Sand

[rye502]

Hello All,


Quick question, I have a new marine set up, about 3 months in to it, and now my sand is starting to get a brown tinge to on the top. What does this mean? Good or bad?

Thanks

 

[Sher]

Sounds like diatoms. Perfectly normal.

 

[ostrow]

That, or cyanobacteria. If cyano, when it starts to form sheet-like formations you can use a turkey baster to suck it our, or get some airline tubing and siphon it out (don't use a gravel vac like I did or you'll suck out sand and valuable critters).

Cyano is a tough one to tackle if that's what it turns out to be.

Search ether cyanobacteria or diatoms in reefcentral.com and you'll have enough reading for years.

 

[ste2k3]

I would probably say that it is a diotom algae. if it is cyno, then it means that there is an excess of organics in your sand. this can be solved by putting some sand sifters such as sand conches or sand sifting starfish. blue legged hermits are also meant to eat it.one of the best that I have come across is the nassarus snails but they can be hard to get hold off.