sand turning brown
- Thread starter glitzyone
- Start date
I had a spike in heat, then some of my corals started dying
( several patches of Zoas), then my ammonia was yikes high, so then started the water changes. I recently got a used RODI unit and I am now mixing my own salt as well. I will do as Dave recommended but the sand is just ugly now.
( several patches of Zoas), then my ammonia was yikes high, so then started the water changes. I recently got a used RODI unit and I am now mixing my own salt as well. I will do as Dave recommended but the sand is just ugly now.
scarson61
New member
Nitrogen Cycle (excuse any spelling errors) in the aquarium!
Ammonia breaks down into nitrite, nitrite breaks down into Nitrate, nitrate breaks down into nitrogen, nitrogen is a gas that escapes into the air.
Ammonia and nitrite are broken down by microbes that are aerobic (oxygen loving) so they are present in almost every corner in our highly oxygenated aquariums. Nitrates are a little more difficult to handle because they need a hypoxic environment (low oxygen). those environment are usually found in deep sand beds or in the deep recesses of your live rock. problem is those hypoxic areas are far and few between and will only handle a small amount of the nitrate. best way to handle nitrate then is to do water changes to dilute the nitrates so your aquarium can, hopefully, handle what nitrate is left.
Ammonia breaks down into nitrite, nitrite breaks down into Nitrate, nitrate breaks down into nitrogen, nitrogen is a gas that escapes into the air.
Ammonia and nitrite are broken down by microbes that are aerobic (oxygen loving) so they are present in almost every corner in our highly oxygenated aquariums. Nitrates are a little more difficult to handle because they need a hypoxic environment (low oxygen). those environment are usually found in deep sand beds or in the deep recesses of your live rock. problem is those hypoxic areas are far and few between and will only handle a small amount of the nitrate. best way to handle nitrate then is to do water changes to dilute the nitrates so your aquarium can, hopefully, handle what nitrate is left.
sperry
Premium Member
Here is my take on stuff like this happening.
Once mature (relatively) our tanks establish a balance between nutrients going into the water (ie food, fish poop) and nutrients going out (via skimming, water changes, filter media, the small amount of algae in all tanks and live rock). When there is an ammonia spike the balance is upset and you end up with excess nitrates which is fertilizer for algae so it takes off growing beyond normal.
So to answer your question the algae should go away once your tank is back in balance and there is no longer an excess of nitrate for it to feed on. You can hurry that along by doing water changes to help remove the nitrates but due to cost of salt and stress to the inhabitants I wouldn't go crazy on them. Reducing your light cycle for a time will help get rid of it also.
