HELP Pls Sand starting to develope green crust on top

[carrera mike]

Help pls!

The sand where the light mostly is shinning have developed green crusty film and now some patches of purple(coraline?) is starting to show Sand is clumping with this green stuff. Its like a thick film of green and brown, no hair.

What would you guys do?

Temp 79.3
PH 8.21
Phosphate: Less than 0.1
Mag 1200
Calcium 350+

Thanks

Mike

 

[Justin James]

You need sand sifters!!!! You need to get a white sand starfish, a pair of yellow headed sleeper gobies, Some nassarius snails, and more flow directed towards the bottom of your tank.
Now!!! :O

 

[Justin James]

What size is your tank? What are you currently using for flow?

 

[Aquarist007]

Re: HELP Pls Sand starting to develope green crust on top

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12346007#post12346007 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by carrera mike
Help pls!

The sand where the light mostly is shinning have developed green crusty film and now some patches of purple(coraline?) is starting to show Sand is clumping with this green stuff. Its like a thick film of green and brown, no hair.

What would you guys do?

Temp 79.3
PH 8.21
Phosphate: Less than 0.1
Mag 1200
Calcium 350+

Thanks

Mike

the purple sounds like cyano and the other is algae--not corraline

here is a list of things you can do to help get rid of it

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1329802

 

[carrera mike]

Thanks Gents! Appreciate the help! That is good reading.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12349182#post12349182 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by carrera mike
Thanks Gents! Appreciate the help! That is good reading.

your welcome--aglae treatment is a big mind shift for alot of reefers
Once you understand that in "most' cases that the algae problem is really a phosphate,nitrate or silicate problem then you are on the way towards understanding how to treat it

 

[carrera mike]

Thanks! I guess my phophates, using Red Sea test kit at 0.1 PPM is still considered high? although the kit say anything lower than 0.2 is accpetable. I have Rowaphos ready to be put in my media filter. Just finishing up the Kent Phoban media.

I also took your advice to shorten photo period for a while and be more concious with feeding.

My circulation flow rate is 900 GPH Tank to Sump PLUS Two Coralia 4 heads @1200GPH each PLUS Two Koralia 3 @ 850 GPH each, (all four are on the sides on the tank) and PLUS two 300GPH small heads in the bottom back of the rocks.

I do have australian snails, about 8 of them, and have noticed about 20 tiny little ones running around. Also have about 4 hermits. Although I must say that the PBT is more active grazing on the sand that has this green stuff( I call it green stuff 'cause I dont think its Green hair Algae/ Its more like clumps of it building on top of the sand). Yes, the Powder Blue Tang and the Coral Beauty loves grazing on it.

though you consider this last in your preventive steps, what do you guys recommend that is the most efficient sand sifting fish that does NOT toss/throw/put the sand its sifting on top of corals and softies??

 

[Aquarist007]

quite often the algae or cyano is consuming the nitrates and phosphates as fast as they are being imported and you get a zero reading or close when testing

 

[Aquarist007]

very beautiful tank as is the room it is in--love the open concept and high ceilings