Rust on Sand?

I have a 45 time turnover(just figured it out for the first time) and I still have them. I added a clean-up crew from reef cleaners this last week lets see how it goes. They look busy in there. I had 16 large turbos in there and they keep the rocks mostly clean but dident touch the sand. John at reef cleaners says this should kick its butt. I would up the water flow and throw in some snails.

 

Too much flow, I don't have an SPS dominated tank and with my rock layout the 32 times is pushing it. My softies and LPS are getting too much flow.

 

Yes, 30g with Chaeto.

 

What are your NO3 and PO4 levels? I'll asssume you use RO/DI water for top-off. If so, do you make your own water? If so, check your TDS on the output, it may be time to change the carbon blocks, membrane and DI cartridge. When I had an outbreak out of the blue, it was due to old filtration in my RO system, my TFC was exhausted and needed to be replaced.

 

light cyano - not too bad. little more flow, (but I don't think it would do much, it looks like it hasn't been able to mat), sand stir and watch your phosphates. Mild case of "old tank syndrome". Basically you import nitrates and phosphates in a natural balance, but your rock takes up a lot of nitrates, leaving your nutrient balance (Nitrate/Phosphate, which should be around 20:1 - 14:1) to something closer than that. Clean it, and remove the phosphates and you will be right on track. Nice looking tank by the way.

Do you use a refugium?
If so, has the growth of your plants slowed down?

 

if you have to use the Chemi, people will tell you its not natural...but we take corals from a vast ocean and stuff them into our little A$$ tanks...corals and fish that would otherwise never meet in the wild, and we still want to talk about natural...your tank is not a natural twin of the wild anyway...thats why those products are on the market...

 

which kind of lighting you use ? if you have strong lighting dont make it on more than 8-9 hour a day thise more than thise no need ,another thing you might have hi phosphate in youre tank please use phsphate remove in youre tank.

 

Yes, I believe my Chaeto growth slowed. I'm also not seeing any more coralline algae growth.

 

I dont mean to change the subject here on your thread, but I have the same exact problem as well. I was on my way to post the same thing but you beat me to it! It is like a rusty color; like 3 parts red 1 part purple (?). It is all over my sand and glass, and slowly grows over the rock too. I just did a water change and cleaned the sand, but after about 30 hours it was as strong as before.

Quick Question (dont mean to steal the thread) Would sand sifting gobies be able to eat up this stuff?

 

I have a Sandsifting Star and it doesn't put a dent in this stuff.