Please Help!

NanaReefer · Jun 3, 2015

I've been battling this issue since day one of tank set up, next week being a year. Some weeks it's worse than others but always present somewhere on my sand bed. This week it is terrible!
Started tank with CacibSea Arag-ALive Figi Pink sand. This is the only place this substance plagues. It's not on the rock, glass, pumps, nothing. Nor is it in my sump area at all. I did not use the same sand in my fuge.
Running LED's. RO/DI=0 TDS (all containers) all new filters and membrane.
Bi-weekly 5g water changes has been working great. All corals have great coloring and growth. All fish healthy. Feed LRS Reef Frenzy, small amounts 2x daily. Dose 2part via doser.
CA=440
ALK=9.0
MAG=1360
PH=8.2
Temp=79.9
NO3=5 via Salifert
PO4=0.02 via Salifert

sureal00 · Jun 3, 2015

cerith snails or nassirius snails would help clean up sand.Would you swap out the sand?

danangelo · Jun 3, 2015

Ya get more CUC in there

3Twinklets · Jun 3, 2015

It looks like Diatoms. Try aiming a power head toward that spot and also a clean up crew does help keep the sand bed stirred up.

cloak · Jun 3, 2015

Maybe this link will help.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/1/aafeature1

NanaReefer · Jun 3, 2015

Where the heck are they coming from, if it is Diatoms? Why the entire SB? It's like I'm dumping a cup of Silica in my tank daily. I need to find out!
I'm running the Gyre XF-130 @50% pulse mode, it's a 40B. Looking closely I can see sand particles moving so it's getting flow.

Will running carbon cause Diatoms?
I wash my filter socks in bleach. Rinse well and let air dry weeks in between uses. Diatoms?

3Twinklets · Jun 3, 2015

I would have to guess it is in your sand. You may have to think about changing it out.

reeffirstaid · Jun 3, 2015

It's a bacteria, at least that's my guess judging from the photos. While 5 ppm nitrate and .02 phosphate isn't out of control, it's enough to give bacterias capable of that mess fuel to grow. The main thing is to reduce both those parameters and cut off the food source. For phosphate, if you're not using GFO, that would be a good start. If GFO is taking too long, Brightwell Aquatics makes a liquid phosphate remover that works well. As for nitrates, how much are you feeding? You tank doesn't appear over-populated. You may need to look into some sort of a nitrate reactor, or bio-pellet reactor. If it were me, I would go with a sulphur based de-nitrator, as biopellets can cause cyanobacteria outbreaks, similar to what you have now. Another option isn't used often, but would likely help - and that is ozone. Ozone would kill some of the bacteria within the water column, raise the ORP of your water, clarify the water and help break down nutrients and take some load off the bio-filter. A UV sterilizer may help, but I think ozone would be of more value. If you opt for either UV or ozone, stirring the sand bed and allowing it to run through the device may assist in getting rid of what is already there.

NanaReefer · Jun 7, 2015

Stirring the SB does absolutely nothing. Given 5 minutes it's all right back. I just wish I knew what it was. Doesn't behave like Cyano. Doesn't disappear during lights out. Not stringy no bubbles like Dino's. Heavier, thicker than Diatoms.
I don't want to start all kinds of treatments without some idea.
I took these pics 20min after stirring it all up.

Reefing Madness · Jun 7, 2015

Did you just turn up the intensity of your lighting? Or just put new LED lighting on the tank? Its a lighting Diatom Bloom, it will go away by themselves, but like a new tank, it will take time.

NanaReefer · Jun 7, 2015

I did turn the whites up couple weeks ago. But only 1% and only for a couple hours.

Reefing Madness · Jun 7, 2015

Turn it back down, see what happens.

NanaReefer · Jun 11, 2015

Ok this is freaking ridiculous!! Did a WC yesterday, vacuumed the entire SB. Man is looked awesome!! Pretty white sand for the first time since setting this tank up.
Guess what? By this morning this crap is back. Appeared before lights came on. I hate the thought of going the ChemiClean route. I have a Conch, 10 Nassarius snails, couple Creith Snails and 2 Scarlet Hermits. None touch this stuff.
I'm gonna have to chemically treat my tank right?

I wish I knew exactly what it is.

Will going 3 days lights out harm my SPS? I'm so afraid to do this.

brandon429 · Jun 11, 2015

I truly would not do the blackout, if your tank was mine id just manually remove it via siphon for a while and it would stop providing you have no excess po4 issues. this is a prime prime prime target for UV sterilization, if you put on an oversized uv it would zap those quick. Not everybody wants to do that, but at least its no harm to your others. I guarantee you if this was my tank id have that beat with my big ole UV that sits unused currently in the garage.

brandon429 · Jun 11, 2015

its not that idhave to run it 24x7, just long enough to rid that biomass, its not a persistent invader when attacked right imo. there are many things UV wont help with, but monerans or diatoms with a water transitory phase, yep, they are darn handy cheats. Constant physical removal w also work but it w take more time and more work. This is a lucky invader for you, its prob the least serious of any on a long term basis

jsker · Jun 11, 2015

I know you said you change your filters, how long ago? could your DI resin be old or bad? I have seen some resin out there the are for extra silicate removel

NanaReefer · Jun 12, 2015

All filters and membrane changed in March. What I've done until I can find a small inexpensive reactor, is added a cup of PhosGaurd in a mesh bag to a small internal filter and placed it in my return chamber. It's a small filter at only 90gph, hopefully it helps remove the silicates.
I'm thinking maybe I gotta bad batch of RC. I've been using this salt for 6yrs, never an issue. But several others stated they were experiencing similar issues.

Harold Green · Jun 27, 2015

You didn't mention how big your tank is. The amount of snails and hermits you have might be enough for a one gallon tank but it takes a lot of snails and hermits to really make a difference in keeping the sand clean. My 210 has hundreds of hermits and snails along with small brittle stars and tons of spaghetti worms. They keep the bottom turned over hunting for food and have the added benefit of cleaning all new frags as soon as they are placed in the tank.

NanaReefer · Jun 27, 2015

After 6yrs reefing I've discovered when it comes to a CUC, less is more. Especially when using the proper species for said jobs.
In my 40B I have 5 Bumblebee Snails, 2 Scarlet Hermits, 10 Nassarius Snails of various sizes, One Strawberry Conch, 2 large Cerith Snails, 50 plus Collonista Snails, one Cowry Snail, several other Snails that I cannot recall the name of, Cleaner Shrimp and Bi-Colored Blenny [emoji2]

On a happy note, the issue is clearing up. On the 2 occasions that I did a WC, adding the water back directly into the DT, it got worse. The last 2 times I went back to adding it via my sump. Now it's not so bad. Small patches here an there. This leads me to believe it's silicates in my salt mix or worse my water.

Harold Green · Jun 27, 2015

Multiply what you have by five and you almost match what I have in my 210 except for the hermits. I probably have between fifty and a hundred, however many of them are very small micro hermits.