I'm having substrate issues, anyone????

[drew2582]

So I switched my substrate maybe in nov/dec somewhere in that time frame. I made the switch from crushed coral to sugar fine aragonite. I also inserted a plenum. I have about three inches of aragonite sitting on top of the plenum ( is that enough, could that cause a prob?)

Anywho to the problem, I think what I'm dealing with are diatoms, we have " what appears to be " a brown dusting on the substrate. To go along with it I get a huge bubble build up inside the skin. (sometimes youll notice a hermit walk across the sand and he will have a trail of bubbles However, when you go to shake up the substrate you will find the brown dusting is a skin that has developed. It seems to join with the the sugar fine aragonite. Has anyone encountered a problem with sugar fine aragonite like this???? Does anyone know the problem?? Could my bed be to inactive?? I don't have any sand stirrers anymore maybe a few nass. but still.

I know these are pretty pointed questions but it is getting so frustrating i could scream. Im going to take a water sample down to my lfs cause I don't trust anything about my test.

oh btw - monthly water changes with my R O unit - i checked that last week it read 4 ppm on total dissolved solids so that seems low

 

[Grins]

I'm hoping it is just diatoms but it sounds a bit suspect so I'm going to point you to this article here at AC on dinoflagellates

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86128

 

[Pallen81]

if is Just diatoms... they will go away after a while or if you have a substantial clean up crew (hermits, snails) they should find it and eat it away.

If you have air bubbles in your sand. Thats a different story altogether that needs attention right away.

 

[Amphiprion]

I agree with grins. Sounds like a dinoflagellate issue to me. It can be deceiving, since diatoms will readily grow on dinoflagellate films, as well. So one will be growing (diatoms wouldn't be a concern), then another grows along with them.