Red/Orange Sand.. Treat as Cyano?

[vetteguy53081]

I thought that too but on a year old tank ?

Diatoms can actually return after a couple of years, but again clearer pics under white lighting will get you accurate assessment

 

[Ober_Reef]

Not sure how anyone can make assessment under heavy blue light. Please retake under white lighting. It can be diatoms, red slime, cyano, dictyota. Need to comfirm.

This shot should be my whites unless somehow the blues are still showing. Thanks for checking it out.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This shot should be my whites unless somehow the blues are still showing. Thanks for checking it out.

Appears to be diatoms. As mentioned, diatoms can reappear in established tank especially if you added new rock or sand, changed your water source you typically or even changes to lighting. Diatoms feed mainly off of silicates but also consume dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Unfiltered tap water can contain silicates and is a good way to jump start a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank. The best way to prevent this from happening is to filter water through a RODI unit if youre not already, although you can still get a diatom bloom when using RODI if the cartridge that removes silicates expires. Take a look at your di resin as it may be in need of change.
Diatoms are typically harmless as you may know and can be beaten once their food source expires. Once you put the kibosh on the source, the outbreak should last a couple of weeks so just be patient and it will pass. For major outbreaks you may want to consider the three day blackout. To prevent their return, practice good aquarium husbandry by doing regular water changes, keep the substrate clean, don’t overfeed the fish, ensure your skimmer is running at an optimal level and rinse out filter socks and sponges on a regular basis.
Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nassarius snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

 

[Ober_Reef]

Appears to be diatoms. As mentioned, diatoms can reappear in established tank especially if you added new rock or sand, changed your water source you typically or even changes to lighting. Diatoms feed mainly off of silicates but also consume dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Unfiltered tap water can contain silicates and is a good way to jump start a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank. The best way to prevent this from happening is to filter water through a RODI unit if youre not already, although you can still get a diatom bloom when using RODI if the cartridge that removes silicates expires. Take a look at your di resin as it may be in need of change.
Diatoms are typically harmless as you may know and can be beaten once their food source expires. Once you put the kibosh on the source, the outbreak should last a couple of weeks so just be patient and it will pass. For major outbreaks you may want to consider the three day blackout. To prevent their return, practice good aquarium husbandry by doing regular water changes, keep the substrate clean, don’t overfeed the fish, ensure your skimmer is running at an optimal level and rinse out filter socks and sponges on a regular basis.
Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nassarius snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

Thanks for the great response, I will check my DI resin this evening!

 

[Ober_Reef]

Appears to be diatoms. As mentioned, diatoms can reappear in established tank especially if you added new rock or sand, changed your water source you typically or even changes to lighting. Diatoms feed mainly off of silicates but also consume dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Unfiltered tap water can contain silicates and is a good way to jump start a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank. The best way to prevent this from happening is to filter water through a RODI unit if youre not already, although you can still get a diatom bloom when using RODI if the cartridge that removes silicates expires. Take a look at your di resin as it may be in need of change.
Diatoms are typically harmless as you may know and can be beaten once their food source expires. Once you put the kibosh on the source, the outbreak should last a couple of weeks so just be patient and it will pass. For major outbreaks you may want to consider the three day blackout. To prevent their return, practice good aquarium husbandry by doing regular water changes, keep the substrate clean, don’t overfeed the fish, ensure your skimmer is running at an optimal level and rinse out filter socks and sponges on a regular basis.
Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nassarius snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

Yup my DI looks pretty dead. Thanks !

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yup my DI looks pretty dead. Thanks !

That was my first guess

 

[Ober_Reef]

Thanks everyone! Just checked out BRS and unfortunately they are sold out of the Pre-Packed DI cartridges. I haven’t packed my own in years and found it kind of tedious the last time but will have to knock it out.

 

[Ober_Reef]

That was my first guess

I have some updated pictures showing bubbles, kind of looking more like a mixture of diatoms and cyano. Really hoping it’s not Dinos now. I have a microscope if it’s looking that way .