problem refuge

[ekclark]

I noticed earlier today that I had blackened areas on the lower reaches of my dsb on my refugium. I am woried it was the dreaded bacteria that releases toxins into the water that some people claim can happen with a dsb. It smells terrible and now hair algae is growing all over the refuge. I used Kent Biosediment in there and it is very fine. I am worried it is too fine and with too little life, it is only a few weeks old. 2 of my feather dusters shed their crowns and all my corals are closed. It is making me very nervous.
I have since disconnected it and stirred it up. I also did a 15% change of my water in the display...what should I do next? Is it the the dreaded bateria? Should I dump out the refuge and start over with new sand? Any advice would be great and would ease my mind considerably.

 

[thomas712]

Don't take this set in stone, only a opinion.
Question, Where you lighting this fuge?, IF so then I would say that scince this was still a young sandbed that you were simply experiencing a photosynthetic bacteria, like cyanobateria.
There are a lot of different cyanobacteria, as the name Cyan implies are blue. Others may be red, orange, green or black. You/ve got a black one.... Not a big deal. And yes it can happen not just on but in your sandbed.
Other possablilities:
dinoflagellets (sp?)
diatoms
Thomas

 

[ekclark]

Thanks Thomas...
I am using a clip on 13 watt pc light that I run 24/7...You may be right, it just scared me to see how all the others in the tank are behaving right now. It has been a day an a half and they still closed up. The fish seem fine, however, so perhaps it is something else. Any other theories? Is this black iron producing bacteria more of a bogey man than anything else? I read about it, but have never actually heard of someone having it.

 

[heyoo]

I think your DSB is ok. I don't have one, so I can't speak from experience... but I've read a lot. Search for Dr. Ron Schimek's web page - and/or look for info on Reefcentral. I've seen photos showing established DSBs with dark stuff. Down in the sand where the oxygen gets low, cyano starts to develop. As long as it stays down there, I don't see a problem.
Good luck.
Heyoo.

 

[thomas712]

I have never used the Kent Bio sediment. How long after you started with it that the corals reacted? And how long did it take for the bio sediment to start smelling bad? Have you done a water test after your corals reacted, I would, something might have changed.
Thomas