Algea on sandbed.**1-31-2011**

Just recently there's been brown algae growing like wildflowers on my sand bed. It looks like diatoms that I got during my cycle only this time I can see some of it has hair like algae on it, its not long, couple mm in length in some spots. I don't have any phosphate test kits, but my nitrates are 0 and i have cheato running in the tank now, so hopefully if there are any phosphates that'll help. Any ideas on what this is? and how to get rid of it? i'm thinking cutting back on the amount I feed but when i do feed, i feed mysis, and there is never any left over food hanging around in the tank.

 

yeah you got phates and possibly trates that are just being used up..I bet if you got a gfo reactor it would clear things right up for ya..or just a sock with some in there..

 

how old is the tank..looks alot like diatoms..run some gfo either in filter(hangon or canister) or reactor..also do a few water changes with 0tds rodi water..also you could lightly siphon the very top of them with the water changes..

 

Have you added any new equipment lately?

 

Ya looks like diatoms. Have you added any new hardware to the tank? Anything plastic like a new power head can cause a minor outbreak while the new silica is used up.

 

Im waiting on this job to come thru for now but i was thinking of getting one from BRS asap. Yea its been up for just over 4 months now.

 

I took off a HOB filter that was just moving water nothing else, and i just put it back on with some cheato in it. I guess i can see if my LFS has any GFO and put it in my aquaclear for now and take out the bio media it has in there because i have enough of that in the tank now.

 

I guess i shoulda said i put in a skimmer too in the tank a couple weeks ago too thats new equipment. haha

 

yeah i would say that whats on your sandbed is bc of trates and phates..gfo will do wonders overnight for you i promise..

 

A GFO reactor is always a good thing, but those are diatoms and are from adding your skimmer. They use the silica that comes from plastic (ie the skimmer) and will go away once its used up.