Black crap on my sand!

[FishyReef]

What do you have for snails? My astrae and banded trochus do a pretty good job eating the film that develops on the powerheads and glass (and I just use the mag float to get rid of the film on the front glass). You might want to try increasing the variety or numbers in your smaller snails if you haven't already

 

[Nonfamous]

I have a variety of snails up to the giant turbo. I also have the sea bare and SSS. Though the black stuff on the sand is gone, of changed colour, I still have a sand issue. Could be Dinos, or something else I don't know and no longer care. I'm about to move the tank to another room and am going to remove the sand and replace it with black anyway.

Still doing all I can to keep everything healthy. Still running GFO and keeping a close eye one everything. I am going to hate to lose all the live in the sand but that's life I guess.

 

[FishyReef]

I am going to hate to lose all the live in the sand

It'll grow back in no time :)

 

[algy1943]

I think it'd be unlikely that turbos would help on the sand. As you've noticed, they need something hard (rock or glass) to hold on to.

Hi Sarah, is the high nitrates that cause the black slime on the sand?

 

[Nonfamous]

I'll answer that question for my tank.

NO. I have ZERO nitrates and only a trace of Phosphates. I have tried testing at differing water levels, with different tests, and had 3 LFS to back up my results. I have no idea what is causing MINE. Thats why I'm so frustrated. I have even gone so far as to test a water sample WITH the sand in it.

 

[Nonfamous]

New update.

For various reasons I have been running both GFO and carbon as well as simply leaving the tank alone. Feeding a little less and not using Rods only. I have also replaced the DI stuff in my filter and the black is gone. There is a little brown on the sand but is seems to slowly be going away.

The SSS seems to be fine but the poor sea hare did nothing and died. Very depressing. I've also lost my turbo snail. I assume it starved after getting stuck in the overflow.

Anyway, all tests register fine and things might be looking up. I'm going to pick up some more corals this weekend. The LFS is having a 30% off sale and I can't resist! Planning on two Monti frags and a mushroom colony.

I'll update in the future. I haven't yet moved the tank or tried replacing the sand. Projects for another day.

 

[lilmatty5dimes]

Nice glad it's work or cleared up for ya. Lets see some pics now