Red/Orange Sand.. Treat as Cyano?

[Ober_Reef]

Hello All,

I recently get my nutrients down and beat the smaller algae issue I was having with help from a Reef Cleaners clean up crew. I also (just last night) lost my yellow face sleeper goby, I’m thinking either one of his tank buddies stressed him to death or maybe the CUC was so efficient it didn’t leave him enough to eat(however he normally ate well from whatever I was feeding the tank so the second option seems least likely). In the passed few days I have noticed my substrate getting significant enough red/orange coloration to it. I have a couple pictures that I know the quality is awful on due to my blues but I’m hoping someone can give me advice on how best to approach this issue. I’m actually thinking of avoiding another goby due to the mess he made so I’m interested in other options fellow R2R members may have for me. Thanks as always for the help!!

 

[Ober_Reef]

Hello All,

I recently get my nutrients down and beat the smaller algae issue I was having with help from a Reef Cleaners clean up crew. I also (just last night) lost my yellow face sleeper goby, I’m thinking either one of his tank buddies stressed him to death or maybe the CUC was so efficient it didn’t leave him enough to eat(however he normally ate well from whatever I was feeding the tank so the second option seems least likely). In the passed few days I have noticed my substrate getting significant enough red/orange coloration to it. I have a couple pictures that I know the quality is awful on due to my blues but I’m hoping someone can give me advice on how best to approach this issue. I’m actually thinking of avoiding another goby due to the mess he made so I’m interested in other options fellow R2R members may have for me. Thanks as always for the help!!

My blues aren’t really this heavy this time of day it’s just how it looks through my phone and misplaced the filter I bought for this exact purpose. Also wanted to note that although the color looks brighter orange it is actually a red darkish orange color.

 

[Jekyl]

Need to turn off the blues then. Can't help with this pic.

 

[Jekyl]

What are your current parameters? Tank age?

 

[Ober_Reef]

Need to turn off the blues then. Can't help with this pic.

I have never figured out how to do this temporarily with my A/I Hydras. Will have to take a look this evening when I’m done working.

 

[Ober_Reef]

What are your current parameters? Tank age?

I’m coming up on a year old, here are my test results from this weekend.

 

[Jekyl]

The nitrate and phosphate bottoming out was my concern. Does this go away at night and come back during the lighting period?

 

[Ober_Reef]

The nitrate and phosphate bottoming out was my concern. Does this go away at night and come back during the lighting period?

I wouldn’t say so I would say it has progressively gotten worse over the last week or so. My nutrients haven’t bottomed out in probably about six months or more, I have actually been working to slowly bring them down to healthy ranges after “dirtying” my tank thinking I had Dinos(which turned out to be chrysophytes).

 

[Jekyl]

Whoops my mistake. I thought July on there said Jan

 

[Ober_Reef]

Whoops my mistake. I thought July on there said Jan

The January spike makes everything look lower too. I just don’t know if I should be worried this is a new issue to focus on or if I should be a lot more grateful for the work my yellow face sleeper did. Potentially he was keeping this at bay and there is a correlation between this picking up and him dying.

 

[Jekyl]

The January spike makes everything look lower too. I just don’t know if I should be worried this is a new issue to focus on or if I should be a lot more grateful for the work my yellow face sleeper did. Potentially he was keeping this at bay and there is a correlation between this picking up and him dying.

The white light pics will help immensely. Even shining a flashlight can help sometimes.

 

[Jekyl]

Does it blow off easily? Have any bubbles? Parameter swings as you mentioned can bring on cyano.

 

[Ober_Reef]

Figured it out

 

[Jekyl]

I'm helpful but not smart enough to answer. I'll bet @vetteguy53081 can nail it though.

 

[Jekyl]

How big of a tank and what's your CuC like?

 

[damsels are not mean]

that just looks like diatoms to me honestly

 

[Jekyl]

I'm not sold on it not being a form of cyano, but also think diatoms. It's why I held my tongue on the answer.

 

[Ober_Reef]

How big of a tank and what's your CuC like?

90 Gallon tank and I recently added this order from reef cleaners on top of the 3-4 large nassarius, 5+ bumblebees, and couple astrea and basic hermits I already had.

 

[Ober_Reef]

that just looks like diatoms to me honestly

I thought that too but on a year old tank ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello All,

I recently get my nutrients down and beat the smaller algae issue I was having with help from a Reef Cleaners clean up crew. I also (just last night) lost my yellow face sleeper goby, I’m thinking either one of his tank buddies stressed him to death or maybe the CUC was so efficient it didn’t leave him enough to eat(however he normally ate well from whatever I was feeding the tank so the second option seems least likely). In the passed few days I have noticed my substrate getting significant enough red/orange coloration to it. I have a couple pictures that I know the quality is awful on due to my blues but I’m hoping someone can give me advice on how best to approach this issue. I’m actually thinking of avoiding another goby due to the mess he made so I’m interested in other options fellow R2R members may have for me. Thanks as always for the help!!

Not sure how anyone can make assessment under heavy blue light. Please retake under white lighting. It can be diatoms, red slime, cyano, dictyota. Need to comfirm.