Sand Bed

[azpharmd1]

Quick question on sandbeds. I have a shallow sandbed that is an inch or so deep. I never had any problems until the last few months, which coincides with changing my bulbs. The problem I am having is that I am getting a real dark, thin layer of goo on the sand that is black in color. It has killed some of my ricordea and a blue metallic striped mushroom that had direct contact. When I stir up the bed, it usually returns within three to four days. I am using RO water and it is not the brown dusty coating you get with using tap water. Do sandbeds have to be replaced occasionally? What can I do to stop it?
Thanks,
Adam

 

[Fireworm]

Try running a phosban reactor, or at least testing your phosphates. Maybe put in some more clean up crew.

 

[LornaS]

This sounds like dreaded cyano which contray to popular thought is not actually an algae but is in fact a bacteria. It can be red slime or even dark blue almost black. More flow, less feeding, more water changes should all help to aleviate it. You need to find out the cause and treat the cause not the actual result. Do as Phil suggests, check your phosphates and nitrates as they tend to feed it......these can be reduced by feeding less.....some say light spectrum may encourage it also, so check the age of your lights as they age the spectrum changes.....all these things could be the cause.....