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Sandbed turning green

NEWSALT

NEWSALT

My 180g FOWLR tank that is about 4-1/2 yrs old. Over the past few months, I've noticed that the top layer of my sandbed is turning a bright green. It's not a mat like cyano, and it's not hairy because I've dealt with that too. It's like the individual grains of the sand are green. I can't figure out what it is. When the light are out at night, it seems to go away but as soon as the lights come on, it turns green again. I use three AI Sol Blue LEDs over the tank. I use IO salt. The one thing I'm thinking is maybe my RO water isn't great. It's been a while since I changed the cartridges and the Spectrapure Silica Buster cartridges. I just ordered them and will replace them ASAP. Other than that, the water is clear and the fish seem fine.
Anyone else experience this?
Thanks
 
Empire

Empire

i believe you answered you're own question! are you using any phosphate remover? i recently added 3 additional stages to my rodi and now run 8 stages. my corals love it.
 
Empire

Empire

i can't take all the credit. my buddy gave me the idea. i added a 2 stage pre scrubber straight off the pipe before the booster pump. it consists of a sediment filter and a carbon block. i also added an additional di resin at the end.

9D16D6BA-4759-4A19-B980-9817F52F6C84_zpslwpbedjh.jpg


red comes straight off the pipe into pre scrubber then to the booster pump. rest is self explanatory. i used to get a reading of 13 in and 0 out. i now get 4 in and 0 out.
 
Mark...

Mark...

Seems like a lot of work to improve the "in" by 9 tds, with the ultimate goal of 0 out being the end result anyway. If the "in" was really high, then it makes sense.
 
Empire

Empire

Even when you have zero TDS you still can have other pollutants in the water that don't show a reading. There wasn't much work done. I had an old 3 stage RODI that was sitting in my garage. I trust my friends judgement and his tank doesn't lie.

088F5055-A555-495F-B007-53C8655DD62A_zps3wsseojk.jpg
 
kschweer

kschweer

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How's the pressure at the membrane? My only concern would be dropping the pressure that is reaching the membrane. If the pressure at the membrane drops the effectiveness of it will be lower.
 
asonitez

asonitez

What's your flow and clean up crew like? If you have the space for him get a diamond spot goby. He will literally eat your sand and spit it out pristine. It's probably the best fish I've ever had. Or try a conch. Seems like your sand isn't moving at least the too layer isn't moving enough to prevent algae growing on it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
jose7878

jose7878

That's the reason I bought a Sleeper Gold Head Goby. I also had some dead spots. And he took care of those areas for me by sifting thru it.
 
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