Evil black funk in the sand

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loconorc

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 11, 2007
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I have a 30 gallon brackish tank with a dragon goby and a figure 8 puffer. There is something funky in the sand and its bothering me quite a bit. Its an algae I think, but it doesnt grow on anything, it grows IN the sand, which is about 3 inches deep, and there is a thin layer of sand over EVERYTHING! There is a big fake log, a rock cave against the glass for the dragon, a conch shell, and several fake plants, all with a thin layer of sand over them, so I had to take EVERYTHING out and clean every little nook and cranny. The sand is still white on top, but underneath is a nasty gray... When I sift my hands through it I get a disgusting gray blob, and you can see the gray layer through the glass. The light stays on from about 6:30 to 10:30, is that too long? I just have it on during the times Im liable to be in my room (or at school), and it makes a good reading light next to my bed.

Is there any way to get rid of this crap? Once my mom left the lights on for almost a week while I was on a trip, and I got a REALLY dark black algae, but it wasnt in the sand, just all over the glass and stuff, so Im pretty sure its different...

Suggestions? :nilly:
 
That happened to my friends aquarium too, we did a complete cleaning, got all the crap out, but its growing back again. I wish I knew what it was too, I wanted to make a thread about it but I thought people would think I was crazy haha
 
Probably some kind of cyano. Are you stirring that sand thoroughly every weekly water change?
 
is it anerobic sand? does it smell like sulfur?
 
It's not algae. It's anaerobic bacteria. To much food and fish waste and not enough oxygen causes it.
 
Cyano IS bacteria. I'd be very concerned at this point if the sand hasn't been stirred sinse set up, as with it being 3", there's going to be a lot of anerobic (toxic) gas built up in there.
 
Yeah I was thinking something along those lines... But no, it doesnt get stirred up with the water changes... That would involve removing most, if not all, of the tank decor, which be a huge and wet pain in the behind. Any alternitive to that? Is it dangerous to my fish or just unattractive? Maybe less feeding? I used to majorly overfeed, now I am much more careful with making sure everything that goes in the tank goes straight to someones stomach.

But since set up, I has been stirred at least 3 or 4 times. Just not with any regularity, usually just when it starts to do this every few months I guess.

I dont know if its a sulfur smell, but its funky :P
 
When using sand as a substrate its important not to have it too deep, say 1' maximum because anaerobic areas can occur if it compacts.
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Anaerobic: Literally "without air". Anaerobic bacteria also produce hydrogen sulfide and other undesirable substances in the freshwater aquarium.
 
And yes it is dangerous to your fish. Personally, if it were me, I would remove the fish to
a container then Vacuum that crap out of it. Not just stir it, as you will just distibute the
anaerobic bacteria through out the water. And then remove at least half of it. (Sand)
 
+1!!!
 
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