Brown sand problem

Letniq · 03/20/2010, 10:45 AM

Hi,
I have a 32 Gallon tank but I have some problem with the water. It is like the brown phase don't want to go away It three months since I top off the tank.
I'm not having enough space to place a sump under the tank so I'm using a Eheim Ecco 3334 with bioballs and ceramics. Also there are two wavemaker pumps and one powerhead to circulate the water. The skimmer is custom made and It's equivalent of AquaMedic Midiflotor.
http://www.aqua-medic.de/seawater/en/11/midiflotor/
I have about 8% of the tank volume with live rocks.

The sand is constantly dark brown and over the night It gets a little lighter and during the day It gets dark again. I have a sand star but It's not helping. The water surface looks slimy. I'm testing the water but I can't see any problems. I'm just little worried about the pH because when I make JBL 5in1 stripe test I get 7.8 value but when I make Sera pH test I get 8.5.

Please help me to fix the problem

jenjen · 03/20/2010, 12:23 PM

Flow (lack of) and excess nutrients contribute to what you're seeing. You can try moving powerheads around so there is more flow across the surface of the sand. Often that film on the water surface is a combination of nutrients and flow as well. Water changes can help, and also more flow agitating the water surface.

What livestock do you have? What and how much/often do you feed? What is you water source? And what are your test results (the actual numbers)?

Letniq · 03/21/2010, 03:06 AM

Here are the actual JBL EasyTest 5in1 test readings:
NO3 - 0
NO2 - 0
GH > 21 - that is something that makes me worry
KH - 6-10
pH - 7.6-8 It's between these two values. Sere pH Test shows 8.5 here.

I will try playing around with the powerhead and wavemakers positions and may be adding another powerhead.
I'm having just one Yellowtailed Damsel, sand star and 4 turbo snails so I'm heading only the fish with very small amounts of frozen food.

I will try to remove the slimy water surface because I think It is stopping the air to contact with water.

ohclereef01 · 03/21/2010, 09:27 AM

I would check your PO4. Are you doing water changes with RO/DI water?

Letniq · 03/21/2010, 05:31 PM

I will try by increasing water flow and If It isn't working then I will check my PO4 because I don't have PO4 test right now.

I don't have RO/DI system but most of the people with reef tank in my area says that the tap water is just fine and they top off their tanks with tap water. I fill a bucket of water then add Sera Aquatan and leave it for few days and when It's necessary I use the water from the bucket.

ohclereef01 · 03/21/2010, 07:18 PM

If you get the PO4 kit I would test your tap water as well as your tank water..

03/20/2010, 10:45 AM	#1
Letniq Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4	Brown sand problem Hi, I have a 32 Gallon tank but I have some problem with the water. It is like the brown phase don't want to go away It three months since I top off the tank. I'm not having enough space to place a sump under the tank so I'm using a Eheim Ecco 3334 with bioballs and ceramics. Also there are two wavemaker pumps and one powerhead to circulate the water. The skimmer is custom made and It's equivalent of AquaMedic Midiflotor. http://www.aqua-medic.de/seawater/en/11/midiflotor/ I have about 8% of the tank volume with live rocks. The sand is constantly dark brown and over the night It gets a little lighter and during the day It gets dark again. I have a sand star but It's not helping. The water surface looks slimy. I'm testing the water but I can't see any problems. I'm just little worried about the pH because when I make JBL 5in1 stripe test I get 7.8 value but when I make Sera pH test I get 8.5. Please help me to fix the problem

03/20/2010, 12:23 PM	#2
jenjen Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Langley BC, Canada Posts: 1,710	Flow (lack of) and excess nutrients contribute to what you're seeing. You can try moving powerheads around so there is more flow across the surface of the sand. Often that film on the water surface is a combination of nutrients and flow as well. Water changes can help, and also more flow agitating the water surface. What livestock do you have? What and how much/often do you feed? What is you water source? And what are your test results (the actual numbers)? __________________ "Challenges forge the greatness in you" Current Tank Info: 180gal softy reef (Apr '09)

03/21/2010, 03:06 AM	#3
Letniq Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4	Here are the actual JBL EasyTest 5in1 test readings: NO3 - 0 NO2 - 0 GH > 21 - that is something that makes me worry KH - 6-10 pH - 7.6-8 It's between these two values. Sere pH Test shows 8.5 here. I will try playing around with the powerhead and wavemakers positions and may be adding another powerhead. I'm having just one Yellowtailed Damsel, sand star and 4 turbo snails so I'm heading only the fish with very small amounts of frozen food. I will try to remove the slimy water surface because I think It is stopping the air to contact with water.

03/21/2010, 09:27 AM	#4
ohclereef01 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 126	I would check your PO4. Are you doing water changes with RO/DI water?

03/21/2010, 05:31 PM	#5
Letniq Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4	I will try by increasing water flow and If It isn't working then I will check my PO4 because I don't have PO4 test right now. I don't have RO/DI system but most of the people with reef tank in my area says that the tap water is just fine and they top off their tanks with tap water. I fill a bucket of water then add Sera Aquatan and leave it for few days and when It's necessary I use the water from the bucket.

03/21/2010, 07:18 PM	#6
ohclereef01 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 126	If you get the PO4 kit I would test your tap water as well as your tank water..