Sand Algae

[Snoop_90]

How can I get rid of this sand algae? Tank has been running for years but I've been adding new stuff in the last few months. I know the glass has algae too, I usually get rid of that with a magnet cleaner or a blade. The sand algae has been annoying me the most.

I don't do carbon dosing because I have a canister filter. I have 1 radion xr30 light which runs for 8 hrs a day on the preset reef mode, although I have decreased the running time for the original preset and lowered the brightness intensity to 75%. The second light I have, I honestly have no idea what it is. but that one runs 9 hrs a day. From what I've noticed the Radion side of the tank is where the algae starts/blooms the most.

https://imgur.com/a/lIDefaj

Water parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Temp 76
Nitrates: 0
Nitrites: 0
Ammonia: 0
Calcium: 480
Phosphate: .25 ppm

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Probably the best way is to siphon the sand bed every water change and get a sand bed dedicated cleanup crew. I'm a big fan of my sand sifting starfish and nassarius snails are a good member as well.

 

[Snoop_90]

I have a brittle sea star, was suggested by LFS not to add other starfish (they had the choc tip seastar)cause they go after corals and anemones. I do like clean up crews. I have about 8 different hermit crabs, sally light foot, emerald crab, 15 nassarius snails, and about 14 different mexican turbo snails/banded snails. Oh and a rose tip sea urchin. They clean the rocks good. The sand I swear they ignore -_-

I'll siphon the sand this week. I usually siphon the sand every 2 weeks when I do a water change

 

[chinw76]

Is that a brown diatom on your sand bed? It kinda looks like it from the pic. If it is, this works for sure since I have done this myself. I added bakers yeast to my tank. An 1/8th tsp will treat 200 gallons. I used a little scoop that I had for BRS reef chili. It took 4 of those little scoops to fill 1/8th tsp. I added this once a day for 4 days with the lights off for the first 3 days. I would also run GFO to bring down your phosphates, I keep mine at .05 - .08ppm.

 

[Snoop_90]

I'm not sure if its Diatom, I think it is. Would the bakers yeast harm anything in the tank? Can I run GFO in a canister filter or is a reactor a must?

 

[chinw76]

GFO can be ran in a filter bag, but must be rinsed. Backers yeast does not harm anything in the tank. I was nervous at first to use it with all the fish and expensive corals I have. My corals did perk up a little like it was food for them.

 

[Snoop_90]

I'll get the GFO I've used Kent phosphate sponge before when my phosphates were a bit higher. Will test the yeast idea out. Thanks

 

[chinw76]

No problem. Vivid Aquariums use bakers yeast on their tanks to cure diatoms. Just google bakers yeast Vivid Aquariums and it will take you to a video of them explaining it.