Red sand “spots”

bartizzle · May 9, 2021

Can someone please help me ID this red/pink stuff and possibly recommend some treatment options. I’ve considered it to be cyano, diatoms, and red hair algae at different research point. I’m just getting exhausted. It’s not in the rocks at all, only sand.

I’ve scooped it out a few times now with a good sand cleaning and it comes right back.

The tank is about 15 months old. Corals are growing like crazy, most are in temporary positions on the sand bed until I figure out how I want to lay out the tank. Coralline has really exploded in the last 3 months or so as well. Nothing has really changed in months. Some routines, cut back on feeding amounts etc. Parameters have been pretty stable, I don’t dose, just do weekly AWCs.

Thank you!

Date	Temp F	SG	pH	dKH	(NO3) ppm	(PO4) ppm	(Ca) ppm	(Mg) ppm	(NH3) ppm	(NO2) ppm	(I2) ppm
2/8/2021	78	1.025	8	8	15	0.13	400	1200	0	0
2/10/2021	78	1.025	8	8	10	0.16	410	1170	0	0	0.06
2/13/2021	78	1.025	8	8.1	10	0.13	410	1200	0	0	0.06
2/21/2021	78	1.026	8	8	5	0.17	420	1170	0	0	0.06
2/28/2021	78	1.026	8	7.9	10	0.16	420	1200	0		0.06
4/7/2021	78	1.026	8	8.2	10	0.17	400	1170	0	0
4/25/2021	78	1.026	8	8	5	0.13	395	1220	0	0	0.06

ChiCity · May 9, 2021

that’s cyano, otherwise known as red slime

DDenny · May 9, 2021

This is from reef cleaners about Cyano

“Cyano" as it is commonly referred to is one or more species of cyanobatceria. It occurs commonly in almost every reef tank at some point, and is caused or encouraged by a number of reasons including:

Available nutrients - Especially phosphates and iron in this case.
Low flow/Dead Zone - Cyano prefers growing in low flow areas.
Warmer Water - Cyano tends to grow faster in warmer water than in cooler water.
Low Alkalinity- While not a cause, higher alkalinity tends to discourage cyano growth.
Possible "contaminated" water source like tap water, that has nutrients fueling the outbreak.

Manual Removal: Wipe glass with mag float, light toothbrush hardier corals and the rocks. Cyano on the sand can sometimes be pulled off as a mat and discarded. You should use a net or a siphon to remove the cyano dislodged by the toothbrush. Don't be discouraged if it comes right back, cyano grows fast and is extremely efficient at consuming nutrients.On the bright side, it should die off once nutrients are managed.

Increase water changes to 30% a week with a high quality water source, such as distilled or RO/DI water.Be aggressive about removing any rotting organics in your tank that may be contributing to its growth.

Starving it out: Use a phosban reactor, or granulated ferric oxide to remove excess phosphates in the system. Check to make sure you are not feeding any foods that are particularly phosphate rich. Almost all foods when converted by animals will add to the tank's phosphates levels, but prepared foods like seasoned nori, liquified foods, gels and low quality fish meals tend to be higher in phosphates than other foods. Such feedings should be suspended or stopped if possible until the outbreak is under control.

Chaeto and other macroalgae will help maintain parameters to keep cyano from forming, but because cyano is an epiphyte, (can grow on other life forms), it may starve your desirable algae from light. During an outbreak make sure to keep you macro clean so it can receive light and survive the ordeal.Chemical products exist to remove it, make sure to take into account for possible hypoxia issues.

bartizzle · May 9, 2021

It’s a 32g Biocube, I’ve been manually removing it with a net, vacuuming the sand and changing 10g of water every 2 weeks on top of a weekly 3g auto water change.

I’ve been fighting this for probably 2-3 months or so and it seems to come back more aggressively now. It stays localized to the front area pictured. I’ve adjusted my flow to hit that area a little better today too.

Do my levels look to be causing this?

Anyone have any experience with MicroBacter7 or Vibrant for this issue or would you recommend something else as treatment. I’m not a huge fan of chemicals but I don’t want this to continue progressing.

Thank you.

Dan_P · May 11, 2021

bartizzle said:
It’s a 32g Biocube, I’ve been manually removing it with a net, vacuuming the sand and changing 10g of water every 2 weeks on top of a weekly 3g auto water change.

I’ve been fighting this for probably 2-3 months or so and it seems to come back more aggressively now. It stays localized to the front area pictured. I’ve adjusted my flow to hit that area a little better today too.

Do my levels look to be causing this?

Anyone have any experience with MicroBacter7 or Vibrant for this issue or would you recommend something else as treatment. I’m not a huge fan of chemicals but I don’t want this to continue progressing.

Thank you.

Chemiclean might end this problem very quickly. It is antibiotic.

Microbacter Clean might be another thing to try, but it will take awhile it foes anything. Vibrant is not a product to stop cyanobacteria.

kalel454 · May 12, 2021

bartizzle said:
Can someone please help me ID this red/pink stuff and possibly recommend some treatment options. I’ve considered it to be cyano, diatoms, and red hair algae at different research point. I’m just getting exhausted. It’s not in the rocks at all, only sand.

I’ve scooped it out a few times now with a good sand cleaning and it comes right back.

The tank is about 15 months old. Corals are growing like crazy, most are in temporary positions on the sand bed until I figure out how I want to lay out the tank. Coralline has really exploded in the last 3 months or so as well. Nothing has really changed in months. Some routines, cut back on feeding amounts etc. Parameters have been pretty stable, I don’t dose, just do weekly AWCs.

Thank you!

Date Temp F SG pH dKH (NO3) ppm (PO4) ppm (Ca) ppm (Mg) ppm (NH3) ppm (NO2) ppm (I2) ppm
2/8/2021
78
1.025
8
8
15
0.13
400
1200
0
0
2/10/2021
78
1.025
8
8
10
0.16
410
1170
0
0
0.06
2/13/2021
78
1.025
8
8.1
10
0.13
410
1200
0
0
0.06
2/21/2021
78
1.026
8
8
5
0.17
420
1170
0
0
0.06
2/28/2021
78
1.026
8
7.9
10
0.16
420
1200
0
0.06
4/7/2021
78
1.026
8
8.2
10
0.17
400
1170
0
0
4/25/2021
78
1.026
8
8
5
0.13
395
1220
0
0
0.06

dose with vodka 100%fix

bartizzle · Sep 1, 2021

Hi all,

I've still been fighting this but also noticing what looks like a blackish hair algae on a couple otherwise healthy frags (and some snails actually). I have a couple little patches of greenish fine hairy algae as well.

The red cyano seems to have slowed way down but it's definitely still here. I've been using Microbacter Clean and was able to drop the phosphates down to 0.03-0.09ppm. I've also added chaeto to my AIW refugium (InTank basket) area with a light.

Does anyone have any new suggestions?

Thank you