Green algae on live sand
 

Hey guys,

I am running a 10g tank with a rio nano skimmer, AC HOB filter, and two powerheads in the tank. I have one clownfish and one Bicolor Pseudochromis. The tank has been active for 7 months now and I am having a hell of a time trying to eliminate the algae on my live sand. I have sugar sized live sand, and I keep getting a fine, bright green algae on it, which appear in clumps on the sand. I dont think it is hair algae, since it is very fine and sourrounds each grain of sand, making it green. I only feed 2-3 times a week with either flakes or mysis shrimp, and my light cycle is only around 8 hours a day. The sand bed is about an inch to an inch and a half deep, and I have tried stirring it, but the algae just reappears a few hours later. I have also tried syphoning during water changes, but it comes back a day or two later as well. I have tested for phosphates, and they are at 0. Currently I have 3 Astrea snails, 2 Cerith snails, 3 blue legged hermits, and 2 scarlet hermits. The Astreas stay buried in the sand and are useless on the surface of it, and the Ceriths just stay on the glass and rock. What can I do?

I would cut back time on lighting to 5 / 6hrs
Over feeding...Myself I would feed daily, but a very tiny amount
Weekly water change
Like dogboy said check your parameters...esp.nitrares

Are you sure your phos. test is working properly? The algae is feeding on something in your water... just a matter of figuring out what it is....

what are your other parameters?

As far as I know the tests are accurate. The algae grows lightly on the glass, which I usually scrape off once or twice a week, but aside from that it only grows on the sand.

RO or tap?

Ro

I was having a little cyano problem. I was using RO(store bought), and I switched to DI and now the cyano is slowly going away.

I would make my lighting period about 5 hours a day.

reply
 

-so for once DI was better than RO? now im starting 2 have second thoughts about using 5-gallon RO water from the store...

man di takes out most harsh metals:razz: