red stuff growing on sand??

Bladeslinger · 02/04/2009, 07:04 PM

is it slime algae/ red algae?? i forget what it may be called, but even if i stir up the sand it still comes back. it it because of too much light?? I added phosban so I know my phosphates are at a minimum if I even have any now. I had 2 sand sifting stars and they both died recently after several months (people say they starved?) It was never really a problem with them around though... any other critters I can add to take care of this??

Bladeslinger · 02/04/2009, 07:04 PM

and I have my acinics on for 10 hours.. and the daylight on for 6 hours..

stricknine · 02/04/2009, 07:12 PM

Probably cyano, threads on it here daily. Huge PITA for all. Some causes;
- old bulbs
- overfeeding
- flow
- phosphates

For a quick run at this, ensure light is in check, dont overfeed and in smaller tanks rinse food (this was my last meaningful step), ensure flow (cyano likes poor oxygen environment-ripple the water and ensure movement throughout tank), and control phosphates (reactor, phosban in the right spot, water changes, etc.)

And unfortunatel y there isnt any critter that will help. Chemicals are a band aid, it will come back if the source of it is still there.

Good luck.

Bladeslinger · 02/04/2009, 07:14 PM

hmmm.. my bulbs are still good. phosphates at 0.... and water flow is readily available... so i guess its the overfeeding.

Bladeslinger · 02/04/2009, 07:15 PM

I've been adding nutritional soaks to all feeding because my blue tang has LLE and i want him to get better. would all the extra nutrients in the water be at cause?? Selcon is my main one..

stricknine · 02/04/2009, 07:27 PM

Testing for phosphates is not accurate. They rarely show the actual value so dont rule it out. When you add selcon do you dump the excess in the water? Selcon is suposed to soak in to the food, avoid adding what isnt soaked in. No dead spots in the tank for flow? and the water ripples to get a bit of O2 in the water?

Bladeslinger · 02/04/2009, 07:31 PM

well i had low phosphates when i took it to the LFS to get tested... so I added the phosban to take out the rest. And it was never really a problem until recently.. and yes i do add the rest of the selcon to the tank. it says its good for the filter feeders

Flipper62 · 02/04/2009, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladeslinger
hmmm.. my bulbs are still good.

When you say that the bulbs are still good...What do you mean. That they are still working ???

Bulbs may still work but over time they will loose their intensity. This will take its toll on the corals as well as other problems in the tank. You may not see the light fading because its over a long period. PC lights should be changed out every 8 to 12 months. If you took a picture of the tank now & then with new bulbs, I bet you will see a difference.

stricknine · 02/05/2009, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladeslinger
well i had low phosphates when i took it to the LFS to get tested... so I added the phosban to take out the rest. And it was never really a problem until recently.. and yes i do add the rest of the selcon to the tank. it says its good for the filter feeders

Again, testing for phosphates is a crapshoot. If it reveals any on a test, than they are very high. Typically they wont show at all (even if they are there) as they are used and cycled without adding excess to the water table. showing readings mean there is more in the water table than the algae and feeders can consume.

As for the food and selcon, only put solids in the tank. all the excess liquid is not used by anything and turned in to... you guessed it... more phosphate! (wether it is on a test or not)

Toddrtrex · 02/05/2009, 01:05 AM

The bulbs really wouldn't be a cause -- old bulbs will just let you know about an existing problem -- excess nutrients. If bulbs alone were the only cause, then my sump/fuge would be covered in cyano, the bulb over that has got to be at least 2 years old.

The reason that your phosphates are testing zero is because they are being used up by the cyano.

Are you using RO/DI water, and if so what is the TDS of it?

You mentioned a blue tang, what else do you in the tank? Tang produce a lot of waste, and in a small tank, that amount of waste is amplified.

02/04/2009, 07:04 PM	#1
Bladeslinger Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 65	red stuff growing on sand?? is it slime algae/ red algae?? i forget what it may be called, but even if i stir up the sand it still comes back. it it because of too much light?? I added phosban so I know my phosphates are at a minimum if I even have any now. I had 2 sand sifting stars and they both died recently after several months (people say they starved?) It was never really a problem with them around though... any other critters I can add to take care of this??

02/05/2009, 01:05 AM	#10
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	The bulbs really wouldn't be a cause -- old bulbs will just let you know about an existing problem -- excess nutrients. If bulbs alone were the only cause, then my sump/fuge would be covered in cyano, the bulb over that has got to be at least 2 years old. The reason that your phosphates are testing zero is because they are being used up by the cyano. Are you using RO/DI water, and if so what is the TDS of it? You mentioned a blue tang, what else do you in the tank? Tang produce a lot of waste, and in a small tank, that amount of waste is amplified. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

02/04/2009, 07:12 PM	#3
stricknine Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 989	Probably cyano, threads on it here daily. Huge PITA for all. Some causes; - old bulbs - overfeeding - flow - phosphates For a quick run at this, ensure light is in check, dont overfeed and in smaller tanks rinse food (this was my last meaningful step), ensure flow (cyano likes poor oxygen environment-ripple the water and ensure movement throughout tank), and control phosphates (reactor, phosban in the right spot, water changes, etc.) And unfortunatel y there isnt any critter that will help. Chemicals are a band aid, it will come back if the source of it is still there. Good luck.

02/04/2009, 07:14 PM	#4
Bladeslinger Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 65	hmmm.. my bulbs are still good. phosphates at 0.... and water flow is readily available... so i guess its the overfeeding.

02/04/2009, 07:15 PM	#5
Bladeslinger Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 65	I've been adding nutritional soaks to all feeding because my blue tang has LLE and i want him to get better. would all the extra nutrients in the water be at cause?? Selcon is my main one..

02/04/2009, 07:27 PM	#6
stricknine Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 989	Testing for phosphates is not accurate. They rarely show the actual value so dont rule it out. When you add selcon do you dump the excess in the water? Selcon is suposed to soak in to the food, avoid adding what isnt soaked in. No dead spots in the tank for flow? and the water ripples to get a bit of O2 in the water?

02/04/2009, 07:31 PM	#7
Bladeslinger Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 65	well i had low phosphates when i took it to the LFS to get tested... so I added the phosban to take out the rest. And it was never really a problem until recently.. and yes i do add the rest of the selcon to the tank. it says its good for the filter feeders