See any issues with these numbers

[iplumbsome]

I tried to take a pic of my sand bed algae issue but they didn't come out well. I have been struggling with this light green clumpy crap for a few weeks now plus some dark purple and green slimy stuff on the rocks.

I typically blow it off the rocks and I have been siphoning the sand but the stuff is too heavy and falls back in.

I think my numbers look fine and I have 2 gyre 250 so assuming flow is good.

Anyone have answers for me?

 

[Jmas4]

How old is the tank? What test kit are you using? Are you using rodi? Ammonia should be zero in a cycled tank. Considering you have fish and inverts already, Im assuming the ammonia is zero and the test kit is wrong. That also means the other parameters are a little off. I recommend getting better test kit like red sea or salifert. For the algae, if your tank is new, it could be just the ugly stage in a new tank. The best think to do is wait it out and manually remove it.

Good Luck and Happy Reefing

 

[iplumbsome]

How old is the tank? What test kit are you using? Are you using rodi? Ammonia should be zero in a cycled tank. Considering you have fish and inverts already, Im assuming the ammonia is zero and the test kit is wrong. That also means the other parameters are a little off. I recommend getting better test kit like red sea or salifert. For the algae, if your tank is new, it could be just the ugly stage in a new tank. The best think to do is wait it out and manually remove it.

Good Luck and Happy Reefing

Tank is about 7-8 months old. Always use RODI water. For Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate just have a cheap API test kit. Everything else I am using salifert. Assuming the ammonia is also off, but I did test twice. Usually at zero, but I think I got a .25 one other time.

 

[mtraylor]

Your parms look good except for the ammonia. That is totally odd that you would have ammonia in the aquarium, but could explain why you are seeing the algae bloom you are explaining. I have had this happen in the past if you had something that you couldn't see die off in the aquarium such as a anemone or something that went behind the rocks and started to decay. Do you have any missing fish or corals, inverts that you cant find?

Other than that the only other thing I can think of is nutrient export as well. What kind of skimmer do you have? HOw well is it working? When is the last time you cleaned the skimmer pump, air intake, and volute?

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

api always throws inaccurate numbers. i’d bet your ammonia is zero.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

^^^agreed.

Looks like new tank cyano on the sand.

 

[iplumbsome]

api always throws inaccurate numbers. i’d bet your ammonia is zero.

I would probably agree. I did lose a small 3/4 dragonett and left it for the shrimp and crabs. Not think that would effect much in a 260 gallon.

 

[iplumbsome]

Your parms look good except for the ammonia. That is totally odd that you would have ammonia in the aquarium, but could explain why you are seeing the algae bloom you are explaining. I have had this happen in the past if you had something that you couldn't see die off in the aquarium such as a anemone or something that went behind the rocks and started to decay. Do you have any missing fish or corals, inverts that you cant find?

Other than that the only other thing I can think of is nutrient export as well. What kind of skimmer do you have? HOw well is it working? When is the last time you cleaned the skimmer pump, air intake, and volute?

I have an ASM G5 and it seems to be pulling plenty out. I have 0 nitrates and tried growing some cheato with no luck.

 

[madweazl]

API is pretty notorious for showing a false positive in regard to ammonia being .25; I don't know if it's do to the test procedure or the kit itself but it happens a lot. As for magnesium, are you taking a reading when it first starts to change color or after full change to blue (should be taken at full color change and the same for calcium)?

Are you dosing something to maintain alkalinity and calcium levels? How about magnesium? Your alkalinity is low for most all salt brands so I'm guessing the water change regimen is pretty infrequent or insignificant (smaller water changes) if you aren't dosing. This would also explain the lower magnesium levels (lower than any salt mix I'm aware of). The calcium level throws a monkey wrench in the theory unless you're dosing something though.

Edit: Nitrate levels at 0 seem to be problematic with dinoflagellates and cyanobacteria (likely the slimy stuff on the rocks/sand). It's hard to trust the API kit when it comes to low levels of nitrates though.

 

[Super Fly]

Based on your parameters, cyano is showing up bc your water is too clean. I battled cyano for months and after reading many posts here learned that zero NO3 & PO4 is not ideal and cause of cyano. Yes, it's ironic but too clean water is not ideal. Try increase feeding while reducing skimmer time to get the NO3 to 2-10 and PO4 to 0.03-0.10 levels (corals will be happier too). Chaeto wont grow w/o NO3, their food source.

AFter I did a chemiclean treatment and raising nutrient levels, cyano hasn't returned since.

 

[ca1ore]

Cyano (if that is what it is) is present in most systems. Good flow and water quality will generally get rid of it.

 

[Super Fly]

Cyano (if that is what it is) is present in most systems. Good flow and water quality will generally get rid of it.

yes I tried that, was using 6 power heads while doing biweekly (sometimes weekly) water changes, to no avail. Unfortunately I think what happens while we pursue this solution, we inadvertently end up with ULN tank which creates cyano/dino problems. The only way I got rid of it permanently was after increasing the NO3 & PO4 levels. Now using less powerheads, doing less water changes while feeding more and haven't seen cyano since.

 

[iplumbsome]

API is pretty notorious for showing a false positive in regard to ammonia being .25; I don't know if it's do to the test procedure or the kit itself but it happens a lot. As for magnesium, are you taking a reading when it first starts to change color or after full change to blue (should be taken at full color change and the same for calcium)?

Are you dosing something to maintain alkalinity and calcium levels? How about magnesium? Your alkalinity is low for most all salt brands so I'm guessing the water change regimen is pretty infrequent or insignificant (smaller water changes) if you aren't dosing. This would also explain the lower magnesium levels (lower than any salt mix I'm aware of). The calcium level throws a monkey wrench in the theory unless you're dosing something though.

Edit: Nitrate levels at 0 seem to be problematic with dinoflagellates and cyanobacteria (likely the slimy stuff on the rocks/sand). It's hard to trust the API kit when it comes to low levels of nitrates though.

I am currently not dosing anything. Only coral I currently have is a pulsating xenia and a tiny frog spawn.

 

[iplumbsome]

Based on your parameters, cyano is showing up bc your water is too clean. I battled cyano for months and after reading many posts here learned that zero NO3 & PO4 is not ideal and cause of cyano. Yes, it's ironic but too clean water is not ideal. Try increase feeding while reducing skimmer time to get the NO3 to 2-10 and PO4 to 0.03-0.10 levels (corals will be happier too). Chaeto wont grow w/o NO3, their food source.

AFter I did a chemiclean treatment and raising nutrient levels, cyano hasn't returned since.

Someone else told me less skimmer time also til I show some nitrate.