Live sand??

[Tinman]

My sand is really coming to life now in my baby loach tank ,it is starting to get a coat of algea on it . I am somewhat confused though,if I turn it over I am afraid I may kill the algea by burying it and cause a problem for myself with dead matter in my tank . I have removed the bits from the top by syphon tube all along but should I stir up the sand or just let it ride as is. There does not seem to be anything down "in" the sand so I am tempted to let it be.....or shall I suck the top layer off by syphon to a bucket...... Please advise O knowlegable one's......your humble apprentice Tinman

[NancyD]

I'm not long experienced with sand but I had what I think was black beard algae in the top layer of mine. Short dark fibers I picked out in small clumps of sand. Baby saes seemed to get rid of it, or at least control it so I don't notice.

Is it cyano? Sheets of blue green (or other color) slime that smell? It's a bacteria that a 4-5 day black out or erythromycin can treat.

[The Kapenta Kid]

IMO sand should not have anything growing on it. Some live plants growing in it are fine. But anything that tended to bind it together and consolidate it would defeat the purpose of having freely mobile river sand. So I would just siphon off any sheet algae and turn over any other stuff to bury it.
But I'm no river expert.

[mistergreen]

algae shouldn't grow on sand or anything really (a little is expected). It's a sign of nutrient imbalance & too much light.

[chefkeith]

I've never had this problem. I agree with the others.

[Tinman]

Thanks everybody , The front tank is the only one doing this and my basement it does get some sunlight in the afternoons this time of year so I blocked that window . Siphoning is slow going but I am removing it. I actually pulled my pumps up several weeks ago as my two Fluval 4 sucked sand up in them .I am lowering them back down for more lower current and following the advice here and removing all growth from the sand. I also added some plant from a LFS that grows to replace the algea so this plant growth should replace my algea growth hypothetically

another view

and my new plant

I will back my lights down 1/2 hour also per day
Anything else?????

[TammyLiz]

If you want to use plants to reduce algae growth you'll need a LOT more than just a little clump of java moss. It will uptake some nutrients, but java moss is pretty slow growing. If it is a low light tank, which is probably is unless you went out of your way to get a good light, then I would recommend some elodea or hornwort, both of which are floating plants. Neither one will do well in a very warm tank, though, so keep your temp around 77F if your fish don't mind it. Increasing flow can help combat algae, as well. The algae I see pictured in your tank might just be diatoms. Is it kind of just like brown dust? It tends to come along in newer tanks.

[chefkeith]

It looks like diatoms to me also.

[Tinman]

I actually solved this problem with my regular maintanance completely
I had sucked sand in my pumps so I lifted them up. I am the victim of a deep tank here.The pumps were to low,right above the sand and I packed them originaly after adding sand, I then moved them up too far and then had no current on the sand face. The baby loaches video I posted shows a substantial turnover but none of this was on the sand
Placement of the pumps between these two spots has given me flowing sand again and we are much cleaner now.

The Kapenta Kid said it would defeat the purpose of having freely mobile river sand and this I did not have ,this was the problem

This problem would not occur with a manifold and a intake sponge high and the output spray across the sand face low

Baby steps with the plants.......This one grows very well at the LFS

[Tinman]

Tammy Liz, I have 64 watts on this 150 gal just cut back to 11 hours with daylight through one window,and now one blocked.

[TammyLiz]

64 watts -- Is that with normal output fluorescent tubes? That is very low light. You might want to consider upping it if you want to keep any plants.