Carib Sea Arag-ALive Fiji Pink Substrate?!

[reynaldoramon]

I had something similar. I am thinking I had Dinos. I tried blackouts. And even spot peroxide . Months and nothing changed. I ended up emptying the tank of animals and water to about an inch above the sand.. I threw out the arag alive sand and water. I rinsed with rodi. Then added caribsea ocean direct sand. I returned the water, filtering it with a sock. I've not had an issue since then. Thoroughly pleased.

 

[brandon429]

I too like that stuff it was not as wet as the other, but when pre rinsed its excellent no silting. like it.

 

[NanaReefer]

Well heck just the thought of removing 60# of sand let alone tearing down my tank makes my stomach sick. No thanks, I'll find another way. Like maybe a cucumber [emoji38]

 

[NanaReefer]

Well silicate test kit arrived today (Salifert) Test reads 0 or undetectable with this kit. Which according to the kit is as it should be.

 

[NanaReefer]

This is freaking ridiculous!!! While moving a few frags around I've discovered that in several areas my sand bed is hard, about 1/2" to an 1" under the surface.
At first I thought it was Nassarius Snails that I was touching, not! I've never seen anything like this. Crazy!!
What would cause it to bind together? Some chunks are easy to break up while others are rock hard.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sand can harden with deposits that hold the grains together.

There may be an organic component to it as well, but it is most likely calcium carbonate that forms at high alk and pH, and most often to newer sand.

 

[NanaReefer]

Added pics! I've never tested with having high ALK or PH. But I am wondering if this is adding to the issue already present?
This hardening can't be good right? Need I look for a remedy?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hardened sand is not usually any sort of problem, but is fairly common, especially with new, dead sand.

 

[NanaReefer]

Well this was new Live sand when I bought it-lol.

 

[jolt]

I have had my Fiji Pink clump into little bricks up to 2" in diameter. When it does this I take it out and break it up, rinse it and put it back. Kind of a pain though.

 

[NanaReefer]

Here is what my SB looks like 11 days after a water change. Note: I siphoned the sand in the center area only.
I can't stomach the thought of having to remove the entire SB [emoji31]

 

[brandon4432]

Here is what my SB looks like 11 days after a water change. Note: I siphoned the sand in the center area only.
I can't stomach the thought of having to remove the entire SB [emoji31]

One question; did you ever do a blackout and if so during the blackout did the "algae" dissolve away from the substrate?

I am currently doing a 4 day blackout( due to Hair algae problems) and my substrate(deemed with the same issue as yours) seems to have gone back to a clean white as far as i can tell. Hopefully when the lights come back up the problem doesn't come back. BUT I am almost 95% positive the substrate problem I am experiencing will come back

 

[NanaReefer]

Don't recall ever doing a black out. I may try it for 24hrs see if there's any sign of it diminishing. But even with the lights out from 9pm till 9am this stuff is still there.

 

[brandon4432]

Don't recall ever doing a black out. I may try it for 24hrs see if there's any sign of it diminishing. But even with the lights out from 9pm till 9am this stuff is still there.

My lights were out for 4 days and so far(crossing my fingers) the stuff hasn't returned in a day and a half where usually it would return immediately after cleaning it off the bottom.

 

[Birddog]

I am also using instant ocean sea salt as opposed to reef crystals. Although I am transitioning to Red Sea coral pro salt very soon.

Good to know. Could be an important contributing factor. Salt mix + Substrate?

Nanareefer I thought of salt as well, but sad to say I use Red Sea Coral Pro. Additionally I have treated multiple times with ChemiClean and like you, results were nil.

 

[NanaReefer]

I'm racking my brain trying to figure out what I may have dosed that would cause the substrate to react this way. Whatever it was/is has bound itself very strongly.
I can rake the top 1/2" layer till it's white. But within hours it starts showing the brown dusting once again. By the next day the SB is covered. In this manner it behaves like Cyano, but does not diminish without lighting. It is however light reactive in that all sand beneath the surface is pure white. Once it hits the light it begins to turn.
IMO it is definitely an issue with this particular substrate. I'm going to write CaribSea and see what the have to say.

 

[saltyhog]

NanaReefer. I used CaribSea Special Grade aragonite (not live) and I have the same issues. My tank is almost 3 years old. I hadn't made the connection with water changes and disturbing the sand bed till I read this thread. I didn't vacuum my sand bed till a few months ago and that is when my problem got more severe. I don't think mine is related to salt brand as when it started I was using RC, then switched to HF Reefer salt and now IO. The salt changes haven't seemed to help. I'll be watching this closely for a solution. I'm going to take a water change hiatus for a while and see what happens.

 

[brandon429]

it is no issue w caribsea

every pico reef ive ever used is this substrate or the other, Fiji pink was 90% of them

we handle our substrates differently and apparently that prevents the issue. the next tank I use w be Fiji pink arrive alive I just bought another large bag of it for a few reefs.

 

[charleslotz]

Had the same issue with Fiji pink ,.... Eventually removed it and whent BB, it's interesting so many have the same issue... Must be the product..or we are all doing something wrong ... .. Diatoms and clumping.... Was forever cleaning the sand..... The clumping with me turned black very quickly...


Waterboy's Mama said sand in a reef tank is the devil....

 

[brandon429]

yes, the way the sandbeds are being handled can be done differently.

why does one set of keepers (hands off, don't disturb a sandbed) keep having clumps/cyano/diatom issues, and another set remains immune to all invasions regardless of name brand of salt/water/sand

care methods diverged