Red Stuff in Sandbeds

[phastroh]

Ok so we have all seen peoples tanks and they sometimes have that red/pink gel looking stuff forming in the sand.

What is that?

A LFS guy said to move my substrate to release it and not to let it grow. I have seen tanks with a lot of it. Plus you can't see it unless it is right at the glass so.....

 

[Northstar24]

Thats the dreaded cyanobacteria / dinoflagellates AKA the Red Plague

I've been fighting it myself since Feburary, but its finally almost gone

Step up water changes, cut back on feeding, and make sure you have enough flow

 

[phastroh]

Ok let me list this.

I change 20% every week

I have 3 1250 powerheads in an 80 Gal.

I only feed every other day.

It is only tiny amounts that are there but is it possible to never have it because I see it in many many tanks.

 

[Bifferwine]

It's possible to never have it. Do you use tap water?

 

[phastroh]

No way. I have an RO/DI machine.

I knocked it loose with a stick and I watch it all the time to see if it will come back.

I have the bigger crushed coral on top with the fine stuff starting less than an inch down.

I can't do this in the back of the tank.

I was contemplating digging once every couple of days to get all the bigger coral pieces out but what about the rubble in the refugium/sump.

I can get to a lot of it but overall 70% of the surface(not where the rock sits) is under rocks and in caves.

 

[d2mini]

i had one or two spots of it early on. I stirred it up when i would see it. It would come back, but then eventually it disappeared. Either something died in the sand or it was just a stage to go through.

 

[Northstar24]

mine is a few spots in the sand now, but a few weeks ago it covered EVERYTHING in the tank except the coral and the fish. It was even growing on the shells of my snails and hermits.

If you're just seeing a little of it on the sand I think you're okay, I would just keep on top of it and dont let it get out of control. I gently rake the top half inch of sand or so on the spots where i have it to break it up - that seems to take care of it for a while