Air Bubbles on Sand Bed

I've noticed in the last week or so, what looks like air bubbles on the top of my sand bed and on my live rock. Is this something I should be concerned about?

 

It is probably nitrogen bubbles from the end of the nitrogen cycle.

Other thought... do you have micro-bubble flating in the water from your return pump and the bubbles are accumulating??

You could use a turkey baster and just blow them off.

M

 

No Nasa, nothing from the return pump. My tank is 9 months old but I did add a few pounds of additional L/R a few weeks ago (3-4). Could this have started another cycle? I tested for a possible spike in ammonia and nitrites a few days after adding the L/R, both were at 0.

 

Sounds like nitrogen bubbles...

It isn't "another" cycle...it is the end product of the ongoing cycle...

You probably already know this, but people talk about cycling a tank as if once it is cycled it's done... the cycle is always going onand once it starts is should never stop. Bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite, nitrite to nitrate and nitrate to nitrogen. The nitrogen forms bubbles which eventually form on the surface of the sand or LR and float to the surface and is released into the atmosphere. If it is a small amount of bubbles, that could be it.

I have also seen small bubble stick to cyano bacteria. Don't know why, maybe it is a gas byproduct of cyano. Do you have cyano?

A picture would help tremendously.

M

 

Yes cyano produces oxygen like a plant.

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Thanks for the info NASAGeek. I think your right. My phosphates test 0.00 and my Nitrates also test 0. So, I have never attempted to clean my sand bed while conducting my weekly W/C, but I think I will do just that on Monday. For some reason I thought you should not disturb the sand bed. However, I just found out that that theory pertains to deep sand beds (4" or more) and my sand bed is approximately 2''.

 

You are correct... you should NOT disturb the sand bed.... even 2".

DO you have a picture of this??? I suspect this is a cyano outbreak starting.

M

 

Check to see if the bubbles are being held by a thin film. It could be cyano or any number of blue/green algae that haven't produced a thick enough film to show color. I wouldn't stir up the sand too much, just scrape the surface to see if there is a film.