Pink Sand ?

[marc]

Hi,

Did some work on the display tank yesterday which involved collecting some deris that fish have knocked off on their travels. I put the larger bits which were mostly dead frags in a tuperware pot along with some sand which got taken up with it.

I looked at the pot this morning, the water in the pot covering the sand has turned bright pink! Any ideas why ? There may have been a few small live frags that got put in by mistake ..algea escaping from the tissue ? None of the frags were pink though :wacko:


Any thoughts in the meantime ?

EDIT: Poor pic from a mates camera phone..

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/5ALA0060.jpg

[simon garratt]

Ive had this as well Marc when pulling out some sand and bits etc and leaving it in a bucket in the summer. It was clear again a few days later. My only guess is that the decaying matter in the water triggers a bacterial/free algae bloom in the water.


regards

Si.

[marc]

Cheers Simon, nice to know I'm not the only one :)

[paultn]

i find i get that if you leave xenia in fresh water, the water will turn red-pink, might be somthing similar happening

paul