High Nitrates

[Ineedhelp]

Coral looks good, fish are fine but I need a lawn mower for all this red algae on the sand bed. I have been dosing vibrant but stopped because I was nervous it would kill all my snails I just ordered. Shoudl I just do a large water change? All other tests are in normal levels.

The tank is about 3 years old and was recently moved were I washed the sand bed however, same rock and water...

 

[Ocelaris]

It may be Cyano. What are your parameters, how long has the tank been up? Not sure what vibrant is, but stability and more details about filtration and maintenance are needed to offer advice. If it is cyano they make a product that can kill it, but there's usually a reason for it and it will come back if the underlying circumstances aren't fixed.

 

[Brew12]

Coral looks good, fish are fine but I need a lawn mower for all this red algae on the sand bed. I have been dosing vibrant but stopped because I was nervous it would kill all my snails I just ordered. Shoudl I just do a large water change? All other tests are in normal levels.

The tank is about 3 years old and was recently moved were I washed the sand bed however, same rock and water...

How high is "high nitrates"?

I've used Vibrant for over a month and haven't seen any problems with my snails.

 

[Ineedhelp]

15 - 20 ppm

 

[Brew12]

15 - 20 ppm

That's not too bad and only a little high.

If you run a skimmer it should take those levels down fairly quickly as long as you aren't overfeeding.

Have you done the H2O2 test on your red algae?

 

[Ineedhelp]

I have not how do I run that test? I really think it is cyn

 

[Tahoe61]

Do Lawnmower blennies eat cyano? I do not think so. Not uncommon for a moved tank to go through the uglies, especially if you washed out the sand bed (sometimes it better to just replace the sand bed). Can you increase flow to the sand bed?
I would manually remove, proceed with routine water changes, wet skim and ride it out. If nitrates and phosphates are controlled this should resolve. A nitrate level of 15-20 while chronic can fuel algae I see this issue more related to the move.

 

[Brew12]

I have not how do I run that test? I really think it is cyn

Best way to confirm is to take a chunk of the algae and put it in a container. I put about 1/2 a capful of H2O2 into a container with 1 to 2 cups of saltwater. You don't need to be precise. Give it an hour or so and if the water turns pink and the sample white, you know which category of cyano you have.
If the water turns pink you can dose 1ml/10 gallons of H2O2 twice a day to help fight it.

 

[Ineedhelp]

Do Lawnmower blennies eat cyano? I do not think so. Not uncommon for a moved tank to go through the uglies, especially if you washed out the sand bed (sometimes it better to just replace the sand bed). Can you increase flow to the sand bed?
I would manually remove, proceed with routine water changes, wet skim and ride it out. If nitrates and phosphates are controlled this should resolve. A nitrate level of 15-20 while chronic can fuel algae I see this issue more related to the move.

I agree it was the moved and many advised just to get news sand but at the time I couldnt pay for that much sand (right after black friday) I will increase flow, also should I use my syphon vac and a 5 gallon bucket and just pull it out? I also think I have been running my lights to high and long so I adjusted all of that this morning

 

[Brew12]

Do Lawnmower blennies eat cyano?

lol This is how you can tell someone takes this hobby seriously!

Some of us still use lawn mowers to cut our grass!

 

[Tahoe61]

lol This is how you can tell someone takes this hobby seriously!

Some of us still use lawn mowers to cut our grass!

 

[Brew12]

I agree it was the moved and many advised just to get news sand but at the time I couldnt pay for that much sand (right after black friday) I will increase flow, also should I use my syphon vac and a 5 gallon bucket and just pull it out? I also think I have been running my lights to high and long so I adjusted all of that this morning

Pulling it out is a great idea but in my experience it is difficult since it sticks to the sand bed. Still worth the effort.

I'm fighting cyano right now as part of my new tank syndrome so I feel your pain.

 

[Tahoe61]

I agree it was the moved and many advised just to get news sand but at the time I couldnt pay for that much sand (right after black friday) I will increase flow, also should I use my syphon vac and a 5 gallon bucket and just pull it out? I also think I have been running my lights to high and long so I adjusted all of that this morning

I use a smaller diameter tubing and just siphon it out. If it's cyano it should be easily removed, but cyano will probably re-appear until the tank stabilizes.

 

[Ocelaris]

I'm going to bet it's the sand bed, anytime I siphon clean my sand bed for the next 2 weeks I get cyano. I don't clean it anymore and haven't had issues. I don't have enough sand that I'm worried that it's going to be a huge nutrient sink and I have enough critters in the sand bed that IMO all I get is disturbance in the force for my efforts. Everything else gets cleaned immaculately, but I don't touch the sand bed.

 

[Ineedhelp]

I should of just bought new sand, really not wanting to empty the tank again and put new sand in but is that my best option or just ride the roller coaster until we get to the end?

 

[Brew12]

I should of just bought new sand, really not wanting to empty the tank again and put new sand in but is that my best option or just ride the roller coaster until we get to the end?

Nah, you are fine now. Just work through this. Most of the harm is done, not that it was much to begin with.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I should of just bought new sand, really not wanting to empty the tank again and put new sand in but is that my best option or just ride the roller coaster until we get to the end?

just keep doing what your doing. Itll settle down.
cyano feeds in different ways IMO. No and Po and also on particles. light too but..
Vibrant I think is fueling the cyano w dissolved foods, there is mass dieoff in the tank after all. besides just increased(sometimes) nutrints.
Ive transferred sand beds a few times. theres phases depending on the method and the amount of rinse. If the organics are all removed only Po should remain.