Last Sunday my jebao power head somehow fell overnight and landed in sand bed blew sand everywhere the water was disgusting I thought I lost everything I’ve done 3 water 4 gallon changes this week Monday,Wednesday,Saturday Added new chemipure ,purigen and swapping filter floss twice a day to try and clean up water water is finally clear almost back to normal no fish lost thankfully corals looked miserable until Wednesday but seems I’ve only lost few zoa frags But now I’m getting patches orange algae or bacteria on the top of sandbed ???
Power head fell into sandbed overnight
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SPR1968
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We maybe need a full set of water parameters on this in particular nutrient levels as I’m guessing there may have been a big release from the sand bed depending on how clean it was.
It looks a bit like the start of diatoms but it’s difficult to be sure at this stage
It looks a bit like the start of diatoms but it’s difficult to be sure at this stage
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My vote is for diatoms. How old is the tank? And like the others have asked, parameters?
On a side note - a word of caution about your green palythoas. Although pretty, they can and will spread like wildfire if given the chance. They, as a added bonus, are also one of the species that usually harbor high levels of palytoxin. Please use caution with them. Gloves and eye protection, wash well when you are done.
If you're stupid like me, or think it can't happen to you, I leave you this
and I knew better.
On a side note - a word of caution about your green palythoas. Although pretty, they can and will spread like wildfire if given the chance. They, as a added bonus, are also one of the species that usually harbor high levels of palytoxin. Please use caution with them. Gloves and eye protection, wash well when you are done.
If you're stupid like me, or think it can't happen to you, I leave you this
and I knew better.
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VB313
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I Also have dosed 5ml microbactor 7 After the past 3 water changes was told that would help clear up the water
Salinity-1.026
Pho’s- 0.04
nitrate-50 (maxed out on Red Sea kit)
Nitrite-0
Calcium-490
Mag-1560
Dkh-7
Ph-8
Tanks was pre owned before me same sand and live rock believe they had it set up for over a year I’ve had the tank for almost two years now
Salinity-1.026
Pho’s- 0.04
nitrate-50 (maxed out on Red Sea kit)
Nitrite-0
Calcium-490
Mag-1560
Dkh-7
Ph-8
Tanks was pre owned before me same sand and live rock believe they had it set up for over a year I’ve had the tank for almost two years now
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With the nitrate as high as it is, you undoubtedly stirred up plenty of gunk that needs to be removed. Water changes are you friend. Doing so will also boost your Alkalinity depending on the salt you use.
Otherwise I think you are on top of it.
Keep us posted!
Otherwise I think you are on top of it.
Keep us posted!
+1 but monitor your nutrients and don't let them become undetectable or you may be dealing with dinos next. Especially with low po4 and high no3, just doing water changes could zero out your po4 while you're still trying to get the no3 to come down.
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I’ve actually always battled nitrates but never seen anything causing a issue was always puzzled about where the we’re coming from I’m starting to think it was the sandbed I never stir it I let the hermits and snails do that should I guess I should start during water changes
I use instant ocean
If you do, do a small section at a time.
Well, it could be a coincidence that your pump fell and it's actually that you need to service your RODI. You could test your silicate level. But either way since the pump falling clouded the water badly I would start stirring sections of that sand during water changes and bring the no3 down without zeroing out your po4. You could even remove sections of the sand to rinse clean in a bucket and put it back when you're done.
While unsightly diatoms are generally harmless and can be beaten much more easily than dinos. You could also consider getting a cheap scope to confirm these are even diatoms. While I agree they look like diatoms I wouldn't assume one way or the other. It's best to get a positive ID with a scope imo.
It does look like diatoms. These seem to come/go as the supply of silicate in the system goes up/down. GFO can remove silicate but your PO4 levels are already out of kilter to nitrates so I wouldn't take that route.
An active sand sifting diamond goby can help keep the sand bed looking better, but otherwise don't sweat diatoms.
An active sand sifting diamond goby can help keep the sand bed looking better, but otherwise don't sweat diatoms.
35 has a point. Dinos are no joke and some look / act quite similar to diatoms. Keep an eye on PO4. You are only .02 away from Hanna testing error of 0. Zero PO4 and you are begging for dinos.
Many people spend a lot of effort trying to remove PO4, but I frequently have to dose it.
There is some bottled stuff like NeoPhos. I DIY mix trisodium phosphate @ 2 grams per liter. This stuff (careful, there are knockoff TSP products that contain no TSP)
You MAY find that raising your PO4 will actually lower your NO3. Certainly I know the opposite is true (ie, raise NO3 to lower PO4).
You could add monosodium phosphate(or trisodium phosphate) or NeoPhos to raise my po4 to ~.08-.1 and do water changes to reduce no3. Another way would be to try organic carbon dosing to reduce no3 without affecting po4(as much) but that's not something I've ever had to do.
I would also add that phosphates bind to rock and sand much more than nitrate does, so doing water changes wont necessarily reduce them in the same amounts.
