Algae on sand bed

[lweepin]

I have my tank for 4 months now.

This is the first time I have this hair-like algae .

Need help to ID this algae.

It only occurs on one part of the sand bed (below my wavemaker-should also be my tank dead spot)

The rest of the sand bed and even the LR do not have this problem

I try to clean this area but it will grow back in 1 day!!

It did not do much change to my tank but this problem start about two weeks ago.

My NO3 has been around 10 ppm for 3 months now. My test kit do not pick up any PO4 level.

Can anyone have any suggestions on how to tackle this problem?

Your help will be greatly appreciated

[Victor007]

red slime :S. check your water parameters. and maybe u can source online for cure.

and try to increase flow there.

Cheers.

[peacemaker]

You might wanna try other brands of test kits to see if yours have any problems? It could be expired... salifert seems like the most popular brand among reefers here. I use them myself as well.

Some questions that might help:

Do you use tap water to perform top ups?

What type of lightings and for how long do you switch them on in a day?

Any equipment or form of nitrate export (ie chaeto) do you have?

Any cleaning crew (ie hermit crabs, snails, etc)?

Are there possible dead spots (no or poor water flow) in your tank?

[Randy]

You might wanna try other brands of test kits to see if yours have any problems? It could be expired... salifert seems like the most popular brand among reefers here. I use them myself as well.

Some questions that might help:

Do you use tap water to perform top ups?

What type of lightings and for how long do you switch them on in a day?

Any equipment or form of nitrate export (ie chaeto) do you have?

Any cleaning crew (ie hermit crabs, snails, etc)?

Are there possible dead spots (no or poor water flow) in your tank?

is it ok to use the tap water but leave it there say for a week before performing a change? will that be better or it wont work?

[peacemaker]

is it ok to use the tap water but leave it there say for a week before performing a change? will that be better or it wont work?

I'm not sure what kind of help it does for leaving the water untouched for a week, but if you put an air stone in with a pump, the chlorine will evaporate. I do this for my fresh water tank, with a minimum bubbling of 24hrs.

Mine's a small tank, so I top off with bottled DI water. Water changes are made with the same DI water mixed with Crystal Sea salt.

The reason that tap water is not the preferred choice is because it contains phosphate, which is a source for algae growth. You can use an RO/DI unit, but it is rather costly. Anyways, no one said this hobby was going to be cheap!

[lweepin]

You might wanna try other brands of test kits to see if yours have any problems? It could be expired... salifert seems like the most popular brand among reefers here. I use them myself as well.

Some questions that might help:

Do you use tap water to perform top ups?

What type of lightings and for how long do you switch them on in a day?

Any equipment or form of nitrate export (ie chaeto) do you have?

Any cleaning crew (ie hermit crabs, snails, etc)?

Are there possible dead spots (no or poor water flow) in your tank?

I used a simple 1 canister type DI unit to filter tap water before use.

I am using 2x36W compact florescene that come with my JBJ 24G cube which I switch on for 8 hours

I do not have special equipment nitrate export

I have 1 snail, 1 sand dollar, 2 hermit crap and a brittle star (all do not seem to be effective for this type of algae

Yes, the algae is growing on my dead spot. However, I cannot add another wave maker because I do not want to increase my tank heat load (no chiller)

I also suspect my API Phosphate test kit...do not ever pick up any PO4. However, it may due to the fact that PO4 is only building up at the dead spot.

The good news is that the algae growth seem to slow down a lot this few days. I also remembered that for the past 2 weeks, I may have disturbed the sandbed at the dead spot too much when I use the gravel cleaner. This week, I just clean the sand surface lightly with the gravel cleaner.

If the algae do not return for the next few weeks, This may have been the root cause. In the long term, I need to figure out how to remove the dead spot.

Thanks everyone for contributing ideas to my algae problem

[thedidavid]

This type of algae is very difficult to get rid, I have experience also with outbreak of this red algae due to NO3 in my tank shoot over the roof.

[Randy]

I used a simple 1 canister type DI unit to filter tap water before use.

I am using 2x36W compact florescene that come with my JBJ 24G cube which I switch on for 8 hours

I do not have special equipment nitrate export

I have 1 snail, 1 sand dollar, 2 hermit crap and a brittle star (all do not seem to be effective for this type of algae

Yes, the algae is growing on my dead spot. However, I cannot add another wave maker because I do not want to increase my tank heat load (no chiller)

I also suspect my API Phosphate test kit...do not ever pick up any PO4. However, it may due to the fact that PO4 is only building up at the dead spot.

The good news is that the algae growth seem to slow down a lot this few days. I also remembered that for the past 2 weeks, I may have disturbed the sandbed at the dead spot too much when I use the gravel cleaner. This week, I just clean the sand surface lightly with the gravel cleaner.

If the algae do not return for the next few weeks, This may have been the root cause. In the long term, I need to figure out how to remove the dead spot.

Thanks everyone for contributing ideas to my algae problem

hey may i know whats gravel cleaner looks like...i would it to use that to clean my dirty sand bed, thanks.

[lweepin]

hey may i know whats gravel cleaner looks like...i would it to use that to clean my dirty sand bed, thanks.

It is just a siphon device with hand pump on one side and an opening on the other. Once siphon effect set up, you put the opening near the sand, and detrius will get suck up.

[angelfishlover]

This type of algae is very difficult to get rid, I have experience also with outbreak of this red algae due to NO3 in my tank shoot over the roof.

Yup and i found the root cos of my dying SPS.It shoot up till 40.i really nid to have a denitrator and change my water twice a week.Wow it's been a long time since i posted in forums.

[Randy]

Yup and i found the root cos of my dying SPS.It shoot up till 40.i really nid to have a denitrator and change my water twice a week.Wow it's been a long time since i posted in forums.

not sure where to buy the gravel cleaner anyone seen one recently? i need a big one for a 2.5 feet height tank ...thanks. i got the red slim too and lots of debris..trying to get sand eating cleaners and the gravel to do the job.

[angelfishlover]

Any aquarium shops will have.I bought mine at a very budget.But if u got sand better dun use i had sand on my lower bottom of the gravel and it suck up dirt+sand.

[Randy]

Any aquarium shops will have.I bought mine at a very budget.But if u got sand better dun use i had sand on my lower bottom of the gravel and it suck up dirt+sand.

is it ok cause i can put the sand back...or else how do i clean the sand?

[peacemaker]

However, I cannot add another wave maker because I do not want to increase my tank heat load (no chiller)

I used to run a tank without a chiller, and the only cooling device is a fan. I used tap water to perform top ups, and I had this major outbreak of this red slime algae. Even my hermit couldn't keep up with the growth. I'm just guessing, but you could try to bring the temperature down a bit, like below 27 deg C? Get some chaeto to help with the nitrate and nutrient export. My 2 cents.

[Randy]

I used to run a tank without a chiller, and the only cooling device is a fan. I used tap water to perform top ups, and I had this major outbreak of this red slime algae. Even my hermit couldn't keep up with the growth. I'm just guessing, but you could try to bring the temperature down a bit, like below 27 deg C? Get some chaeto to help with the nitrate and nutrient export. My 2 cents.

yeah i am now sourcing for lots of cheato to be put in my sump...i dont have a chiller either ..

[Randy]

yeah i am now sourcing for lots of cheato to be put in my sump...i dont have a chiller either ..

can hermit eats red slime?

[lweepin]

can hermit eats red slime?

I don't think my hermit eat algae in my tank. My astra snail is good with algae on the rocks, glass and even on my wave maker.

My gravel cleaner suck up a bit of the sand but if you control properly, the sand do not get suck up into the pail

[lweepin]

I used to run a tank without a chiller, and the only cooling device is a fan. I used tap water to perform top ups, and I had this major outbreak of this red slime algae. Even my hermit couldn't keep up with the growth. I'm just guessing, but you could try to bring the temperature down a bit, like below 27 deg C? Get some chaeto to help with the nitrate and nutrient export. My 2 cents.

Concidentally I add a fan on Monday. It is quite effective in bringing down my temp from 30 to 27 degrees. But it is quite a pain to top up water frequently.

My hermit is not good with algae. It keep on disturbing my corals

[Randy]

Concidentally I add a fan on Monday. It is quite effective in bringing down my temp from 30 to 27 degrees. But it is quite a pain to top up water frequently.

My hermit is not good with algae. It keep on disturbing my corals

how much is the fan cause? is it noisy? where can i buy?

[peacemaker]

Concidentally I add a fan on Monday. It is quite effective in bringing down my temp from 30 to 27 degrees. But it is quite a pain to top up water frequently.

My hermit is not good with algae. It keep on disturbing my corals

Haha... must be the cooling fan meant for planted tanks, right? Just take note of the rust and dirt collection. Yes, quite a pain to keep up with the water evaporation. There were some reviews on the Dolphin "chiller"... I'm not sure how effective that is, but should be good enough for nano tanks. Thought of giving that a try.

The one I used to have kept messing with my coral placement, but was quite greedy with algae, including the red slime.

[lweepin]

Haha... must be the cooling fan meant for planted tanks, right? Just take note of the rust and dirt collection. Yes, quite a pain to keep up with the water evaporation. There were some reviews on the Dolphin "chiller"... I'm not sure how effective that is, but should be good enough for nano tanks. Thought of giving that a try.

The one I used to have kept messing with my coral placement, but was quite greedy with algae, including the red slime.

It is the Dymax brand fan. Most of the parts is plastic. Quite cheap at $14 (bought at Aquastar in Yishun) and sounds like a big computer fan (noisy or not is subjective)

It consume much less electricity than normal chiller. I don't like those Dolphin chiller because I need to fix up the pipes. I bought the JBJ cube because it is compact and neat. Pipes and chiller will defeat the purpose of having the cube.

I am thinking of buying a timer for the fan. I will only at specific time...(when I am not around in the house or in the afternoon when it is hot)

I just want temperature to stay at 29 degC. With this target, I think I only need to on the fan 30% of the time. In this way, solve the noise problem and reduce top up

I notice my coral only have problems only when temp raises above 30 deg C

[peacemaker]

It is the Dymax brand fan. Most of the parts is plastic. Quite cheap at $14 (bought at Aquastar in Yishun) and sounds like a big computer fan (noisy or not is subjective)

It consume much less electricity than normal chiller. I don't like those Dolphin chiller because I need to fix up the pipes. I bought the JBJ cube because it is compact and neat. Pipes and chiller will defeat the purpose of having the cube.

I am thinking of buying a timer for the fan. I will only at specific time...(when I am not around in the house or in the afternoon when it is hot)

I just want temperature to stay at 29 degC. With this target, I think I only need to on the fan 30% of the time. In this way, solve the noise problem and reduce top up

I notice my coral only have problems only when temp raises above 30 deg C

Oh... the one that comes in twos and threes. I always had the impression that they weren't powerful enough to cool the tank due to plastic blades.

Why don't you fix the fan at the same time your light switches on (I'm just assuming your lights are controlled by a timer)? Usually, its the heat produced from the lights that increases the temperature quite a bit, more so for a hooded tank.

[wil_lee76]

I use to have these during my old tank.. ok..what i do...

1st - remove the red slime...be careful...off all wave maker...it will spread like no body business..if some flew to others areas....

2nd - check your water parameters...mostly likely UR PO4 is high like no shit! Mine is hitting above 10 * if im not wrong!

3rd - control thru using FR with rowas.... it will reduce it.

4th - Decrease ur feedings and lightings. high excess feedings will contribute to NO3 & PO4.

5th - change of water...uses distill water OR even RO/DI water....u can do it on weekly basis or even on alt days...with small percentage of water change.

6th - Monitor...remove any red alage if seen one...it will grow ...fast.....but rem DO not flew it to others areas....

Lastly, enjoy these hobby...start the correct way and less problems will occurs...but this hobby is so challenging!!

Hope these helps!!!

[wil_lee76]

It is the Dymax brand fan. Most of the parts is plastic. Quite cheap at $14 (bought at Aquastar in Yishun) and sounds like a big computer fan (noisy or not is subjective)

It consume much less electricity than normal chiller. I don't like those Dolphin chiller because I need to fix up the pipes. I bought the JBJ cube because it is compact and neat. Pipes and chiller will defeat the purpose of having the cube.

I am thinking of buying a timer for the fan. I will only at specific time...(when I am not around in the house or in the afternoon when it is hot)

I just want temperature to stay at 29 degC. With this target, I think I only need to on the fan 30% of the time. In this way, solve the noise problem and reduce top up

I notice my coral only have problems only when temp raises above 30 deg C

im uses a fan for my chilling purposes..yes it control by a timer...i maintain in ard 28 degree...and reducing top up...mmm...i doubt so...cos i top up everyday...just in case my pump wont run dry.... my min is 28 and max is 30....for your info. corals well...quite ok....and not a big issues..u can try that!

hope it helps!

[Randy]

Haha... must be the cooling fan meant for planted tanks, right? Just take note of the rust and dirt collection. Yes, quite a pain to keep up with the water evaporation. There were some reviews on the Dolphin "chiller"... I'm not sure how effective that is, but should be good enough for nano tanks. Thought of giving that a try.

The one I used to have kept messing with my coral placement, but was quite greedy with algae, including the red slime.

how much does the gravel cleaner

cost?