Why is my sand still brown?

[Merck]

Your question is the subject of forty page debate threads I guarantee it

I always start with: if you reached in and grabbed a handful of sand and then dropped it down, would it cloud everywhere or fall like snowglobe flakes/no silting

That SB drop test identifies the feed

Next is shifting down whites in lighting and making it more blue for a few mos... corals don't mind. For your persistent diatoms (imo) I think they can be beaten with a clean sandbed and less white every time.

This invader is directly impacted by uv use. The way to win would be the clean sandbed first, all else after.

FORTY ONE AND COUNTING

 

[mik]

What's going on is that you have too much light cut down on the light simple

Sent from my SM-G920T using REEF2REEF mobile app

 

[KlynnUK]

Nothing to worry about, tank looks pretty young. Just need twicking with light hours, feeding, bioloads etc.. few simple factors really..

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

What's going on is that you have too much light cut down on the light simple

Sent from my SM-G920T using REEF2REEF mobile app

Lights are on for 8 hours. 5 of which are only blues.

 

[Chrisfish]

I can't help with the sand but I will say your tank really looks nice

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Thanks

 

[nashvillian]

Flow/CUC

 

[mmw64]

following. similar problem with my sand.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Flow/CUC

Flow is more than enough. Cuc won't touch it.

 

[nashvillian]

had a similar problem, although its hard to say what it is. Those look like Koralia EVO's, which have a narrow flow path, which isn't very strong and is misleading in terms of GPH. I had an EVO 600, switched to an MP10, which has a wide (stronger) flow path, added about 20 hermits, and my tank became spotless in about 10 days. Run my kessil about 12 hours, mostly at 100 too. Even though they don't consume it, they'll disturb it by walking over it. May want to try a MP or Gyre. Beautiful Potteri btw

 

[Flippers4pups]

I'll chime in and venture to guess it's silicate related.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Flow is more than enough. Cuc won't touch it.

They won't.

 

[nashvillian]

also, did you rinse the sand before putting it in? i did, with tap water, then had diatoms for about 2 months, unfortunately.

 

[Flippers4pups]

also, did you rinse the sand before putting it in? i did, with tap water, then had diatoms for about 2 months, unfortunately.

Almost any sand will have some amount of silicates in it. I have found that straight aragonite sand does best, non-live flavor, in regards to silicates. Live sand will have die off feeding the silicates till they are used up. Every tank is different and in this case it may take some time to balance out. Siphoning the sand may help, but it will have to run its course.

 

[Flippers4pups]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/1/aafeature1

Randy's experiment from long ago on silicates. Good read.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

had a similar problem, although its hard to say what it is. Those look like Koralia EVO's, which have a narrow flow path, which isn't very strong and is misleading in terms of GPH. I had an EVO 600, switched to an MP10, which has a wide (stronger) flow path, added about 20 hermits, and my tank became spotless in about 10 days. Run my kessil about 12 hours, mostly at 100 too. Even though they don't consume it, they'll disturb it by walking over it. May want to try a MP or Gyre. Beautiful Potteri btw

I have two 1150 and the return pump. Looking at 3000 gph in a 90 display. I would lean towards you if the brown was in certain areas.

I don't wanna add livestock just to disturb an area. I would rather find what's wrong chemistry wise and fix that.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Took a water sample to Reef Lounge in Anaheim, CA and I found out I have some silicates. I bought some phosguard and put it in a mesh bag in the sump infront of a powerhead.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

 

[fishkeeper2]

It appears from the pics that you have a Cyanobacteria infestation. Note that it is a bacteria and not an algae, although it appears to be algae. It can be red or brown.

I would recommend that you use Boyd's Chemiclean red slime and cyano remover. That will clear it up in a few days.

Then I suggest that you use Red Sea NO3PO4-X as an additive, part of your routine, to eliminate phosphates and reduce nitrates. That will provide a big impact to controlling algae blooms.

Best of luck.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

I used chemiclean a while back.
My phosphates are at .01 and nitrates are at 0