Removing existing sand from tank?

[Rookums Reef]

I've got a 40b. Have serious GHA. 2 heaters have spiked and killed 3 fish and two anemones in a year plus my rodi was roached. Replaced rodi equipment, been on steady water exchange program, 10g every week. Parameters are all normal. Was thinking about removing sand from display and rock from sump. I inherited a ton of rock from a friend's tank and really don't have a fuge anymore, just a place to hold this rock. I'm about to upgrade to a 75 gallon so I don't want to get rid of all the rock per se but I wanted to start making some changes with the tank because I'm not seeing any noticeable results with the GHA. If it's a paitence issue, tell me. I've used fluconazole and vibrant as well. Nothing's changed. Just trying to get back on a level playing Field!

 

[Mical]

Try Kent Tech M and slowly raise magnesium level. There's a ton of threads on this.

 

[tastyfish]

Slowly, slowly, tackle the underlying issue causing the GHA. (Or realise it needs to burn out through removal and regrowth).

If you start removing sand and live rock, you will alter the balance further, hitting your NO3 and PO4 levels and also potentially opening the door for something harder to deal with than GHA.

What are your parameters? (When people say "all parameters are normal" it could mean a wide range of things). Also be aware that true NO3 and PO4 levels may be masked by the uptake by the GHA.

I know the slow and methodical approach isn't always fashionable, or what people want to hear, but I see far less going wrong compared to throwing a magic potion in without dealing with the underlying cause.

 

[Coralreefer1]

Turn your lights off and leave them off. Do larger water changes! No need to remove sand and rock unless it has a lot of GHA on it. Anemones are big waste producers, plus if your feeding too much, these issues can lead to elevated nutrient levels causing the growth of microalgae.
Increase water flow, add carbon, clean up crews.

 

[jsker]

If I could suggest posting your parameters, that would really help

 

[DeniseAndy]

I have a lps 40g tank and algae issues come up every so often. The feeding and removal of nutrient is just not in balance enough. If it gets really bad (such as when I go on vacation) I actually remove all rock and animals to a temporary tank (bucket/tote) and do a 100% water change. I would stir up sand while taking out water when I had sand (now a barebottom). Then scrape algae off rocks as best I could, rinse them with h2o2 in infected spots, put them an rest of the animals back in. Really helps get everything looking nice and growing again.

Now, I have done this with all my small tanks. My 20g, and especially the picos. Just make sure the temp, salinity, pH of the water is same as original. Also, do this all at once so it takes max of an hour or 2. Not over days.

Next, find the source of the algae. Feeding? Bioload? Old chemical filtration? etc.

I am replacing my Algae Reactors back to my Upflow Algae Scrubbers. I have not seen enough progress in the Algae Rx yet and I always loved my UAS. Of course when I pulled one down, most the lights were dead on it, so that will definitely have caused lack of effectiveness. None-the-less, I am going back to my tried and true. Gotta experiment sometimes.

I would keep the rock in the sump, just do not have a light on it. It will stay clear of algae and be good live rock for the new system. Get a temp controller for your heaters. Should save you those temp issues from the past.

 

[Rookums Reef]

Slowly, slowly, tackle the underlying issue causing the GHA. (Or realise it needs to burn out through removal and regrowth).

If you start removing sand and live rock, you will alter the balance further, hitting your NO3 and PO4 levels and also potentially opening the door for something harder to deal with than GHA.

What are your parameters? (When people say "all parameters are normal" it could mean a wide range of things). Also be aware that true NO3 and PO4 levels may be masked by the uptake by the GHA.

I know the slow and methodical approach isn't always fashionable, or what people want to hear, but I see far less going wrong compared to throwing a magic potion in without dealing with the underlying cause.

I'm just using a basic test kit, API. The Hanna checkers I have, I bought used and need to calibrate. I can go scrub the rock, siphon out dirty water, then a couple days later it's back again. Now it's not as bad as it was. The temperature spikes I had probably led to a bacterial bloom and thus added to my all ready extensive list of issues. I added a cuc but many didn't make the trip from Florida. My toadstools and carpet anemone are all doing fine, even some zoa's are good.

I understand the GHA is not showing true parameters as it's feeding off the nitrate and phosphate. I'm definitely wanting the tried and true approach, nice and slow.

 

[Rookums Reef]

Turn your lights off and leave them off. Do larger water changes! No need to remove sand and rock unless it has a lot of GHA on it. Anemones are big waste producers, plus if your feeding too much, these issues can lead to elevated nutrient levels causing the growth of microalgae.
Increase water flow, add carbon, clean up crews.

I've done blackouts, treated with fluconazole and vibrant. I don't feed the anemone. The one fish I've got left gets some food every couple days. I've had carbon and gfo, but in bags, so no real effect on the GHA. Been on a shoestring budget until last month. At this point, water exchange and scrubbing the rock is my normal.

 

[Rookums Reef]

If I could suggest posting your parameters, that would really help

When I get home I'll test again. Using API at the moment.

 

[Rookums Reef]

I have a lps 40g tank and algae issues come up every so often. The feeding and removal of nutrient is just not in balance enough. If it gets really bad (such as when I go on vacation) I actually remove all rock and animals to a temporary tank (bucket/tote) and do a 100% water change. I would stir up sand while taking out water when I had sand (now a barebottom). Then scrape algae off rocks as best I could, rinse them with h2o2 in infected spots, put them an rest of the animals back in. Really helps get everything looking nice and growing again.

Now, I have done this with all my small tanks. My 20g, and especially the picos. Just make sure the temp, salinity, pH of the water is same as original. Also, do this all at once so it takes max of an hour or 2. Not over days.

Next, find the source of the algae. Feeding? Bioload? Old chemical filtration? etc.

I am replacing my Algae Reactors back to my Upflow Algae Scrubbers. I have not seen enough progress in the Algae Rx yet and I always loved my UAS. Of course when I pulled one down, most the lights were dead on it, so that will definitely have caused lack of effectiveness. None-the-less, I am going back to my tried and true. Gotta experiment sometimes.

I would keep the rock in the sump, just do not have a light on it. It will stay clear of algae and be good live rock for the new system. Get a temp controller for your heaters. Should save you those temp issues from the past.

I barely feed, I siphon the sand. I haven't got the loot for anything Fancy. So I've just been trying to be really consistent. Doing ten gallon exchange every week. Replaced all my rodi equipment, and added the value upgrade to it.

 

[Rookums Reef]

I have a lps 40g tank and algae issues come up every so often. The feeding and removal of nutrient is just not in balance enough. If it gets really bad (such as when I go on vacation) I actually remove all rock and animals to a temporary tank (bucket/tote) and do a 100% water change. I would stir up sand while taking out water when I had sand (now a barebottom). Then scrape algae off rocks as best I could, rinse them with h2o2 in infected spots, put them an rest of the animals back in. Really helps get everything looking nice and growing again.

Now, I have done this with all my small tanks. My 20g, and especially the picos. Just make sure the temp, salinity, pH of the water is same as original. Also, do this all at once so it takes max of an hour or 2. Not over days.

Next, find the source of the algae. Feeding? Bioload? Old chemical filtration? etc.

I am replacing my Algae Reactors back to my Upflow Algae Scrubbers. I have not seen enough progress in the Algae Rx yet and I always loved my UAS. Of course when I pulled one down, most the lights were dead on it, so that will definitely have caused lack of effectiveness. None-the-less, I am going back to my tried and true. Gotta experiment sometimes.

I would keep the rock in the sump, just do not have a light on it. It will stay clear of algae and be good live rock for the new system. Get a temp controller for your heaters. Should save you those temp issues from the past.

This all really came about when my heater went on the fritz. Since then it's been a struggle.

 

[jsker]

When I get home I'll test again. Using API at the moment.

Thank you for posting the tests

If I could suggest testing alkalinity, Calcium, Magnesium, and phosphates besides the PH, nitrates, ammonia and nitrites. Nitrites usually create ammonia which you have a little bit in your system and with the water changes the will come out. Corals need Phosphate and nitrates to grow. Food will give you Phosphates, and the fish will add the nitrites with waist. GHA is usually caused by high phosphates. I would suggest getting a higher end brand of test kits if you have not thought of getting them. Test and steady the parameters out and you will start having success

 

[DeniseAndy]

Sump is a good place for an UAS. It takes months to have an effect, but when it does, it really keeps algae out of the display. I did mine with stuff around the house. You need an air pump and stone, then some very minor things and you can get one going.

Here are a couple of my older ones. Those are the black plastic boxes from frozen foods. I use the bigger ones for my larger system.

 

[Super Fly]

I inherited a ton of rock from a friend's tank and really don't have a fuge anymore, just a place to hold this rock. I'm about to upgrade to a 75 gallon so I don't want to get rid of all the rock per se but I wanted to start making some changes with the tank because I'm not seeing any noticeable results with the GHA. If it's a paitence issue, tell me. I've used fluconazole and vibrant as well. Nothing's changed. Just trying to get back on a level playing Field!

Did GHA start after adding the rocks from your friend to the sump? If his tank was not maintained, those rocks could contain/release lots of PO4 that were released to your tank causing the GHA outbreak.

 

[Rookums Reef]

Did GHA start after adding the rocks from your friend to the sump? If his tank was not maintained, those rocks could contain/release lots of PO4 that were released to your tank causing the GHA outbreak.

I honestly don't remember it's been so long since I out that rock in my tank. I know the rock was in a tub with no light for over 6 months, I thought that everything would be dead. Just found a bristle worm on a piece that other day. I've changed everything in my Rodi, added two more stages, and added two new ow-25's. Eliminated all extra light sources and am seeing some nice results.