Stupid Algae

So I have crushed coral/sand mix I believe its Ocean Direct and it is growing some funky stuff. I know crushed coral isn't the way to go and I am slowly removing some evrytime I do a water change but it hasd been growing a thick dark almost black green algae. When I scoop the sand it comes up in a layer almost like peeling shingles from a roof. I have no other issues in the tank with algae so I am kind of confused. Ammonia/Nitrite and nitrates are in order. Has anyone one else had this? What can I do to fix this? everytime I scrape it off the coral it comes back in a week.

 

What are your phosphates at?

.....and what exactly is your nitrate reading?

 

What kind of water are you using?

 

sounds like it could by cyno, I had a bad case of it. It would grow all over my rock and sand. It comes off in sheets. If you could post a pic, that would be really helpful

 

Phosphates are 0 and I understand that if the algae or whatever it is is using it then the tests could not exactly be accurate. I use RO/DI water and feed fairly little and when I do feed I use a homemade feeding stick so I can put just a little food in at a time until the fish eat that and then I do a little more. I do 1/2 a cube of frozen mysis or spirulina brine everyday, and everyonce in a while I will give them some flake food or sheet algae just to mix their diet up. I am very cautious about over feeding or under feeding please let me know if this sounds like to much food a day. By the way I have a Scopas tang, two clowns, a green brittle (big), 3 crabs and a bunch of snails.

 

How old is your tank again?

 

too much food, it sounds like a black/blue algae which are usually no good, i believe it means your o2 levels are low, do you have covers on your tank?

 

Phosphates and flow is your problem. Get more flow, and get rid of the phosphates. Blue green algae/cyano can live on phosphates alone. No light or other nutrients are needed.

If your phosphates are zero, they are zero after the algae consumes them. You are probably feeding food with phosphates, (almost all flake has phosphates), so you need to get something that will absorb the phosphates.

This will get it done, assuming this is what you have,

 

Tank is 6 months old now I have a canopy on the tank, but I took the glass covers off of it to help with the gas exchange. I do have some Bulk Reef Supply phosphate remover in my sump in a filter bag along with carbon. But I do also feed some flake food here and there, but I am pretty cautious when I feed it to make sure that all of it is eaten (as much as possible). I feed flake about 3 times a week, other wise my tank gets a half of a cube of either mysis, or spirulina brine a day. I use a feeding tube so that they definately eat it all cause they sit at the end of the tube and suck it out. I really appreciate the help and if there are any other suggestions I am totally up for them. Oh yeag and I did move my Koralias so that they give more flow throughout the tank and this week the blue/green crap didn't grow nearly as much. I'll take pictures of my sump and tank with where the flow is and see if anyone has better ideas for oxygenization.

 

Stop with flake/pellet, put in new carbon and the phos absorber if they are more than 4-5 weeks old.
And also, how big is your tang? It doesnt sound like you are feeding enough veggie diet for it. Consider clipping down some raw broccoli instead of the sheet algae. You can basically give it as much broccoli as it will eat, and as long as you change it out every 48 hours or so, it wont muck up your water like overfeeding will.