Green Algae?

[bucky1168]

This just appeared about 3 weeks ago. I thought it would eventually go away but it seems to be getting worse. It use to be in a small patch. Now it is spreading. (scratch) I have not changed anything except adding the brain coral. Will this stuff eventually dissappear like diatom algae or do I have to add something to get rid of it? I am running a HOB Skimmer. All water parameters seem to be fine. 0 nitrates, 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia, 0 phosphates, sg 1.025. I use API liquid test kits.

[dsoz]

do you have any nassarius snails? They dig into the sand and keep it mixed up. Nassarius and sand sifting stars are two of the best ways to keep your sand bed algae free.

dsoz :)

[Michael7979]

Is it a fairly new tank?
Do you have enough flow in the tank?

Yes, snails are the best bet along with cucumbers at cleaning sandbeds.

[180Brandy]

whats your calc and mag levels?

[Chief]

I would add more flow to the area and get some nassarius snails.

Jay

[bluecheese]

Agree with everyone above except for Impur (nutty) . Sand sifting stars, sea cucs, and nasarius

[bucky1168]

Thanks for all the info. I have not checked calcium or mag levels because I don't have test kits for these. The tank is almost 7 months old. I have 5 Nassarius snails. From the consensius, it seems I need to go get another power head and some more Nassarius snails. I also need to get a test kit for calcium since I am getting hooked on corals.(rock2) Again, thanks for the help.

[spectra]

Another option if you want ont is a sandsifting goby. My son wanted a Diamond goby and I swear he has CAT on him somewhere. He moves more sand than a buldozer. Only bad thing is anything on the sand bed is fair game he will bury anything and also likes to undermine things. Other than that a great little fish. He does not bother the snails in the sand either. My sand stays nice and bright white all the time. Just another option good luck!

[impur]

Agree with everyone above except for Impur (nutty) . Sand sifting stars, sea cucs, and nasarius

I haven't even responded to this yet! (nutty) Have you been sipping the skimmate again Phillipe?? (laugh)

[Stigits]

I was sitting here scatching my head (scratch) looking for the impur quote too

[izzypop]

forum telepathy, he just knew you were going to post something crazy.

as far as the green stuff everyones got you covered there. spectra is dead on with the goby too.

[reefgeek84]

Another option if you want ont is a sandsifting goby. My son wanted a Diamond goby and I swear he has CAT on him somewhere. He moves more sand than a buldozer. Only bad thing is anything on the sand bed is fair game he will bury anything and also likes to undermine things. Other than that a great little fish. He does not bother the snails in the sand either. My sand stays nice and bright white all the time. Just another option good luck!

Yes completely agree, the diamond goby is an awesome option, I will not have a tank with out one in it. I only recommend the diamond goby if go for a sand sifting goby. The reason being is that it is the only one that I have seen that scoots on the bottom of the tank, so when he sifts sand it does not go every where. All the other sand sifting gobies I have had, take a mouthful of sand and swim up about 8" of the bottom and let it go, and it is then a sand storm constantly in your tank...it sucks. If you go with a diamond goby, your sand bed will be like it is brand new all the time.

[impur]

Don't these gobies eat the stuff in the sand you want to keep to maintain diversity in the sandbed?

[reefgeek84]

Don't these gobies eat the stuff in the sand you want to keep to maintain diversity in the sandbed?

Not that I have experienced...they may eat some, but they do not really go below the top 1/4" of sand, so anything that is below a 1/2" from the top of the sand bed will be safe...From my experience.

[bluecheese]

Don't these gobies eat the stuff in the sand you want to keep to maintain diversity in the sandbed?

I knew it was coming!
DOH!
See what I mean!! rofl

Yeah my skimmate is pretty dense those days.. 55 proof!...right on Miles!(laugh)

Gobies should be mostly filtering algae from your send, and not affect the deeper biolife. But the point about spitting the sand all over is a good one and it's not a bad idea to move corals up from the sand bed so they don't get burried. My watchman goby and two sand sifting stars seem to do the job on my 200G no sand storm really. It looks like the Bahamas all year long...(clap)

[Holly]

I have 2 gobies/cuke/brittle star and my sand stays white too.

My brittle is really active after the MHs go off. He also comes 'running' out as soon as I feed the tank in the evenings. I've seen him scurry to a pellet, grab it from the sand, and curl it to his mouth while an ensuing medium-sized hermit is chasing after it. He can move fast for a starfish.

'Definitely recommend one of those cuz they're also fun to watch under the actinics or moonlight
:D (MIA during the day)

[bucky1168]

Thanks again for the info. I have moved my power head to try to have more movement over the bottom. It has seemed to have made some difference so far. The next chance I get, I will get a Diamond Goby. I already have a Yellow Watchman Goby. It shouldn't hurt to give it a try. :D

[bucky1168]

Moving the powerhead I think helped a little bit but adding the Diamond Goby was the trick. You guys were right about how much sand they move around. He moves so much, the water sometimes is cloudy from all the sand moving around. Since I put the goby in, the cloudiness has gotten less. Thanks for the help. (clap)