Cyanobacteria???

[tenshi]

I'm not sure what I got growing on my sandbed. It's only located. that I can see, between the glass and the sandbed. It's not on the surface of the sandbed, not on the live rock or anywhere else. It seems to be growing very, very slow. Ammonia and Nitrite are 0. Nitrate is somewhere between 10-20(I was overfeeding, but I'm doing better with that). Calcium is >500(Ya, ya, I know!!! I'm adjusting my calcium! Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium, Reef Calcium, and Reef Complete). Alk. is 3.75meq/l(Seachem Reef Buider). I don't have a phosphate test, sorry. Temp is 82. Wet/Dry filter which I'm in the process of removing the BioBalls. Protein Skimmer. 260w of PC on a 12 hour photo period. 100-110 of Fiji Live Rock. 75 gallon reef ready tank and its been up for 10 months. RO/DI water. I haven't really payed much attention to it, since its only growing very, very slowly, but my wife says it looks ugly. So is it Cyano or not? Thanks for the help.

Tenshi

 

[danmhippo]

Ah, yes, it's cyno.

Most of us using sugar fine sand only see a dark almost black layer of bacteria between the glass and the sand.

If you are using sugar fine sand, that will build up a low oxygen zone, your nitrate should reduce significantly as well.

 

[paats]

I had the same problem before.Cutting back on feedings will help, but I got a significant improvement when I also cut back on the photo period.It might also be time to change your bulbs,I`ve read that can cause problems.

 

[tenshi]

Thanks for the confirmation. What would you do?

Tenshi