redish purple Sandbed

[czarclint]

I have a 75 gallon aquarium with a 4 inch sandbed using crushed florida aragonite. I am unable to keep a white sandbed, are there any ways to keep a white sandbed or is this just one of the many impossibilities?

I have about 80 lbs of live rock and a 4 inch sandbed.
Filtration -- Dual Bio wheel whisper filter and a 440 Skilter
Powerheads -- 2 maxijet 900's

I think I have plenty of water movement, since some people I have asked say it ay be caused by a dead spot.

The coloration of the sandbed looks like it may be corallina algae since it is redish purple.

I would be more than happy to give out more info on specifications when requested.

 

[kanapino]

Hey czarclint,

It could be coraline but you can check by seeing if it sticks to the sand or moves at all. I have and am still fighting "planaria" which is actually called something else but I don't know what: anyway it's a photosynthetic flatworm that I thought at first was coraline algae on my sandbed. See if at night it goes away. Check with a flashlight. Especially if they on the glass and go away at night.

I hope for you it's not flatworms.

If it's coraline it will stick to the sand grains really hard.

Good luck,
Brian

 

[czarclint]

I'm pretty sure it's corraline. I know it's a good thing, but is there a way to have a white sand bed?

 

[Bodine]

This sounds more like cyano. Does it from a sort ot "mat".
Can you vacuum up the stuff. As noted, coralline will encrust.
Is this sand or crushed coral?

 

[czarclint]

I can't vacuum it up. All I can do right now is to wave over it to turn it over every 3-4 days. It isn't flaky or slimy.

I do a 20% water cahnge every 3 weeks and run the protein skimmer every night for 10 hours.

 

[czarclint]

it is crushed coral

 

[kanapino]

Coraline will encrust and become a chunk or plate on the CC with a little time. Other than that suck some of it up and look at it with a hand lense.

White snad beds are possible. If you still aren't sure post a pic. By the way a Queen conch will keep the sand white.
Good luck,
Brian

 

[czarclint]

Since my last post about my sandbed, I have changed a few things and I now have no problems.

I bought a skilter 400 with protein skimmer ans skim every night for 8-10 hours. This seems to have doen the trick. I am now a believer in skimming!

You can see the pics of my tank here: http://members.toast.net/photos/album.asp?user=clint.mccormick&album=Aquarium