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Need a little advice


chinamom

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Little background- 30 gal bio cube up about 5 yrs

Sand is from my 150 system that was torn down

About 2 months ago I tore the tank apart for a good cleaning since I had let it go 

Since then the sand has a rust colored algae

I'm doing weekly water changes and sucking it off the sand

I really think I may need to replace the sand completly

Only live stock is a pair of clowns that I got last week and a few frags 

Lights are about 3 months old

 

 

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It's probably diatoms or dinos. Normal in a new tank, or one that's had a big disruption and likely a surge of nutrients. Keep doing what you're doing, maybe add a few snails to stir the sandbed. Your tank will eventually stabilize more and it'll go away. Don't replace the sand, it won't help anything. It's not the problem. More algae would just appear on it. 

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1 hour ago, Tired said:

It's probably diatoms or dinos. Normal in a new tank, or one that's had a big disruption and likely a surge of nutrients. Keep doing what you're doing, maybe add a few snails to stir the sandbed. Your tank will eventually stabilize more and it'll go away. Don't replace the sand, it won't help anything. It's not the problem. More algae would just appear on it. 

I'd second the sentiment not to change the sand. 

 

I've had this a few times in the 11+ years of my nano tank and it appears to bloom due to higher nutrient levels.  When I bring nutrients down (PO4 ~.01-.02, NO3 ~5 or less it tends to diminish, but certainly does take time.

 

Good luck!

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Usually we advise when reusing old sand that it be washed before because a lot of nasty crap is released.

 

I've completely replaced sand, slowly removed and replaced, never had an issue, if anything its solved some issues.

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2 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Usually we advise when reusing old sand that it be washed before because a lot of nasty crap is released.

 

I've completely replaced sand, slowly removed and replaced, never had an issue, if anything its solved some issues.

Good to see that worked for you.

 

Just goes to show, more than one way to 'skin a cat' (sorry SPCA)  😉

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To keep my sand clean/tanks clean if detritus, i stir up my sand 2x a week, once midweek and once before the Saturday water change. I use a wooden kebob skewer to stir it up and only takes a few minutes. Then use a baster To blow off the rocks. After the tank clears up I change the filter floss. It works well for me as long as you keep up.

 

if you never regularly stir up you sand/blow off the rocks, start slow and do only a section at a time, you don’t want to release too much nasty all at once.

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