Has anyone stirred DSB and experienced a Cyno-Bloom?

[danmhippo]

Just before the long weekend, I stirred up the DSB as I was transplanting some sea-grass from one refugium to another. The DSB was stirred up and I saw a lot of small bubbles rise up to the surface and the water in the refugium is cloudy. Today I returned to the office (the tank is at my office), and find the tank has a major outbreak of cyno bloom. Much of the macro and rock surface is covered by cyno and the skimmer is going crazy.

Has anyone had problem like this? My DSB in refugium has never been stirred before except by the bristle worms. I am just shocked!

 

[jdeets]

I am going through that right now. I've had one powerhead come loose a couple of times and my maroon clown has been digging like crazy. I've had a slight dusting of cyano on the sand bed recently from that, but not a full-blown outbreak.

 

[jmeader]

It was to be expected. You put a lot of organics into suspension to settle out over the entire tank. Perfect receipe for cyano. Generally if I disturb the substrata I wave things off for awhile till it all can get caught in the mechanical filter. I use sponges for that. They are fast, cheap, and effective.

 

[danmhippo]

Sponge filters, Huh...Why didn't I thought of that! Its time to dig up those old FW equipments!!

 

[fishpoo]

cyanobacteria are always in the sand and live on the sediments, using up dissolved materials and are kept in check by the worms and other critters. When they get to the surface is when trouble can start. So by stirring you brought them up. Usually only a temporary phase.

 

[jdeets]

I put poly filter floss in the chemical treatment flow area of my sump when things get stirred up and that catches all kinds of crap. I also have foam prefilters on the powerheads which helps to clear the water. Then I just have to clean the prefilters...

 

[Anonymous]

Danmhippo-

Interesting thread. I've got a question or two, just for information's sake:

How mature is the sandbed?
How would you rate your sandbed fauna (great, scarce..)?
Any animals that put a dent in the sandbed population (wrasse, mandarine, sandstar)?


Thanks
Ty

 

[danmhippo]

<STRONG>How mature is the sandbed?</STRONG>
The DSB is in my sump. I have 2 in fact, both under the cabinet. One is 10" deep in a 40G, the other is 6" deep in a 15G. Both Dsb is 8 Months old, oolithic sand mixed with Gulf-View LiveMud.

<STRONG>How would you rate your sandbed fauna (great, scarce..)? </STRONG>
I would say Great. Everytime I feed, I see a swarm of pods fighting for the flakes and sees army of bristle worms chasing the pods away. One DSB is bare, with no macro algae grown. The other is planted with sea grass. Currently, the one with seagrass, the contents are being transferred to the bare growth tank, clearing up the spaces for the mangroves.

<STRONG>Any animals that put a dent in the sandbed population (wrasse, mandarine, sandstar)?</STRONG>
The DSB is in the sump, there are no ccritters to dig/stirr the DSB except the bristle worms.

[ September 05, 2001: Message edited by: danmhippo ]