Yellow/Brown on sand.

[jvr1102]

My tank has been up about 3 months and a few weeks back I started getting a yellowish/brownish film on the sand. there is skinny strands of it waving around like seawead or something. What is this stuff, I was told it was normal for a tank this new but still don't know what it is. I will try and get pics up tomorrow but hopefully its common and someone knows by the description

[albatross666]

Is it only in some areas? Do you have good flow?

Do post the pics, I had a similar problem that was cured by simply adding a powerhead.

[jvr1102]

I will get pics up, ya its only in a few spots. I have two powerheads already and the flow is good

[jvr1102]

Can't get pics up til tonight, any ideas though? Its a neon yellow film over some areas of the sand

[jvr1102]

Now im getting worried nobody has any ideas from the description?

[wizzbane15]

It could just be a slime algae or a cyano. pics will help. also what is your substrate? depth, ect...

[gowlover]

Could be yellow Cyano algae. Hard to tell without a pic.

[Jareth]

Take a look at this pic, is this what you are dealing with?


Jareth's Blog - Images (http://bp1.blogger.com/_n_Xu9H6qpek/RyuSHI8kFNI/AAAAAAAAACI/YyA8s0MZyXs/s1600-h/tank.jpg)

This is my tank. I've noticed that mu hermits will sift through the sand, and my snails cleaned up some areas.

[jvr1102]

Ok this is the only way I can figure out uploading pics....tell me please what this stuff is and is it bad if so how do i get rid of it. I have live sand at about 2" deep. Thanks everyone

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showgallery.php?thumb=1&stype=2&si=jvr1102&cat=500&sort=1&ppuser=165462

[jvr1102]

Any ideas from the pics?

[m2434]

It almost looks like dinoflagellates, but I've never seen them in such a new tank. Is it a glass aquarium? Sometime light refraction through the glass makes shadows look yellow. Could the algae itself be more of an ugly brown? Whatever it is, it looks like a nuisance algae - get rid of it! I would siphon it out immediately before it spreads. Also you need to figure out what is causing it. Are you using tap water? Running a skimmer? Using GFO?

[jvr1102]

I use RO/DI for water, and a skimmer. I will get it out it def is that neon green color

[m2434]

If it's neon green, its probably hair algae. Still want to get rid of it. Might try running GFO....

[jvr1102]

Dumb question I'm still new here, whats a GFO?

[m2434]

Iron Oxide Hydroxide - it is a brown powder, that abosorbs phosphate (the rate limiting nutrient of most algae). Often it is used in a phosphate reactor or a canister filter.


Check Here (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-11/rhf/index.php)

[jvr1102]

So I am trying to put a maxi-jet 1200 pump to circulate some water on the bottom of the tank. Should I try and not point the pump near any of my coral? Would this be a problem?