Problem

[jtb1001]

I have been keeping reefs for 20 years and I am confused right now. Moved my 350 gal tank across the country to FL and set it up 4 months ago. My problem is i have green hair algae and some brown diatoms on the sand only. When i say this i really mean only in the sand. RO is new, meter says 192 silicates in and 0 out so not the water. Halides are new no broken bulbs. Phosphates are .002. What could it be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gooyferret]

What are the other parmeters of the tank? Even with Phosphates at .002 you can still have algae growth. Whats your nitrates at? How much are you feeding?

Welcome to RC!

 

[danrobberg]

could u be growing through a new algea bloom since you had to restart the system?

 

[sanababit]

check nitrate, and maybe you are going thru a mini cycle

sana

 

[gokarter88]

i agree mini cycle. Or the other time i have seen this is not a big enough skimmer?

 

[Flipper62]

Something if feeding the hair algae, High Nitrates ??

Do your tests. If you dont have the kits to do it, take some water to your LFS & let them check it.

 

[Whys]

Die off in the sand maybe?

 

[spleify]

[welcome]

 

[njdevilsfan]

did you re use your sand or get new sand?

 

[jtb1001]

i will answer the first few posts with nitrates are 0 and i have dual aqua medic 5000s for skimmers. now the last guy hit it right on the head, new gravel. the only new thing was the gravel however four months is more than enough time don't you think. top notch gravel forget the brand. been hauling it around with me for years.

 

[sikpupy]

Need to spend some time and tell us more about the tank, its inhabitants. Give us a paragraph or two.

My guess is you have too much stuff in there and not enough filteration. Well, maybe you do but it is off balanced right now. At first you did not have any filteration, so to speak, then, built up a wad of goo. Now you have too much and it has thrown you into a cycle.

Cant really say unless we know whats in the tank also, fish.....etc.

Where did you move from? Maybe the nice warm florida environment is helping with some additional fermentation?

 

[thincat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15322790#post15322790 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by njdevilsfan
did you re use your sand or get new sand?

+1 on the sand.

 

[jtb1001]

Yah that is what i thought as well. How long you think the sand will take to burn off. Very interesting not a piece of algae anywhere but in the sand. Never seen this before. Sand does not have a use date does it.