What is This Stuff On My Sand?

[windyridge]

Is this part of newish tank syndrome? This is an upgrade from a 29G, half the rock is BRS that was cured for two weeks in 78 degree water plus circulation. The other half is old live rock. Sand is new. Tank was set up Dec 22nd with all inhabitants. This stuff looks like cyano and is slimy but I am not sure if cyano can have long "tendrils" like that. It moves freely in the current. It comes right back after a water change. My phosphates are around 0.06 plus or minus .04 with the Hannah checker. I have chaeto in my sump. I rarely have algae on the glass.



Also have this green grass-like stuff (below center) that is slower to come back after a water change but is a real PIA and keeps coming back. If I didn't siphon it would take over the sand. My rocks are algae free except for an old rock with short carpet like algae.






Here is my upgrade thread with more detail on rock curing etc if needed.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2102293

 

[windyridge]

Forgot to add that I have 9 small nassarius snails and 4 Florida ceriths.

 

[jfl14609]

looks like cyano and possibly some hair algae when was this tank set up or more to the point the gravel added

 

[pascal32]

looks like cyano and possibly some hair algae when was this tank set up or more to the point the gravel added

sure looks like it. do you run any GFO? if not consider it. for now vacuum the sand bed and keep with regular water changes.

are you using a skimmer? What do you have for powerheads? what kind of return pump are you using an?

My personal experience with the BRS dry rock is that it can have a LOT of phosphate built up in it. I had to treat mine with lanthum to get the phosphate down, and even after that I had growth on my rocks and glass.

 

[windyridge]

It seems a little thicker than hair algae, or maybe it's just a different kind than I have already experienced in my previous tank. I run GFO, Phosban. So I presume then that the cyano will disappear as in a new tank? I had it in my first tank and it came and went as expected although I don't remember it having such long filaments. My huge concern is that green algae on the sand mostly concentrated in the middle. Sand was added 12/13/11. There are no rock alage issues at all just the sand. No film on the glass even. More details of the setup as it happened here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2102293

Blurry, BRS ReefSaver dry rock has zero phosphates unlike the pukani dry rock. People sometimes get mixed up between the two. I verified this before I bought it. That's not to say that some phosphates aren't leeching out of the old live rock...this is entirely possible as I used tap water in the very beginning of my old tank so the old rocks may have absorbed phosphates. However it's been almost a year now since tap water was eliminated. My equipment is in my signature (the Tunze and Koralia being the circulators) and the powerheads are equal to or above the suggested circulation rates for inside the DT.

 

[windyridge]

I had an algae blenny that somewhat cleaned the sand but he also ate several of my corals especially the palys. I know that it is uncommon for blennies to do that but not unheard of. Maybe I should try another. I can't get a foxface as my tang killed the last one. Any other fish compatible with what i have that may clean the sand? The snails don't touch the stuff.

I have 7 chromis, a pair of clowns, a 6 line wrasse, Banngai cardinal, lemon goby, RBTA and mixed SPS, LPS softies.

 

[zt444a]

What is your water quality like? TDS? Do you buy your water or make your own? I'd also second runninng some GFO. Cyano can also occur in areas of low flow too...

 

[windyridge]

TDS for water changes = 0. I make my won RODI. I have been running phoshban. There is lots of flow where the cyano is as evidenced by the fact that the long "tendrils" are almost horizontal from the current. I am going to presume the cyno is young tank cyano and will go away but the more troubling issue is the persistent hair type algae on the sand bed.

 

[pascal32]

Blurry, BRS ReefSaver dry rock has zero phosphates unlike the pukani dry rock. People sometimes get mixed up between the two. I verified this before I bought it.

I had not heard that before, thanks for the info.

 

[pascal32]

how are your nitrates?

not sure what is fueling it, stay on top of it and don't let it spread.

how long is your light cycle?