What is growing on my sand bed

[jammerdave]

Water parameters are perfect, only grows on sand, I clean it and it comes back in a day- ideas???

 

[Defect]

Looks like Cyano to me.

 

[EllisJuan]

Yup. Cyano. Remove it by hand, add flow to the area, and see if it comes back. If that is growing, water parameters are probably not perfect. What kind of test kit are you using? What are your phosphates?

 

[Sea_Monkey]

The easiest way to remove it "by hand" is get a airline tube and siphon it out by hovering over it.

 

[boxer]

Its cyano bacteria. Nothing to worry about. If it gets out of control you would want to check your nitrates and phosphates and see if they are high. But its very common in most tanks.

 

[jammerdave]

phos is zero, have gfo system, I have a couple test kits, api and reefmaster to check against each other

 

[boxer]

phos is zero, have gfo system, I have a couple test kits, api and reefmaster to check against each other

Its probably just living off light and what little nutrients it can get from the sand or rock that its growing on. Basically you just have to siphon this stuff out. there are a few chemicals out there that will take it away for a short period of time. But its a very hardy and will always rear its head from time to time.

 

[MadCityReefer]

3 day's lights out or use some type of red slime remover, works like a charm every time

 

[sonny316]

Red slime remover worked for me. You can also try decreasing your light hours and feeding.

 

[ecordova14]

What test kits are u using? The api nitrate test is so hard to get accurate readings. So u may have nitrate and phosphate and not really know it. Cyano is a pain da a** but not impossible to get rid of. Good luck

 

[XxreefreakxX]

Yup. Cyano. Remove it by hand, add flow to the area, and see if it comes back. If that is growing, water parameters are probably not perfect. What kind of test kit are you using? What are your phosphates?

Cyano can happen in tank with perfect water quality, I've seen the best sps tank in the hobby have Cyano, it exist in perfect conditions.

Suck it up as often as you can, add some coral snow.