# Substrate Covered



## castortroy (Oct 4, 2016)

Hello,

I have had this outgoing issue for quite sometime.

Every 2-3 days i have to turn my sand over because its covered in a thick brown algae. I dont have a full cleaning crew but still have approx 40-50 hermit in a 90 gallon. and approx 30 snails. Always see them cleaning but never seems to be enough. (they mostly clean rocks)

Nitrates and phosphates are fine, tested great (GFO reactor in place)

thanks any suggestions much appreachiated


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## carl (Feb 11, 2010)

Vacuum your gravel a couple times when you do your water changes, 20% each week, then add Docs Eco Matter copepod and rotifer culture and feed them phyto, I have both, $26 and $15


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## szl (Sep 18, 2015)

How new is your tank?

When you say no3 and po4 are fine, what are the exact numbers? 

What kind of bioload do you have in the tank?

What type of lighting?


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## castortroy (Oct 4, 2016)

Thanks for the responses!

I do vacuum out my gravel but do 20% every 2 weeks. I can try to increase just very discouraging when I do a water change and two days later it's back.

Where locally can I get that stuff you mentioned? Just have a big Als near me.



I have standard testing kit with colour matching so hard to tell, but it was lining up to very close to 0.

I have mars aqua led full spectrum x 2 on my 90.

In my reactor I have Bulk reef supply reactor and GFO matter, along with a refugium packed with chaeto.

Hope that helps, really trying to find the permanent solution!

Cheers!


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*algae*

hey there and welcome to the forum.. 
before u go crazy pulling your hair out .. how old is the tank this is a common prob with new tanks , new tank syndrome ....before u start adding stuff and messing with stuff do some research .... u will see this is quite common on new tanks ... lower down your lighting and change up your water changes as rec by previous ...it will pass.....how is your circulation in the tank 
good luck


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## castortroy (Oct 4, 2016)

Tank is over two years old but yeah I should maybe lower my lighting and increase water changes I have some SPS so can't lower lighting to much....

How many hours you recommend right now I have blue on for 12 hours and remaining on for 10 of those hours.

Cheers!


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

A pic would definitely help but do you have any critters that would sift through/turn over the substrate mass? Strawberry conchs are great to help keep the surface clean (never stark white ) and Nassarius snails turning over the substrate to keep it from going "too anaerobic" depending on your substrate depth.


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

carl said:


> Vacuum your gravel a couple times when you do your water changes, 20% each week, then add Docs Eco Matter copepod and rotifer culture and feed them phyto, I have both, $26 and $15


Can you explain why adding copepods and feeding phyto would help? Thanks!


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## carl (Feb 11, 2010)

solarz said:


> carl said:
> 
> 
> > Vacuum your gravel a couple times when you do your water changes, 20% each week, then add Docs Eco Matter copepod and rotifer culture and feed them phyto, I have both, $26 and $15
> ...


Nutrient reduction because they eat at the bottom of the food chain and they are then eaten by the corals and filter feeders, plus they will eat nuisance algae spores and bacteria


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

carl said:


> Nutrient reduction because they eat at the bottom of the food chain and they are then eaten by the corals and filter feeders, plus they will eat nuisance algae spores and bacteria


I once tried rotifers on a tank suffering from green water bloom, with the idea that they would consume all that phytoplankton.

Unfortunately, it didn't do anything. The rotifers likely were all killed by the powerhead.


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## carl (Feb 11, 2010)

solarz said:


> carl said:
> 
> 
> > Nutrient reduction because they eat at the bottom of the food chain and they are then eaten by the corals and filter feeders, plus they will eat nuisance algae spores and bacteria
> ...


Not likely that they would be killed by the power head, large amphipods can even go through pumps without incident


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## castortroy (Oct 4, 2016)

Ok so i thank you for all the suggestions but wanted to confirm to move forward quicker measure would be:

turning down lighting for a few days
More frequent water changes
More crabs?

thanks!


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## badmedicine (Oct 27, 2012)

When I had a substrate, I would sometimes use CHEMICLEAN to reduce the bioload in the tank. 
Just be forewarned : You will have to turn your protein skimmer OFF or guaranteed it will go crazy on you.
I think that CHEMICLEAN acts as a oxidizer and IS reef safe.


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