Sandbed Algae Solution? Suggestions?
- Thread starter SurfTrack
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Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Hey, any suggestions for getting rid of this algae on my sandbed?
Every time I vacuum it, it just comes back.
How old is the tank?
Could be diatoms.
Almost 2 years
Its like an orange color with hints of green here and there. It doesn't get much worse than that.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Depending on your water parameters and lighting, could be the issue.
You could attempt to vacuum it out and up your flow in the tank.
You could attempt to vacuum it out and up your flow in the tank.
cracker
5000 Club Member
my issue was HA growing. I didn't vacum regular. I have been watching nutrients level for some time now. increased flow got a better light for the refugium etc. I never had high nutrients(according to my testing ) but still had the algae growing in the sand. I would like to add a sand bed in the future .
Does sound like diatoms.
I do not have a lot of experience with them tbh. But i was reading a paper on certain species that have a chemical defense that acts like a sterility agent to copepods. Copepods eat them, become sterile and there isn’t a second generation to continue control. I have no idea if these are present in our aquariums btw, but might explain how some older tanks get them and some dont.
Check your ro/di for silicates, easiest would be icp. Not the best solution but could attempt to remove what they use to build their wall.
A microscope is probably needed to ensure its diatoms though, this silicon removal will not effect any other algae it could be.
I do not have a lot of experience with them tbh. But i was reading a paper on certain species that have a chemical defense that acts like a sterility agent to copepods. Copepods eat them, become sterile and there isn’t a second generation to continue control. I have no idea if these are present in our aquariums btw, but might explain how some older tanks get them and some dont.
Check your ro/di for silicates, easiest would be icp. Not the best solution but could attempt to remove what they use to build their wall.
A microscope is probably needed to ensure its diatoms though, this silicon removal will not effect any other algae it could be.
I have never had diatoms is an established tank, without some disturbances in the microfauna population. Even when i was trying to culture them dosing sodium silicate to outcompete dinos, quickly disappeared as soon as i added a macro algae. So i am not the one to ask on diatom cures [emoji23]
