Marine Snow and Brown Sand

mluntz · 03/04/2014, 09:53 AM

Just wondering if anyone uses Marine Snow, and if so, have you had any problems with elevated nitrate or phosphate. I added 2 capfuls a couple of days ago and my sand turned brown. My parameters before adding the product were.

Ammonia-0
PH-8.3
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-0
Calcium-501
Mag-1350
Alk-7.7
SG-1.026

I am going to check my current parameters this afternoon and will post back.

cloak · 03/04/2014, 01:10 PM

I've never used Marine Snow before, but the DT's phytoplankton was a phosphate bomb IMO. If the dosage is not being consumed in a jiffy, brown sand was most likely the result.

mluntz · 03/04/2014, 02:21 PM

It just seems like every time I put this stuff in, the end result is brown sand. Doing water tests as we speak.

Reef Frog · 03/04/2014, 03:01 PM

What size tank & what animals are you intending to feed? You could be using too much or feeding it to animals that really don't need it or are utilizing organics from different sources.

TLF Marine Snow is made up of small organic particles. I use it in an experimental sponge tank but not 100% certain it's utilized, but I think it is. I've target fed modest amounts to coco worms & Hawaiin feather dusters but could never keep them alive for more than about 18 months. (I also fed them non-living algae). It won't make a difference to hard corals IME unless perhaps the water is stripped of dissolved organics for some reason.

mluntz · 03/04/2014, 03:54 PM

Ok, water tests are in:
SG-1.026
Ammonia-0 API
PH-8.1 API
Nitrate-0 API
Phosphate-.09 Hanna Checker
Alk-7.8 Hanna Checker
Calcium-443 Hanna Checker
Mag-1380 Hanna Checker

I used 4 TBS of Phosban 4 days ago, not as much as I usually put in.

03/04/2014, 09:53 AM	#1
mluntz Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Millersville, Md. Posts: 727	Marine Snow and Brown Sand Just wondering if anyone uses Marine Snow, and if so, have you had any problems with elevated nitrate or phosphate. I added 2 capfuls a couple of days ago and my sand turned brown. My parameters before adding the product were. Ammonia-0 PH-8.3 Nitrite-0 Nitrate-0 Calcium-501 Mag-1350 Alk-7.7 SG-1.026 I am going to check my current parameters this afternoon and will post back. __________________ 46 Gallon Bowfront, (1)Ocellaris Clownfish, (1)Carpenter wrasse, (1)Coral Beauty, (1)Kole Tang

03/04/2014, 02:21 PM	#3
mluntz Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Millersville, Md. Posts: 727	It just seems like every time I put this stuff in, the end result is brown sand. Doing water tests as we speak. __________________ 46 Gallon Bowfront, (1)Ocellaris Clownfish, (1)Carpenter wrasse, (1)Coral Beauty, (1)Kole Tang

03/04/2014, 01:10 PM	#2
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	I've never used Marine Snow before, but the DT's phytoplankton was a phosphate bomb IMO. If the dosage is not being consumed in a jiffy, brown sand was most likely the result.

03/04/2014, 03:01 PM	#4
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	What size tank & what animals are you intending to feed? You could be using too much or feeding it to animals that really don't need it or are utilizing organics from different sources. TLF Marine Snow is made up of small organic particles. I use it in an experimental sponge tank but not 100% certain it's utilized, but I think it is. I've target fed modest amounts to coco worms & Hawaiin feather dusters but could never keep them alive for more than about 18 months. (I also fed them non-living algae). It won't make a difference to hard corals IME unless perhaps the water is stripped of dissolved organics for some reason.