Algae on sanded, Difficult to siphon out.

[Hiroshii]

My tank is a 220 gallon, Been running for 1 year and 1 month. My livestock are foxface, maroon clownfish, ocellaris clown and dart fish. Corals are GSP, RBTA, zoa, xenia and stylophora.

I don't have a microscope to I.D the algae I did pull some and placed in a cup with 1ml of hydrogen peroxide and it didn't bubble nor did the water color change.

In my sump I have a Clarissa sk5000 then the water goes through a filter sock. I have a Maxspect jump SK400 series protein skimmer.
I am lacking in the CUC department. Don't have enough for the tank. I have a bunch of CUC coming Tuesday along with the Hannah UL phosphate and nitrates kit.

Parameter: (red sea test kit)
Temp. 76.8
Salinity 1.026
Mg 1420
Ca 450
Dkh 9.8
Nitrates 0 - 0.1
Phosphate 0.2
P.H 8.3
Ammonia 0

I have a bunch of chemicals on hand. Just not sure how to approach it. I have microbacter 7. Microbacter clean, neo nitro. neophos, brightwell phosphat-e. I have a GFO but I haven't installed it yet.

Here are pictures with the light off of the algae. If I try to siphon it out it just clumps and falls right back down on the sand and it's just hard to siphon it out. It's green/ brown in color.

I need some guidance on how I should approach it. If I've missed any info out I'm sorry.

 

[GillMeister]

Scoop it out with a fish net, scrub it and rinse it in saltwater, and return it to the tank. And then get yourself a sand-sifting goby to keep it clean.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks like more of a cyano which will cause sand to clump.
Raking it loose, deep siphoning or netting it up for good rinse in bucket will loosen this.

 

[Hiroshii]

Scoop it out with a fish net, scrub it and rinse it in saltwater, and return it to the tank. And then get yourself a sand-sifting goby to keep it clean.

I have one coming in a few weeks, I will definitely use a net. Didn't think about using it. Thank you.

Looks like more of a cyano which will cause sand to clump.
Raking it loose, deep siphoning or netting it up for good rinse in bucket will loosen this.

I'll scoop the sand out with a net and rise in. Is the cyano cause by low nitrates?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have one coming in a few weeks, I will definitely use a net. Didn't think about using it. Thank you.

I'll scoop the sand out with a net and rise in. Is the cyano cause by low nitrates?

Generally high nitrate, skimmer cup overflowing, over feeding

 

[Lavey29]

What is your light spectrum and intensity? What flow do you have in the large tank to cover the bottom area?

 

[Hiroshii]

What is your light spectrum and intensity? What flow do you have in the large tank to cover the bottom area?

I have 4 apex WAV on the tank, I have 2 on each side. The highest I have them set on is 20% cause they'll blow sand everywhere.
My lights are 4 AI 32HD. (I've dialed the light duration back, Due to the algae)

 

[Hiroshii]

Generally high nitrate, skimmer cup overflowing, over feeding

I do feed a little more than I should. I just tested my nitrates now and it's between 0.1 and 0.2 using the red sea test kit. My skimmer works well and doesn't really overflow. I do turn it off during the day and just turn it on at night.

 

[gbroadbridge]

My tank is a 220 gallon, Been running for 1 year and 1 month. My livestock are foxface, maroon clownfish, ocellaris clown and dart fish. Corals are GSP, RBTA, zoa, xenia and stylophora.

I don't have a microscope to I.D the algae I did pull some and placed in a cup with 1ml of hydrogen peroxide and it didn't bubble nor did the water color change.

In my sump I have a Clarissa sk5000 then the water goes through a filter sock. I have a Maxspect jump SK400 series protein skimmer.
I am lacking in the CUC department. Don't have enough for the tank. I have a bunch of CUC coming Tuesday along with the Hannah UL phosphate and nitrates kit.

Parameter: (red sea test kit)
Temp. 76.8
Salinity 1.026
Mg 1420
Ca 450
Dkh 9.8
Nitrates 0 - 0.1
Phosphate 0.2
P.H 8.3
Ammonia 0

I have a bunch of chemicals on hand. Just not sure how to approach it. I have microbacter 7. Microbacter clean, neo nitro. neophos, brightwell phosphat-e. I have a GFO but I haven't installed it yet.

Here are pictures with the light off of the algae. If I try to siphon it out it just clumps and falls right back down on the sand and it's just hard to siphon it out. It's green/ brown in color.

I need some guidance on how I should approach it. If I've missed any info out I'm sorry.

Daylight hitting the tank? Are you near a window?

Algae can use photosynthesis to grow even in low measured nutrient situations.

 

[Lavey29]

Good on the dial back and limit white lights use blue and UV. Maybe you can set your wave flow pumps to do a 5 or 10 minute higher flow duration twice a day to stir up that sand a little and get that algae into the water column so your other filtration will catch it and remove it?

 

[Hiroshii]

Daylight hitting the tank? Are you near a window?

Algae can use photosynthesis to grow even in low measured nutrient situations.

Yes, The tank is in the living room with a 7ft tall window. The blinds are always closed. I don't see any light going directly into the tank.

 

[Hiroshii]

Good on the dial back and limit white lights use blue and UV. Maybe you can set your wave flow pumps to do a 5 or 10 minute higher flow duration twice a day to stir up that sand a little and get that algae into the water column so your other filtration will catch it and remove it?

I will definitely go ahead and do that. Thank you.