green algae on sand

[likwid]

Hey guys,

 

I've been getting a bunch of green algae on my live sand lately. It starts off fairly small, and then grows into what looks like hair algae. I stir up the top layer of the sand every couple days, but it always comes back the next day. I have been using rowaphos to remove phosphates, and they have been showing up as 0, but the algae still grows. It is a 10g tank with 72w 50/50 lighting and a HOB skimmer. Currently there is only 2 hermits, 2 turbos, 3 astrea snails, various corals, so I only feed once or twice a week. Also doing a water change every week using RO water.

[Maeda]

How thick is this sandbed in question?

 

Also if you're just stirring it, the algaes still there. It doesn't just magically dissapear. Siphon it out.

 

What phosphate test are you using? Even if you are using salifert, they don't have the range to realllllly be accurate to small units of phosphates.

 

AND on top of that the algae could have already eaten your phosphates.

 

Test the TDS on your RO water, or your test kit is bunk. Something sounds goofy here.