Brown Algae Forming in Sand (again)

[Boochika]

Long story: this has been an issue for me for about 12 months. I usually pull out what I can at water changes things look good but always seems to return. Earlier this month I replaced my entire sand bed with fresh sand. I'm showing zero nitrates and around .05-.03 phosphates. Tank only has 6 small fish and a few coral frags (Duncan, frogspawn, gsp).

I've been doing weekly water changes and dosing red sea nopox. This seems to slow algae but doesn't eliminate it completely.

I have 2 powerheads, an 850 gph koralia and a 1500 gph koralia.

The 850 is inline with the return and the 1500 going against it.

I'm a little lost with what to do next. Do I need better powerheads and flow? Is there not enough space around rocks at the bottom to allow flow through? Do I need more clean up crew buddies? I have several snails in the sand but no algae eating cuc as far as I know. I also have a few hermit crabs. I tried an urchin but he hid and never came out.

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[Bruce51]

take a picture with blue lights off and white lights on

 

[Boochika]

take a picture with blue lights off and white lights on

See below. Hopefully better pics. I feel like if I had 2 more powerheads it's wouldn't happen but I don't have enough experience to know that. I also don't want to blast my tank as it's planned to be an lps tank primarily.

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[Vinny Kreyling]

Looks OK to me.

 

[taby15]

Maybe diatoms,but if phosphates dropped to undetectable levels may have given way for dinosaurs to thrive

 

[vetteguy53081]

Simple diatoms. reduce the white light intensity a little, add some sand sifting blue leg hermits and for the next week, add 1ml per 10 gallon of Hydrogen Peroxide. Should dissolve this for you

 

[Boochika]

Simple diatoms. reduce the white light intensity a little, add some sand sifting blue leg hermits and for the next week, add 1ml per 10 gallon of Hydrogen Peroxide. Should dissolve this for you

Thanks Vette. Should I only dose the peroxide once?

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[vetteguy53081]

Thanks Vette. Should I only dose the peroxide once?

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Every night for a week

 

[bhazard1]

Get some nassarius snails as well. They'll help turn the sand over.

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[Boochika]

Get some nassarius snails as well. They'll help turn the sand over.

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I just got some nassarius, nerite, and blue hermit crabs.

I'm going to pull what I can out and see how it goes. Also got a new powerhead (Tunze 6105) that is definitely keeping stuff more suspended.

I didn't dose hydrogen peroxide as I read some things about some possible detrimental effects of dosing it right into the tank.

After I do all this though, it does always seem to come back. Which is frustrating. I feed half a cube a day. zero TDS in RODI. Zero nitrates and phosphates in water change water.

I've even tried alternate tests to verify. I'm wondering if replacing the sand bed (even though I rinsed it out really well) it's still leaching some silica.

 

[bhazard1]

Could try phosphate minus from BRS? Maybe that will be the kick you need.

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[Boochika]

Could try phosphate minus from BRS? Maybe that will be the kick you need.

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I already have low phosphates at .03.

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[bhazard1]

Says it removes silica as well. Haven't tried myself though

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[Boochika]

Oh that's a good shout. Maybe I will give it a try. i'll have a look online at it.

 

[bhazard1]

Hope it works out for you. These things can be so frustrating.

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[Boochika]

Hope it works out for you. These things can be so frustrating.

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It is!

I do 20% water changes every 2 weeks. Hardly feed my fish. Clean rocks and sand monthly and the stuff always creeps back. I'm hoping it's just from some weird ugly cycle from moving my tank 10 months back but who knows.

 

[coralcruze2020]

Not sure if anyone mentioned it but I think the grain size of your sand is too big.

 

[Boochika]

Not sure if anyone mentioned it but I think the grain size of your sand is too big.

No one has.mentioned that. It's some pretty beefy crushed coral. What should I replace it with?

 

[bhazard1]

Did you happen to try that phosphate minus?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Tropic Eden sand from Premium Aquatics