by high PO4 introduced by the food pellet that you use. You can check percentage of phosphates label on the bottle. IMO, stop using pellet food.

[flubberina13]

Funny, Flubby, funny.

I don't have to eat flatworms, nudibranchs and mandarin fishes to know that they are bad-tasting or toxic right?

*knocks flubby on the head with a frozen block of cyclop-eze* HINT!!!

Okay...got the hint liao...got the hint liao...if you make your way to my place...they are yours for keeps...and I throw in the whole slab...

See how much you would have saved as long as you dun ask me to travel out...

[sinner]

Cyano outbreak is cause by high PO4 introduced by the food pellet that you use. You can check percentage of phosphates label on the bottle. IMO, stop using pellet food.

hi i've tried checking for the percentage of PO4 but to no avail thats like their staple food and i can't think of anything else to replace... btw the lfs also told me that mysis shrimps are VERY high in po4 izit true?

here's the current food pellet i'm using:

[Cookiemunster]

A stable reef tank should be able to handle any kind of food you throw in.

You need to get to the root of the problem and try to achieve a stable tank with right parameters.

A few things to improve the situation would be :

1) Get a damn good skimmer (AquaC, HnS, Euroreef) try to get one thats over rated for your tank and you are safe. Unfortunately the more costly ones are the better ones.

2) Get a black sea cuke to stir the sand bed constantly

3) Use more wavemakers to prevent stangnet areas where cyano and diatoms have a chance to bloom (Get TUNZE)

4) Measure your phosphate levels and use Rhowaphos if needed.

5) Get more snails such as cerith or nassarius to eat up left over food to prevent rotting food which will contribute to nutrients fuelling the cyano growth.

6) Get more algae in the refugium and use stronger lights there to increase the growth rate of the algae. These will absorb the nutrients used by cyano and compete with cyano.

[sinner]

1) Get a damn good skimmer (AquaC, HnS, Euroreef) try to get one thats over rated for your tank and you are safe. Unfortunately the more costly ones are the better ones.

i'm currently using a weipro 2014... thought of upgrading but due to the construction of the tank and stand i'm unable to upgrade

2) Get a black sea cuke to stir the sand bed constantly

are they reef safe?

3) Use more wavemakers to prevent stangnet areas where cyano and diatoms have a chance to bloom (Get TUNZE)

my tank is a 3footer with the side overflow filter system so total space = 26"to28" getting a tunze would kill all my LPS

4) Measure your phosphate levels and use Rhowaphos if needed.

will get this soon after the complete dose of red slime remover.

5) Get more snails such as cerith or nassarius to eat up left over food to prevent rotting food which will contribute to nutrients fuelling the cyano growth.

currently having 5snails...

6) Get more algae in the refugium and use stronger lights there to increase the growth rate of the algae. These will absorb the nutrients used by cyano and compete with cyano.

i dun have a refugium... thinking of getting a getting the i-ref or to change a bigger tank with sump where i get to have DSB and stuff... any ideal where i can get customised cabinets made of chengai wood? or should i get my dad to custom the stand that i'm currently using? (four point welded stainless steel + epoxy + military grade marine coat? also the kind AT is using) and say if i get a new setup how big a sump should i get if i intend a 4foot main tank?

[chrislwp]

Nope. Nothing eats cyano. It tastes bad.

Err.. U eat cyano before?

I am also looking for some inverts that eat cyano.

Found this webpage that hermit crab eats cyano.

Will try it tonight to see if it really eat.

[Infinitereef]

It is Cyano or could be Dino. Cyano is easy to get rid of and Dino is a pain in the ######.

Did any snails died or crab suddenyl disappear?? If it is, it is Dino.

For Cyano, increased water flow, changes 5-8% water daily for 4 days and wait for 7-10days. While do water changes, try to suck out the detris and also the Cyano slime. Cyano can be red/dark brown/green. And repeat the water change schedule if necessary. It should be gone in a week.

For Dino, good luck.....you will battle it for months. Good training for patience.

How old is the tank?