Help before I Throw in the towel please!!!!!

[CMMorgan]

Looks like it could be cyano. You have to use chemiclean right now it’s the only way.

That is

Dusty and reddish. Hard to be positive on color, black sand bed. It vacuums and comes back.

DING DING DING... there you go. I had black sand in my first reef tank. I had the same issue constantly. It drove me insane. I was at a LFS called After the Ocean in Sarasota discussing this with the owner and the Eshopps rep interjected and asked point blank if I had black sand. He said that it is essentially perpetual diatoms. There is something in the black sand, Iron maybe - I forget. They told me to replace the sand. I did. Problem never came back.
My tank was the same age as yours....

 

[vetteguy53081]

My past 360g was all black sand and Zero issues. Some have magnetic sand (which attaches to magnetic scraper) but otherwise safe.

 

[whtemajik]

My past 360g was all black sand and Zero issues. Some have magnetic sand (which attaches to magnetic scraper) but otherwise safe.

It only started a few months ago. Before that tank was pristine. It’s like ever since the Dino transfer it won’t settle back down. I’ll do some huge water changes and see if that kills, and I’ll aim for <.04 on both. Thanks for now and I’ll follow up.

 

[CMMorgan]

My past 360g was all black sand and Zero issues. Some have magnetic sand (which attaches to magnetic scraper) but otherwise safe.

Yes, mine was magnetic... loved the look... until the perpetual diatom bloom happened. It was a cool looking tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It only started a few months ago. Before that tank was pristine. It’s like ever since the Dino transfer it won’t settle back down. I’ll do some huge water changes and see if that kills, and I’ll aim for <.04 on both. Thanks for now and I’ll follow up.

You can also add a pouch of Chemipure elite which will destroy some of the dino as it has GFO and will polish water and keep the Nitrate/Phos in check and remove any toxins present

 

[whtemajik]

Ok, so I just stuck my flipper scraper in there and the sand stuck. I’m so aggravated because I added some a couple of months ago which would explain why it won’t stay gone since, but was good before then.......thank you both for all the help and suggestions. I never would have thought the sand was my issue or a contributing factor!

 

[[Cameron]]

First, STOP! Stop dumping chemicals in and stop messing with the tank in general. I suggest you send a water sample to a lab for measurement. In the meantime, increase your water changes. Tanks like stability even when their params are out of whack. Chemicals often have odd interactions as well. Consistent and relatively small water changes can bring balance to a tank. 10% or so a week until those params come back is what I would do.

Most importantly, time to take a breath for yourself. These are the kinds of problems that lead to reef burn out. Too many of us start trying solutions one right after the next until we burn out or one of the "fixes" kills the tank. Patience is the real magic in solving these problems and more importantly keeping you sane.

Now I suspect you have an algae problem that is likely dinos and it is consuming the excess nutrients in the tank causing the tests to come up clean.

 

[whtemajik]

First, STOP! Stop dumping chemicals in and stop messing with the tank in general. I suggest you send a water sample to a lab for measurement. In the meantime, increase your water changes. Tanks like stability even when their params are out of whack. Chemicals often have odd interactions as well. Water changes can bring balance to a tank.

Most importantly, time to take a breath for yourself. These are the kinds of problems that lead to reef burn out. Too many of us start trying solutions one right after the next. Patience is the real magic in solving these problems and more importantly keeping you sane.

I haven’t added anything besides dosing in weeks.....

 

[CMMorgan]

First, STOP! Stop dumping chemicals in and stop messing with the tank in general. I suggest you send a water sample to a lab for measurement. In the meantime, increase your water changes. Tanks like stability even when their params are out of whack. Chemicals often have odd interactions as well. Consistent and relatively small water changes can bring balance to a tank. 10% or so a week until those params come back is what I would do.

Most importantly, time to take a breath for yourself. These are the kinds of problems that lead to reef burn out. Too many of us start trying solutions one right after the next until we burn out or one of the "fixes" kills the tank. Patience is the real magic in solving these problems and more importantly keeping you sane.

Now I suspect you have an algae problem that is likely dinos and it is consuming the excess nutrients in the tank causing the tests to come up clean.

An ICP test is not a terrible idea....
BTW: we're neighbors. I'm just up the road from you in Charlotte County.

 

[Karliefish]

My past 360g was all black sand and Zero issues. Some have magnetic sand (which attaches to magnetic scraper) but otherwise safe.

I thinking of going with black sand. What particular brand did you use? Thanks

 

[vetteguy53081]

I thinking of going with black sand. What particular brand did you use? Thanks

Carib sea

 

[greetl01]

Carib sea

Whew....I was hoping it was CaribSea. I was kind of salty it wasn't a darker shade of black but i'll take no dinos over pretty sand any day LOL