Grass-like Sand Algae Help Please

windyridge · 03/11/2012, 05:12 PM

Tank is an upgraded tank with new sand that was seeded with a cup of old sand. Half the rock was BRS Reefsaver prepared like so: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2102293

It's been three months now since livestock was added and after having pristine sand I no longer do

. I have what appears to be a stringy, slimey, cyano outbreak (above pic bottom) on the sand. I am presuming this is the normal 3 month thing and will go away? I run GFO and my phosphates run around 0.06 to 0.1 +- .04. I am most concerned about this grasslike algae that is cropping up mostly in the middle where uneaten food may drop. I have a cleanup crew so food doesn't settle long. Manual plucking of this algae brings up a string with sand stuck to it. I cannot keep up with manual removal and it is becoming very unsightly. All my rocks but one old rock have zero algae growth.

Look closely in the middle of the pic below (sorry I couldn't get a clear picture).

What can I do about this green grasslike stuff and is this type of cyano normal?

windyridge · 03/12/2012, 07:29 PM

None of you learned aquarists out there can help me?

Buzz1329 · 03/12/2012, 07:48 PM

Not sure I can see the algae? Is this like one of those pictures where you have to hold it up to your eyes and squint sideways for a few minutes?

Anyways, it seems like your phosphates are pretty high. I'd try to get it below .03.

FWIW, I had some cyano on my sand recently and feeding less (especially the frozen cubes) seemed to do the trick.

Good luck

windyridge · 03/12/2012, 08:20 PM

Pretty much dead in the middle, green clumps.... bottom pic for green algae. Right above the sand in the middle, cyano.... first pic. My phosphates are .06 to .1 (not often at .1) so plus or minus the error on the instrument of .04 they could be as low as .02.

windyridge · 03/13/2012, 10:53 AM

Ok better pics of the grasslike alage:

Dead center:

BigCountry74 · 03/13/2012, 11:57 AM

I am no expert, but looks like newly growing macro algae. possibly calpura?

zigzag1 · 03/13/2012, 12:06 PM

Phosphates are too high, shoot for .03 PPM or less. Change your GFO more often, and reduce feeding, rinse frozen foods, etc. Food is overwhelmingly the largest source of nutrients in aquariums.

I keep my reef tanks bare bottom, so I'm no expert. But with a shallow sandbed as yours appears to be, I believe a gravel vac is recommended. Your sand grain size looks a bit larger than recommended too. Do you have any sandbed type snails? Maybe someone with more experience with your type of substrate can provide more advice..

windyridge · 03/13/2012, 03:11 PM

The sand is what the LFS carries and they actually have a great reputation. I have 10 nassarius snails. I rinsed my home made frozen food this AM and will continue to do that. I have a gravel vac if you mean the siphon water change thing and that's my plan today. I just had to make the water.

This grassy stuff is only in the middle of the tank where the food sometimes settles. I've started leaving the recirc pumps at feeding time to keep as much of the food in the water column as I can.

Buzz1329 · 03/13/2012, 03:26 PM

"My phosphates are .06 to .1 (not often at .1) so plus or minus the error on the instrument of .04 they could be as low as .02."

Even with the "plus or minus error," that seems high to me. Regardless of what type of algae that is, I'd take steps to reduce phosphates. Are you using GFO? If not, I'd recommend that you consider getting a BRS reactor.

03/11/2012, 05:12 PM	#1
windyridge Fish Mother Join Date: May 2011 Location: South Otselic, NY Posts: 1,403	Grass-like Sand Algae Help Please Tank is an upgraded tank with new sand that was seeded with a cup of old sand. Half the rock was BRS Reefsaver prepared like so: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2102293 It's been three months now since livestock was added and after having pristine sand I no longer do . I have what appears to be a stringy, slimey, cyano outbreak (above pic bottom) on the sand. I am presuming this is the normal 3 month thing and will go away? I run GFO and my phosphates run around 0.06 to 0.1 +- .04. I am most concerned about this grasslike algae that is cropping up mostly in the middle where uneaten food may drop. I have a cleanup crew so food doesn't settle long. Manual plucking of this algae brings up a string with sand stuck to it. I cannot keep up with manual removal and it is becoming very unsightly. All my rocks but one old rock have zero algae growth. Look closely in the middle of the pic below (sorry I couldn't get a clear picture). What can I do about this green grasslike stuff and is this type of cyano normal? __________________ 92G Mixed reef, SCA-302 skimmer, 15g sump w/fuge & Eheim Compact Plus @650 gph, AI Sol Blue, Koralia 750 &Tunze Nanostream 6025, Apex Jr,Tomini, 6-Line, Brittle star, damsels, Gramma, RBTA/clown, PJ c Current Tank Info: 92G Corner Bowfront Mixed Reef

03/12/2012, 07:29 PM	#2
windyridge Fish Mother Join Date: May 2011 Location: South Otselic, NY Posts: 1,403	None of you learned aquarists out there can help me? __________________ 92G Mixed reef, SCA-302 skimmer, 15g sump w/fuge & Eheim Compact Plus @650 gph, AI Sol Blue, Koralia 750 &Tunze Nanostream 6025, Apex Jr,Tomini, 6-Line, Brittle star, damsels, Gramma, RBTA/clown, PJ c Current Tank Info: 92G Corner Bowfront Mixed Reef

03/12/2012, 07:48 PM	#3
Buzz1329 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Staten Island Posts: 2,414	Not sure I can see the algae? Is this like one of those pictures where you have to hold it up to your eyes and squint sideways for a few minutes? Anyways, it seems like your phosphates are pretty high. I'd try to get it below .03. FWIW, I had some cyano on my sand recently and feeding less (especially the frozen cubes) seemed to do the trick. Good luck __________________ Current tank info: 180 mixed reef

03/12/2012, 08:20 PM	#4
windyridge Fish Mother Join Date: May 2011 Location: South Otselic, NY Posts: 1,403	Pretty much dead in the middle, green clumps.... bottom pic for green algae. Right above the sand in the middle, cyano.... first pic. My phosphates are .06 to .1 (not often at .1) so plus or minus the error on the instrument of .04 they could be as low as .02. __________________ 92G Mixed reef, SCA-302 skimmer, 15g sump w/fuge & Eheim Compact Plus @650 gph, AI Sol Blue, Koralia 750 &Tunze Nanostream 6025, Apex Jr,Tomini, 6-Line, Brittle star, damsels, Gramma, RBTA/clown, PJ c Current Tank Info: 92G Corner Bowfront Mixed Reef

03/13/2012, 10:53 AM	#5
windyridge Fish Mother Join Date: May 2011 Location: South Otselic, NY Posts: 1,403	Ok better pics of the grasslike alage: Dead center: __________________ 92G Mixed reef, SCA-302 skimmer, 15g sump w/fuge & Eheim Compact Plus @650 gph, AI Sol Blue, Koralia 750 &Tunze Nanostream 6025, Apex Jr,Tomini, 6-Line, Brittle star, damsels, Gramma, RBTA/clown, PJ c Current Tank Info: 92G Corner Bowfront Mixed Reef

03/13/2012, 11:57 AM	#6
BigCountry74 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,761	I am no expert, but looks like newly growing macro algae. possibly calpura? __________________ 135g mixed reef (retired) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2132815 Current 40g reef http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2483250 Current Tank Info: 40g bare bottom reef

03/13/2012, 12:06 PM	#7
zigzag1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Anderson, Indiana Posts: 1,276	Phosphates are too high, shoot for .03 PPM or less. Change your GFO more often, and reduce feeding, rinse frozen foods, etc. Food is overwhelmingly the largest source of nutrients in aquariums. I keep my reef tanks bare bottom, so I'm no expert. But with a shallow sandbed as yours appears to be, I believe a gravel vac is recommended. Your sand grain size looks a bit larger than recommended too. Do you have any sandbed type snails? Maybe someone with more experience with your type of substrate can provide more advice.. __________________ :beer: Mixed Reef, started 10/2004: 6' BB 125g DT, 100lbs LR, 40g sump, Dual Ehiem 1000 returns, Eshopps dual overflow, JBJ ATO, Vertex IN-180, PM Ca reactor, 250w MH w/VHO Actinic, AC3 w/Aquasurf, Tunze 6105 pair & 40B frag tank 8 Fish, 20+ corals, shrimp, snails, worms, bugs, etc.

03/13/2012, 03:11 PM	#8
windyridge Fish Mother Join Date: May 2011 Location: South Otselic, NY Posts: 1,403	The sand is what the LFS carries and they actually have a great reputation. I have 10 nassarius snails. I rinsed my home made frozen food this AM and will continue to do that. I have a gravel vac if you mean the siphon water change thing and that's my plan today. I just had to make the water. This grassy stuff is only in the middle of the tank where the food sometimes settles. I've started leaving the recirc pumps at feeding time to keep as much of the food in the water column as I can. __________________ 92G Mixed reef, SCA-302 skimmer, 15g sump w/fuge & Eheim Compact Plus @650 gph, AI Sol Blue, Koralia 750 &Tunze Nanostream 6025, Apex Jr,Tomini, 6-Line, Brittle star, damsels, Gramma, RBTA/clown, PJ c Current Tank Info: 92G Corner Bowfront Mixed Reef

03/13/2012, 03:26 PM	#9
Buzz1329 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Staten Island Posts: 2,414	"My phosphates are .06 to .1 (not often at .1) so plus or minus the error on the instrument of .04 they could be as low as .02." Even with the "plus or minus error," that seems high to me. Regardless of what type of algae that is, I'd take steps to reduce phosphates. Are you using GFO? If not, I'd recommend that you consider getting a BRS reactor. __________________ Current tank info: 180 mixed reef