substrate question (added pics)

randy123 · #1 10-05-2010, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naesco

No need to have the powerhead any where near the sand at this time.
In a week or so the most of the sand with start to bind as a result of bacteria and other activity.

Do you think the different colored-stuff on top is sand, or something else precipitated out of the water?

lockrookie · #2 10-05-2010, 04:29 AM

expired live sand??? just kidding it may be just a very fin sand and who knows how long its sat there give it time it should settle my 90 took 3 days to settle then i turned on the power heads and i messed it up again i even washed the sand my fault for getting sugar sand i guess.

naesco · #3 10-05-2010, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randy123

Do you think the different colored-stuff on top is sand, or something else precipitated out of the water?

It could be just dirty sand. Most reefs wash the sand to remove any impurities and get rid of the fine dusty stuff that takes a while to settle.
Or it could be the beginnings of diatoms which is normal.

Add some nice fresh live rock (not too much) and get a couple of scoops of live sand from a fellow reefer and everything will settle down.

This hobby requires lots of patience, but, the rewards are out of this world.

randy123 · #4 10-05-2010, 05:35 PM

Update: Whatever it is on the sandbed looks light and flaky...asked caribsea customer support what it might be and they don't seem to know...

reefwars · #5 10-05-2010, 05:45 PM

Add some live rock it really helps clear things up.

randy123 · #6 10-05-2010, 06:36 PM

I do have a tiny bit of rock in there (20 lbs)...but I'm still not convinced the mystery substance is organic. I've decided to give it a few days and then I'f things are no better I will either try to bury it with good sand or try to siphon it out...

randy123 · #7 10-05-2010, 08:39 PM

randy123 · #8 10-21-2010, 07:52 PM

The best that Caribsea could figure is that there was "an excess of bacteria" in that batch of sand. They were really nice about it and sent me 140 lbs of new sand

Except I already got the problem licked with a 100% water change while stirring vigorously...so now I have 120 lbs of sand without a purpose...oh what to do...maybe start another tank

naesco · #9 10-05-2010, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randy123

Update: Whatever it is on the sandbed looks light and flaky...asked caribsea customer support what it might be and they don't seem to know...

Other than salt did you add any other additive?
Flaky is not organic.

randy123 · #10 10-05-2010, 08:29 PM

No, just RO water mixed with IO salt...and the water clarifier