Sand is browning up Help Please!!!!

[Moonlightreef]

Like that topic said i start getting brown all over my sand and i checked my phosphate is reading 0.00 with Hanna and my nitrate is at 0.1 with salifert test kit . For ATO i use LFS Rodi water been using it past 6 month since the tank is been setup . I feed the tank 2-3 times a day with pallets and mysis . i have two tang one tomato clown and 4 green chromis . Its mostly LPs and SPS tank . I do see a lot of bubble on the brown areas . The tank 55g with 20g sump and bubble magus skimmer rated for 180g , also run GFO with a reactor and carbon in the mesh bag . I have 540gph return pump and two Jeboa wp25 for wave control . Can you guys please help me to fix this problem . Ohh ya i also run 6x54w t5 6 hours a day been running for 2 months .

 

[racin2438]

Get some water flow going to the sand bed and it will not do this as much , I replaced my Korelia pumps with a Jaebo wp40, and it keeps the sand bed nice and clean and white.

Hope that help a bit.

 

[Sully]

Maybe I'm missing something but looks like diatoms to me.

 

[ifarmer]

how old is your tank? new tank usually have this problem

 

[mike007]

You might cut down to feeding a small amount once a day. Small water changes once or twice a week and see if it clears up. Most of these nuisance algae's are caused by excess nutrients.

 

[zwulfke]

Cyno ?? Might be brown since I see bubbles

 

[Moonlightreef]

how old is your tank? new tank usually have this problem

the tank is 6 months old

 

[melev]

Based on what you've shared so far, here are the things I'd suggest:

Sand stirring critters: Nassarius snails, one small fighting conch, a serpent starfish (not sand-sifting starfish), and a dozen red leg hermits.
Flow: Increase the flow in the tank, it appears to be a tad stagnant.
Feeding: Reduce that a bit, just because you can.
RO/DI water: Measure the TDS of the water you're adding from the LFS. Perhaps the jugs need to be cleaned out and are adding some pollutants?

 

[Pete polyp]

Cyno ?? Might be brown since I see bubbles

I think so. Kinda typical for the age of the tank.

 

[Moonlightreef]

Cyno ?? Might be brown since I see bubbles

its brown with a lot of bubble on it

 

[Moonlightreef]

Based on what you've shared so far, here are the things I'd suggest:

Sand stirring critters: Nassarius snails, one small fighting conch, a serpent starfish (not sand-sifting starfish), and a dozen red leg hermits.
Flow: Increase the flow in the tank, it appears to be a tad stagnant.
Feeding: Reduce that a bit, just because you can.
RO/DI water: Measure the TDS of the water you're adding from the LFS. Perhaps the jugs need to be cleaned out and are adding some pollutants?

i have about 10 nassaruis , 2 fighting conch and about 9-10 blue legged hermits. Im donna take out on tang so i should feed less . i have two strong pumps in there since day one i have the tank . can this be cuz the tank is only 6 month old ?

 

[Pete polyp]

As melev suggested, Mexican red leg hermits. They will plow through cyano

 

[Moonlightreef]

Get some water flow going to the sand bed and it will not do this as much , I replaced my Korelia pumps with a Jaebo wp40, and it keeps the sand bed nice and clean and white.

Hope that help a bit.

i have jeboa wp23 and hydor both at its max .

 

[Moonlightreef]

You might cut down to feeding a small amount once a day. Small water changes once or twice a week and see if it clears up. Most of these nuisance algae's are caused by excess nutrients.

im just scared that doing water change to much i might clean the tank to much

 

[melev]

How long has this been going on? The snails you mentioned should easily be able to handle that much sandbed. Your Salifert nitrate kit can't measure to .1 because there is no such number. But nitrate isn't the cause of this. Water changes are usually good, and as you feed and your fish expel waste into the water, it can never be 'that' clean. There is always something in the system.

 

[Moonlightreef]

How long has this been going on? The snails you mentioned should easily be able to handle that much sandbed. Your Salifert nitrate kit can't measure to .1 because there is no such number. But nitrate isn't the cause of this. Water changes are usually good, and as you feed and your fish expel waste into the water, it can never be 'that' clean. There is always something in the system.

its been going on for about 3 weeks getting worst and worst . im gonna do water change again next week . When i do low range test with salifert i get the lightest color closest to the white witch is 0.0

 

[Moonlightreef]

Maybe I'm missing something but looks like diatoms to me.

im 99% sure it is . can this be cuz i have to many fishes or the tank is to young ?

 

[Pete polyp]

Diatom are caused by silica and will die off once the silica is consumed.

 

[Moonlightreef]

Diatom are caused by silica and will die off once the silica is consumed.

does our bottled drinking watere has silica. ?

 

[Pete polyp]

Its possible. Normally bottled drinking water has phosphates added for taste. If you're going to use bottled water use distilled.