Red bacteria beneath sand

[|sCRIBe|]

I have noticed that one side of my tank has been growing this red crap under the sand. I can only see it against the glass as pictured. It has come to the surface but only a very thin strip in the front against the glass. I am not sure what to do at this point, just ride it out or do something?

 

[ludnix]

It looks like cyano, it grows well against the glass in the sand bed because it gets good light and protected from high flow. You can try stiring the sand using a plastic scraper along the glass to clean it if you find it unsightly, but otherwise I would look into the usual cyano treatment methods. Typically it's a increase in nutrients, have feedings or livestock changed before it appeared?

 

[brandon429]

that is how 100% of sandbeds cycle through colors, pigments and various life forms over times. colors range red, green, blue green, black, brown pinks and yellows too

its mainly left alone, that's the way of the deep sand bed. depending on conditions, some aquariums cant sustain it without intervention due to a mass breakout, others leave it alone. ranges.

lookup this thread and read it for sure, it can save your tank from problems, its the current best accepted way to run a dsb

Blusop's white sand method.

that weekly work is what you do to keep nutrients from filling up in the bed, and to keep those invaders worked out.

 

[|sCRIBe|]

Thanks for the tips. The tank has been up and running since October and I cycled my pukani rock before that for a few months. I run a ulns zeovit tank. I have begun to notice various colors in the sand bed like you stated from blue, grey red.. part of me just wants to let this ride out since the tank is still fairly new

 

[|sCRIBe|]

Just read Blusop’s method and watched his video. First thoughts are that tool he’s got is awesome but I am not prepared to do that daily. I will acknowledge that his sand looks perfect like right out of the bag perfect but I couldn’t imagine doing that method everyday, it’s a commintment and respect to him for it.

Also I think to clean or not to clean the sand bed is a hot topic open for debate.

 

[brandon429]

I ran a 6 in deep sand bed totally hands-off for 9 years that worked fine
just wanted to change the color palette is why I cleaned it

Tanks who happened to import bad invaders- they almost always have to clean the sandbeds to be free of the invasion but that didn't happen to my tank, having hands off storage mode has risks too but it can take years to manifest if ever

 

[hamedsafari1]

Doese purple patches on the glass might be pns bacteria and are generally very beneficial for the corals and the water parameters