Why?

[harleyrider]

Why are we all of a sudden getting hundreds of little silver looking bubbles all over the live rock, and down on the sand?

[harleyrider]

heres a pic? hundreds all over

[Blown76mav]

If you stir the sand do they float to the top?

[harleyrider]

yes sir

[jeremyt]

when algae builds up on rock and sand bubbles will get trapped in it.  looks like that may be it

[Blown76mav]

Mine did that but I wrote it off as air bubbles working its way out of the sand.   I'm using the sugar size sand.  I just took a fish net and stirred the sand a little and they seemed to go away.

[harleyrider]

there even up on top of my live rock, i have seen the pop going to the top and it looks like mybe sand falling from them

[Aquatic Specialists]

Do the bubbles seem more active when the lights are on? Commonly, if these bubbles are rising to the top from the bottom, out of your sand bed this would be denitrification taking place. These bubbles are usually nitrogen, rising to the top and releasing into the atmosphere. This is all normal, seeing how you just "reset" everything back up it is probably going through a mini cycle. If by chance these bubbles are not getting a chance to rise or get trapped underneath your live rock, etc. this can be dangerous, because nitrogen cannot be released. Do a water test and see where your at. I would recommend a powerhead or somekind of jet to help with the release of any bubbles that may be getting trapped. This is also a major factor in why cyano or "red slime" is so harmful, not only does it choke out life, it "carpets" everything trapping in nitrogen and other gasses that need to be released. You may possibly have an outbreak of this during this time, so keep a close eye on it. This is a sign of your biological system at work.

Justin
  

[harleyrider]

justin, there just not on the sand alot of my live rock 3/4 way to the top of the tank has a lot of them on them too

[Aquatic Specialists]

Well your live rock also contains denitrifying bacteria, the bubbles may be collecting there as they rise to the surface. But anyways are they more active when the lights are on? Another idea would be your pump or somthing of that nature blowing bubbles all over everything, which I think is unlikely, but could be. Do you notice any bubbles being blown into the tank?

[harleyrider]

every great once in a while that mag 5 puffs out some super fine bubbles, as far as active day or not, not for sure, i did just do a nitrate test i was down to about 10 this morning finally going down, just now i did a test and its back up to a strong 20 i did tank a power head and blew most of the bubble around most went to top

[Aquatic Specialists]

Yeah, that's what I thought would be happening. As your tank begins to mature anaerobic bacteria strip oxygen molecules off the nitrate and metabolize the oxygen releasing the nitrogen gas in the form of bubbles. Your sand and live rock all have anaerobic areas that allow the bacteria to do this to complete the nitrogen cycle. This is why people use deep sand beds and lots of liverock. "Surface area" very important. It might not hurt to get a nitrogen sponge while this is taking place to help remove any excess nitrates. Just use it for this time period though, as the nitrate sponges can leech nitrates back into the system if left in too long.