Algae on sand?

[musaabi]

How do you deal with green algae growing on your sand bed? I think the grain of sand I bought was too big since I have a bit more flow than normal. It takes away from the tank. I know cyano can be green but this doesn’t blow off or sludgy.

 

[Lavey29]

How old is the tank? Do you siphon sand during water changes? What is your cleaner crew?

 

[Troylee]

First step is keep the sunlight off it! Then get a gravel vac and clean it little by little

 

[krollins]

Conch

 

[musaabi]

How old is the tank? Do you siphon sand during water changes? What is your cleaner crew?

It’s been up and running since sept. Have not done any water changes. I dose AFR. My nitrate and phosphate is low already even though I heavily feed 3 times a day. I used some of the rock from my old setup that was 3 years old. Never had dinos and no heavy cyano. My clean up crew is pretty heavily stocked with multiple snail species, tuxedo urchin, 2 conchs, emerald crabs etc. also have 2 tangs.

 

[Lavey29]

It’s been up and running since sept. Have not done any water changes. I dose AFR. My nitrate and phosphate is low already even though I heavily feed 3 times a day. I used some of the rock from my old setup that was 3 years old. Never had dinos and no heavy cyano. My clean up crew is pretty heavily stocked with multiple snail species, tuxedo urchin, 2 conchs, emerald crabs etc. also have 2 tangs.

I'm not a proponent of no water changes for long term success. Have you done an ICP test to look at everything?

 

[musaabi]

Area behind the rock work that doesn’t get sunlight.

 

[musaabi]

I'm not a proponent of no water changes for long term success. Have you done an ICP test to look at everything?

I have mixed thoughts. I don’t think ICP are as accurate. They’re great for getting a general idea but not accurate. My SPS are all doing great which is more of an indication of water quality. My previous tank I had for 3 years everything thrived with minimal water changes. Like less than 10 over the 3 years. I think water changes have their place for sure but I also think ppl can over do it and lead to constant changing parameters depending on the volume. I think the grain is too big which allows the algae to grow. I also have coralline algae growth on some of the bigger chunks. I could just need to stir the sanded up a bit so it doesn’t have time to grow on it. Maybe a starfish for constant stirring?

 

[TX_REEF]

Some options: Add some more nassarius snails, ensure flow is sufficient to keep detritus from settling on the sand, reduce light intensity or photoperiod if feasible given your coral population, add an algae turf scrubber to consume nutrients that algae love, reduce or eliminate direct sunlight.

Bonus tip, watch your emeralds like a hawk.. I caught mine eating healthy microsmussa and banished them to the fuge. I replaced them with pithos which have not bothered my corals.

 

[Lavey29]

I have mixed thoughts. I don’t think ICP are as accurate. They’re great for getting a general idea but not accurate. My SPS are all doing great which is more of an indication of water quality. My previous tank I had for 3 years everything thrived with minimal water changes. Like less than 10 over the 3 years. I think water changes have their place for sure but I also think ppl can over do it and lead to constant changing parameters depending on the volume. I think the grain is too big which allows the algae to grow. I also have coralline algae growth on some of the bigger chunks. I could just need to stir the sanded up a bit so it doesn’t have time to grow on it. Maybe a starfish for constant stirring?

Or a goby

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

How do you deal with green algae growing on your sand bed? I think the grain of sand I bought was too big since I have a bit more flow than normal. It takes away from the tank. I know cyano can be green but this doesn’t blow off or sludgy.

Area behind the rock work that doesn’t get sunlight.

Get the sunlight off of it!!

If you see in parts of the sand bed that are covered in the algae that get sunlight, then in areas where there is no sunlight have no algae, that means the sunlight is heavily contributing to the growth of it.

 

[Lavey29]

I have mixed thoughts. I don’t think ICP are as accurate. They’re great for getting a general idea but not accurate. My SPS are all doing great which is more of an indication of water quality. My previous tank I had for 3 years everything thrived with minimal water changes. Like less than 10 over the 3 years. I think water changes have their place for sure but I also think ppl can over do it and lead to constant changing parameters depending on the volume. I think the grain is too big which allows the algae to grow. I also have coralline algae growth on some of the bigger chunks. I could just need to stir the sanded up a bit so it doesn’t have time to grow on it. Maybe a starfish for constant stirring?

Sounds like you have your preferred method that works for you. I don't think ICP are always perfect accurate either but give you a good idea of overall conditions. I mainly use them for trace results and often find some of my minor elements are off. My SPS mixed reef thrives but my ICP showed no Zinc. I started adding 1ml per week and noticed color improvements in some corals so ICP tests can help here and there in my opinion.

Are you using to much white light in your spectrum?

 

[musaabi]

Sounds like you have your preferred method that works for you. I don't think ICP are always perfect accurate either but give you a good idea of overall conditions. I mainly use them for trace results and often find some of my minor elements are off. My SPS mixed reef thrives but my ICP showed no Zinc. I started adding 1ml per week and noticed color improvements in some corals so ICP tests can help here and there in my opinion.

Are you using to much white light in your spectrum?

I have a small white photoperiod. I can cut that back some. It’s not like it’s hair algae or anything like that that I’m over worried. I just think it comes off “dirty” especially under blues where it looks black.

 

[Reeferbadness]

I 2nd getting a diamond goby - they work tirelessly to clean the sand bed.