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Sand growing clumpy algae (pics)

post #1 of 30
8/6/11 at 11:17pm
Thread Starter 

Why does my sand keep growing algae? Also red slim forming unless I keep mixing up the sand by hand every now and then. As for the algae, just last week I took a cat litter scooper(a new one) to take all the algae out of the sand and now its coming back again. My bullet goby tries but the algae is to clumpy for him to sift through. As for a CUC all i have is 5 nassarius that dont do much but stay under the sand bed unless they feel like coming out during feeding time. Then they just go back in. I had a fighting conch that did nice with the sand bed my previous red slime got to him and killed him.P1030631.JPGP1030636.JPGP1030637.JPGP1030638.JPG

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post #2 of 30
8/7/11 at 4:15am

pick it out of the sand for now, then get some more cuc...

but it might be your current water parameters (nitrite, nitrate, phosphates, etc..)... what are they?

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post #3 of 30
8/7/11 at 5:16am

I recommend emerald crabs for clumpy algae I've got two great as I have a tank covered in hair algae it keeps clumping so much so that the rock my cleaner shrimp spends most of its time on is literally walking on a cushion of algae 1 and a half cm thick. but I guess that means he cant complain about having an uncomfortable pillow ha ha ha laughing.gif

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post #4 of 30
8/7/11 at 5:17am

hahaha I guess that is a comfy pillow! good one grouper!

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post #5 of 30
8/7/11 at 5:51am

Hi, yes you need more nassarius snails, they do dig in and hide until feeding time, that moves the sand. Also I don't think you have enough surface movement in the tank, and I think you need to adjust the power heads...the red slime is settling in dead spots. All areas of the tank must have water flow, some areas will be strong and others not so much, but all areas must have some.

 

Get a stick and tie a plastic thin string to the end of it, then hold in areas of the tank. If the string drops and not move with the flow, that is a dead spot. You don't want to move the sand but still the water has to flow over it pretty close to not allow stuff to settle on it.

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post #6 of 30
8/7/11 at 6:47am

In addition to what Flower said Cyanobacter is a sign of excess phosphate.

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post #7 of 30
8/7/11 at 6:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy View Post

In addition to what Flower said Cyanobacter is a sign of excess phosphate.



I was wondering...besides water changes, what helps to rid a tank of phosphates? There are so many products out there, what do you recommend?

 

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post #8 of 30
8/7/11 at 7:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower View Post





I was wondering...besides water changes, what helps to rid a tank of phosphates? There are so many products out there, what do you recommend?

 



If I wanted to lower phosphate levels I would build an algae scrubber.  A macroalgae refugium would work equally well but would require more space.  A Xenia refugium doesn't need as much space but it needs a LOT more light.

 

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post #9 of 30
8/7/11 at 2:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy View Post





If I wanted to lower phosphate levels I would build an algae scrubber.  A macroalgae refugium would work equally well but would require more space.  A Xenia refugium doesn't need as much space but it needs a LOT more light.

 


I've never heard of a Xenia refugium. Thanks for the info!thumbsup.gif

 

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post #10 of 30
8/7/11 at 2:38pm
Thread Starter 



 

Quote:
Originally Posted by rainbow grouper View Post

I recommend emerald crabs for clumpy algae I've got two great as I have a tank covered in hair algae it keeps clumping so much so that the rock my cleaner shrimp spends most of its time on is literally walking on a cushion of algae 1 and a half cm thick. but I guess that means he cant complain about having an uncomfortable pillow ha ha ha laughing.gif


so the emerald crabs does good job at clearing it up?

 

I would get more nassarius snails but really, they do nothing lol. I need something that moves accorss the top of the sand

 

I dont think because of water maintnenes, I just did 2 water changes this month

 

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post #11 of 30
8/7/11 at 2:45pm

How much and what are you feeding? Add a variety of snails. Not just one type. This will make your CUC more well rounded. 

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post #12 of 30
8/7/11 at 3:00pm
Thread Starter 

I feed 1/4 of a aglae strip every day, along with some pellets or mysis shrimp. But I would consider it under feeding lol, so I really dont think thats the problem either

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post #13 of 30
8/7/11 at 3:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wayner View Post

I feed 1/4 of a aglae strip every day, along with some pellets or mysis shrimp. But I would consider it under feeding lol, so I really dont think thats the problem either



Try ditching the pellets and reduce the algae strip to every other day. Also, try to get a variety of foods such as San Francisco Bay Brand's SW multi pack and emerald entree. Rinse the frozen foods before feeding.

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post #14 of 30
8/7/11 at 3:07pm
Thread Starter 

How do you suggest I rinse? Just run water over the cubes before they melt? I have been feeding algae every day because I am trying very hard to get my naso to the right color but as you can see from my pics he looks plain white...

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post #15 of 30
8/7/11 at 3:15pm

Here is what I do. I melt the frozen cube in a cup of distilled water (sometimes tap). Once it is thawed, I pour the substance into a brine shrimp net and the liquid/funky stuff goes down the kitchen sink and the fish get the rest.

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post #16 of 30
8/7/11 at 3:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy View Post

Here is what I do. I melt the frozen cube in a cup of distilled water (sometimes tap). Once it is thawed, I pour the substance into a brine shrimp net and the liquid/funky stuff goes down the kitchen sink and the fish get the rest.



+1....I do the same only I use tap....LOL....some foods I rinse a little more in the net ...like PE mysis...that stuff is nasty

 

I also agree on cutting down your algae strips to every other day

 

BUT WAYNER....neither the blue hippo or naso tang belong in your size tank.....IMO the naso will never color up due to stress

 

 

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post #17 of 30
8/7/11 at 3:42pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy View Post

Here is what I do. I melt the frozen cube in a cup of distilled water (sometimes tap). Once it is thawed, I pour the substance into a brine shrimp net and the liquid/funky stuff goes down the kitchen sink and the fish get the rest.



So you do a whole cube every time you feed?

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post #18 of 30
8/7/11 at 4:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wayner View Post





So you do a whole cube every time you feed?


 

I do a whole cube, BUT I have a mixed reef with a bunch of fish and another tank. I would recommend half a cube each day. You can put the excess in the fridge to be used the next day.

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post #19 of 30
8/7/11 at 5:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wayner View Post

 

 

I dont think because of water maintnenes, I just did 2 water changes this month

 



Are you using RO/DI water?

 

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post #20 of 30
8/7/11 at 5:58pm
Thread Starter 

no but i dont think that is the issue

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