Tiny bubbles

[Kaz289]

Another noob question. The tank has been up and running a few weeks now and today I noticed all these tiny bubbles on top of my sand bed. My old tank was crushed coral bottom so I have never seen this before and don't know if I should worry. The sand and glass is getting a brownish color on it, But If I remember correctly the same thing happened to my 55 gallon fowlr when I set it up years ago, and think that it's part of cycling. Are the sand bubbles part of the cycling also or should I be worried? I took some pics they didnt come out great but u can make out the bubbles.

 

[sjsoto]

air gaps being fiilled up with water...

 

[PolandSpring]

It can be cyano bacteria .. (check if your rock has those same bubbles on it with red slime all over it..should look like this:
(if it is.. or just to be safe before it gets out of control check this out: http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/reefs-beginners/60573-algea-not.html)

 

[alfani]

your tank is only a few weeks !! your tank is cycling, I hope you don't have anything in your tank right now besides the rocks and sand.

 

[Dre]

Could it be [N]nitrogen bubbles?

 

[dacaptain78]

Cyanobacteria. Common occurrance in a new set up. It feeds on light and phosphates. Starving it of either will usually get rid of it. Syphon it out with water changes. Commonly occurs in areas of low flow, but not always. Trying to increase the flow to those areas may also help.

If you do not have any photyosynthetic animals in your tank I would just cut the lighting for a few days and it will be gone.

 

[da5speed]

Probably cyano bacteria, got the same thing going on in my tank right now. I just use a air hose once a week to suck it up, was thinking of using the red slime remover but heard that it kill most of it but come right back after time. My fish store told me that the bacteria likes low ALk which i have also been fighting for some time finally got the levels at 8 for the last week with out it dropping but the cyano is still there.

 

[PolandSpring]

If you have cyano bacteria the best solution is to shut your lights off for three days then do a water change.. all cyano will be gone, but you might have to repeat these steps again 2 months later if it comes back..In some cases it has and hasn't come back , so you just have to be lucky..
i had same problem , so far its been 2 weeks since i got rid of the cyano in my tank and i havnt seen any signs of it yet! ;D

 

[jrobbins]

that doesn't address the issue of what's making it grow in the first place.

you really need to either change your feeding habits, run phos media, stock less fish, or all of the above if you really want to get it under control imho...

If you have cyano bacteria the best solution is to shut your lights off for three days then do a water change.. all cyano will be gone, but you might have to repeat these steps again 2 months later if it comes back..In some cases it has and hasn't come back , so you just have to be lucky..
i had same problem , so far its been 2 weeks since i got rid of the cyano in my tank and i havnt seen any signs of it yet! ;D

 

[Kaz289]

that doesn't address the issue of what's making it grow in the first place.

you really need to either change your feeding habits, run phos media, stock less fish, or all of the above if you really want to get it under control imho...

After doing some reading i am feeding less, bought and installed a phos reactor and as far as fish I only added 1 since upgrading from my 55 to my 90 and I never had a problem in the 55 so i dont think thats it. I am new to running a sump filter I always ran a canister. I am probably gonna shut the lights down for a day or two just to be on the safe side, and do a water change. I also have to get 1 more power head that portion of my tank is not really getting any flow. My mistake and it is just another lesson learned is that I didnt think the tank would have to cycle again because I used the water and some of the sand from my established tank. But i guess because I added so much new water 30+gallons and new sand I should have known it would have to recycle. Im monotoring the whole set up closely and overall seem to be ok with the exception of my flower pot coral everything looks healthy. Thanks for your responses I am just gonna wait for the cycle to complete and see what happens hopefully i wont lose anything in the process.

 

[Imbarrie]

Are you skimming the tank?
Does sunlight fall on the tank?
Do you use a UV sterilizer?

I have heard that scarlet hermit crabs eat algae but that does not address the cause.

Good luck!

 

[Kaz289]

No uv sterilizer, no direct sunlight, and yes i run a protein skimmer, I carried out a 20 gallon water change and now feed my fish less. All the bubbles have vanished for now. My tank is a new setup and think the bubbles were cyano beginning to grow. It seems to be all gone, but im keeping a close eye on it. I have a 9watt uv sterilizer but it's not hooked up. I was under the impression it wasnt needed, was I wrong should i hook it back up?

 

[Imbarrie]

I dont think you need a UV sterilizer, though I have heard people swear by them for eliminating the presence of cyano.

I would perform a water change before having a cloudy day and keep the lights off for as long as you can then change the water again.

If you can, move light sensitive creatures to a separate tank to prolong the dark days.

One person in MR kept filtering the same water through a filter sock every other day to exhaust the cyano inputs from the water and starving them before doing a water change. I think he kept that up for under 2 weeks. The link can be found through a search.

 

[Kaz289]

cool thanks I had a cyano outbreak in my 55 once and turning the lights of for 48 hrs and then a water change solved the problem last time. Hopefully it did the trick this time.

 

[Master Shake]

that is gas exchange between the cyano and the water in your tank

 

[mandown123]

+1 cyanobacteria.

Cyano produces oxygen, hence the visible bubbles.

 

[tomtoothdoc]

+1 cyanobacteria. suction it off with airline tubing.

wonder which end of the bacteria produces the gas? kinda like fart bubbles in the tub when we were kids taking baths???......think about it....lol