What is this

[Gatorheadman]

I have this on my sand bed and can't get rid of it. I've done 2 treatments of chemiclean as a last resort and it hasn't made a dent in it.

65 gal with a 20 gal sump 70 gal total gals.
Alk 10.36
Cal 510
Mag 1400
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
Salinity 1.026
Maxspect razor on at 9:00 am off 6 pm 60% whites 80% blues ramp up and down
Vertex omega 130 skimmer
2 clowns, 1 pajama cardinal, 1 royal dottyback
Mixed reef

 

[Brew12]

I have this on my sand bed and can't get rid of it. I've done 2 treatments of chemiclean as a last resort and it hasn't made a dent in it.

65 gal with a 20 gal sump 70 gal total gals.
Alk 10.36
Cal 510
Mag 1400
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
Salinity 1.026
Maxspect razor on at 9:00 am off 6 pm 60% whites 80% blues ramp up and down
Vertex omega 130 skimmer
2 clowns, 1 pajama cardinal, 1 royal dottyback
Mixed reef

Do they come up when you vacuum your sand bed? It looks much more like diatoms than cyanobacteria to me.

 

[KJ]

DIATOMS:

Diatoms are just a natural things that happens in a new aquarium and will normally will subside with in a few weeks to a couple months.


ID: This Algae normally forms on the sand, glass and rock work of a new tank. It has a variety of colors from a dark reddish color to tan, brown and green. On a lot of occasions there will be oxygen bubble's trapped in the algae from photosynthesis.

HOW TO CONTROL IT:
Medium to strong flow across the sand bed and rock, and watch the amounts of Silicate being added to the system ( top off water and water change purity is the main cause for silicate being introduced to the system )

NATURAL HERBIVORES:
Astrea snail, Turbo snail, Tangs, Trochus snail, Almost all blennies.
http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2003/feature.htm

 

[Gatorheadman]

Tanks been up for 4 years. When I vacuum they come right back. ??

 

[nemo1017]

Same issue here. I attributed mine to exhausted Di resin.

 

[KJ]

What kind of water do you use for your water changes?Looks like silica feeds the diatoms in your tank.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Tanks been up for 4 years. When I vacuum they come right back. ??

Diatoms feed off of silicates (present in most sand), so if you vacuum too aggresively you could possibly just be stirring up more of it for them. How long have they been around?

 

[Gatorheadman]

I use rodi water. Just changed all the filters including the di resin about 2 months ago. They seemed to be here forever. I had a severe out break of bubble algae and briopsis. I was dosing vibrant and that took care of that but now that stuff on the sand bed seems to be worse. Not dosing anything now except alk, cal and mag.

 

[Brew12]

I use rodi water. Just changed all the filters including the di resin about 2 months ago. They seemed to be here forever. I had a severe out break of bubble algae and briopsis. I was dosing vibrant and that took care of that but now that stuff on the sand bed seems to be worse. Not dosing anything now except alk, cal and mag.

You didn't set it up with playground sand, did you?

 

[Gatorheadman]

No. Carib Sea Aragonite. I do keep 2 marbles in my filter sock. Could this possibly be a silicate source?

 

[Brew12]

No. Carib Sea Aragonite. I do keep 2 marbles in my filter sock. Could this possibly be a silicate source?

I would be surprised if marbles could do it.

 

[Gatorheadman]

Just checking. I'm out of options. Think I'll get a silicate test kit.