Clumping Sand and algae problems

[Chipdog1]

I have a friend with a 90 gallon tank that is having more problems then you can shake a stick at. The fish are doing ok but the corals are not doing so well. Very few are still holding on. The only test that is out of safe levels is Calcium that we can not keep over 250 ppm. The tank gets chronic red slime, hair algae and brown diatom algae. Now the live sand is clumping or more like becoming concrete.

lighting is 4, 96watt pc bulbs. Changed a month ago.
Chemicals added are Kent Coral Vite, Kent Tech I, Seachem Reef Builder and Seachem Advanced Calcium.

This problem has been going on for months now.

I have tried to help out with a 100% water change and lots of smaller WCs also but no change.

Can anyone else think of anything.

 

[Brian5000]

How long has the tank been going? Has the sand bed ever been cleaned?

If it's been a while and your sand bed is solid with algea, you may want to consider replacing it. Or at least sucking it out and giving a good wash.

That is a ton of additives. You are currently using all of those?

I think most folks (including myself) only suppliment calcium these days. Water changes do the rest.

Did you do the calcium test right after a water change? I think lots of salt brands are deficient in calcium. My instant ocean leaves me at about 300-350 ppm until I add more.
_________________
Hawaiian Forum

 

[Joew]

His sand is suffering from compaction, not algae...Common to sand beds that don't get turned over.

On the algae can be from numerous things...Need to find the nutrient source.

High Phosphates -Water...using LFS water or own RO/DI , if own needs to get a TDS meter.

Detritus buildup - is he blowing his rocks to get detritus in the water column so it can be skimmed out?

What type of cleanup crew he using?

Need me info please...

Joe W
_________________
Mercedes Benz F700

 

[Chipdog1]

The tank has been running for years but the sand is less then a year old.
There is no algea in the sand it is just locking to itself
The sand gets gravel cleaned every month.
The big water change was with Sea water. All other water changes are with sea water cut down with RO to 1.023
Phosphates test up at almost zero to zero and there has been both Phosban and Phosgaurd run in the tank just incase.
The rocks get blown off once a month when the new water is pumped back in. No big clouds of detritus.
Everything from tangs to astria snails, blue legged hermits and emerald crabs. the snails tend to die off like there is no food for them.

thanks for the help

 

[ufotofu]

That does sound like a lot of stuff...Lay off the additives for a while. Monitor the alkalinity and pH. Get the Ca up using some type of conc Ca source that will get it into solution (eg. Kent Turbo Calcium, CaCl2). Test often (2 or 3 times a week) until it stabilizes. Once you get the Ca up to around 400 ppm switch to kalkwasser, 2 pt, etc to maintain.

How's your lighting? Photosynthetic corals, clams, etc will croak if not adequately fed.

Get a TDS meter for your RO/DI. Silicates might be a problem even if your Phos tests show nothing. Check your seawater, too.

The sand will clump up if you don't have something in there to mill around in the bed like sand-sifting seastars, etc. Check your magnesium levels also. Do a search for Randy Holmes-Farley's articles on alk, Ca, Mg on here and Advanced Aquarist. In fact, here you go :arrow: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

Use this :arrow: http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html to figure out how much of what to add when. :wink:

Good luck to you and your friend! Let us know how things turn out (with pics, we like pics!)!

 

[ChrisRD]

I'm guessing alk is too high. The low Ca level and sand clumping are indicators.

The other issues sound nutrient related - source water could be the problem. You might try a few water changes with good RO/DI and a decent salt mix (ie. maybe there's a problem with the seawater). Double check the other usual suspects too - strong skimmer (that's being maintained), strong circulation, pure topoff water, sensible feeding methods/quantities, etc.

IMO you were on the right track with the water changes (provided your seawater/source water is good). Do a few more large ones once you're sure of the water purity and then just stick to a balanced two-part or kalkwasser as the only additive for a while. It will take time for things to straighten out.

Also, be sure to check Ca/Alk/Mg levels of the mix you're using for the water changes and correct levels as needed.

HTH