What is this on my sandbed?

[ReefRusty]

So I may had put my foot in it when I said I've yet to get any form of algae.

But can anyone tell me what this is and would a blackout reduce this? Only on the sandbed, brown sand almost.

Guessing its the beginning of the ugly stage? Running LIGHT with all blues,UV on 100% and 5% on whites.
Temp 25.7c
Salinity 1.025
Alk 7.5

Nitrate 5
Ammonia 0
Tank has been fully cycled for 5 -6 weeks now.

All corals appear to be happy.

Is there anything that can reduce this or eliminate it? I did a water change 4 days ago and vacume the sandbed which seemed to reduce it. However has come back.

 

[Hincapiej4]

Yea, it's diatoms. Nothing you can do..once the silicates are gone, it'll go away. Don't force it with gfo or you'll get worse stuff.

You can get maybe a diamond goby or a fighting conch to help clean. Or do it manually (in your case with a tank this young, that's what I'd do) and sift the sand yourself daily.

 

[Hincapiej4]

It's a little early i think for coral, might wanna slow down a tiny bit

 

[ReefRusty]

It's a little early i think for coral, might wanna slow down a tiny bit

Yeah stopped with the 4 corals a couple hammers and Goni, all doing well and have already grown in last 4 weeks. 5 trochus snails working overtime.

Oh and phosphate were at 0.02 a week ago.

 

[ReefRusty]

So noticed its only on the sandbed where the light hits, appears under the rock where its shaded there is pure white sand..

 

[brandon429]

Cut light intensity down 30% corals w be fine it may help, 30% overall it’ll take a week to register to see if helps

clean white reflective surfaces forming bioslicks and cycling through primary producers/ good sign for new tanks maturing keep up the removal work, it’s like a new garden open to dandelions

 

[ReefRusty]

clean white reflective surfaces forming bioslicks and cycling through primary producers/ good sign for new tanks maturing keep up the removal work, it’s like a new garden open to dandelions

Haha well said. Yes have reduced overall intensity to 35% from 50% due for another WC on sunday, everything else is in check, have bewn slowly increasing my Alk however by .1 every 2 days over last week and a bit. Was at 6.2 early last week.