Is this really cyano? pics

[jshepherd]

I never see it on rocks etc only on the sand and only in front. If left go like in these pics it forms a crust on top. I have been syphoning on my 20% every 2 week water changes. After I am sure it is I can discuss flow and measures I have taken to prevent it. This was about 4 months ago and it has gotten better but not completely gone.
thanks for your time.

 

[jshepherd]

The tank in it's current state.

 

[bigarn]

Looks more like diatoms ... how old is your tank?

 

[jshepherd]

It is a year old. It has a redish appearance and calms down but does not go away with the lights out. It does not have a slime look to it but it does sometimes get on the glass where the sand meets the glass.
I have been running phosban for awhile and just switched to charcoal.
It is a 150 72" wide. I messed up the scaling on that pic..oops
Always 100% ro/di since initial fill with 0 tds

 

[gmann1139]

Cyano tends to get 'slimy', hence the 'red slime' moniker.
My guess would be diatoms as well, if its staying as more of a powder.
I just had a diatom bloom on a tank that's been up for a year, so its not unheard of.

 

[jshepherd]

Can diatoms appear red? I know it sounds crazy but it almost seams to get worse if I change too much water or the water too often. I have been changing 40 gallons every 2 weeks or sooner for a year straight. My refuge holds about 30 while running but Not sure what the actual tank water volume is. Could I be changing to much water?

 

[gmann1139]

Could be something in the water.
If you really care, you could get a TDS meter and test the base RO.

 

[teresaq]

Could be coraline on your sand. I have that. its on the grains of sand
T

 

[beth]

It looks like cyano to me. Try moving a powerhead closer to that area. Not enough to disturb the sand, but as close to as you can without causing a stir up.

 

[jacob10]

get a gobby to clean that up !

 

[shyfish]

Originally Posted by jshepherd
http:///forum/post/2949070
Can diatoms appear red? I know it sounds crazy but it almost seams to get worse if I change too much water or the water too often. I have been changing 40 gallons every 2 weeks or sooner for a year straight. My refuge holds about 30 while running but Not sure what the actual tank water volume is. Could I be changing to much water?

Interesting that you say this... My SW guru told me today that changing water too often is not good because it won't allow some sort of good bacteria build up.
Most of what he said was way over my head, but he basically told me that unless the numbers on tests were off, that a constant water change won't allow things to settle down, but constantly cycle. He said it was an open door for problems.

Hopefully somebody here might be able to explain in simple English what he may have been referring to. What he was telling me to do was hold off on water changes.
Also my problem was ammonia 0.25, not cyano. But after what you said I thought I would throw it out there.
What do you think?

 

[jshepherd]

It is always 0 tds water from my ro/di I actually have the 2 Di filters inline because I am on well water and it uses the resin up pretty fast.
Maybe I need better powerheads that flow more without making a jet stream. Trying to get flow accross the sand without washing it out has driven me crazy.
I did have a diamond that did a great job but he jumped through my egg crate !! I have another one in QT. I just know that is a bandaid and want to find the real source.
As for feeding it does not seem to get worse if I start feeding more. I have felt like i have been starving my fish to get this to go away.
thanks for everyones input

 

[jshepherd]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/2950281
Could be coraline on your sand. I have that. its on the grains of sand
T
It only grows with the lights. If I leave the lights off it does not come back.
I have the nove extreme pro and even swapped out the bulbs to some ati/uv combo that was recomended to me and that did not help either.

 

[jints]

It certainly looks like diatoms. If you leave your sand undisturbed for a while it is bound to look somewhat like that anyway. The diamond goby will definitely help in that area but I have a few other suggestions. 1) re-aquascape asap. Your rocks are stacked like bricks so there will be minimal flow in between. It might help keep the top layer a bit stirred. 2) If you are feeding flake or too much flake that might be a cause for too much phosphates if that is cyanobateria.

 

[bizzmoneyb]

Originally Posted by Shyfish
http:///forum/post/2950303
Most of what he said was way over my head, but he basically told me that unless the numbers on tests were off, that a constant water change won't allow things to settle down, but constantly cycle. He said it was an open door for problems.

Hopefully somebody here might be able to explain in simple English what he may have been referring to. What he was telling me to do was hold off on water changes.
?
i believe most of the bacteria we need in our tanks is mostly on the rocks and sand, not just free floating in the water.
maybe changing an extreme amount of water very very frequently could cause a problem, but frequent water changes is usually a good thing.
and its hard to tell its thats cyano or diatoms. is it stringy? can you pick some and strands come up with it? or is it more just on each piece of sand?

 

[t316]

Diamond Goby should solve that problem....

 

[jshepherd]

I would describe it as a crust on the sand. I see no slime but I do not let it go very long without pulling the top layer off.
As for the rocks..well. there is a lot of rock in there and I just gave up trying to aquascape how I wanted, it is hard to see in the pics but there are plenty of tunnels and openings through the rock. The only part I have problem with is out in the open.
Feeding. I try to alternate but never flake. I use formula 1 and 2 cubes, rods food, pe mysis. I feed ever 2-3 days but that has not helped so I am back to feeding once a day