Keeping my sand clean

[Paul Robbins]

Hi all,

Setting the scene:

160 Litre 4’ tank
20 kilos live rock
External Fluval 404 filter

1 x Yellow Tang
1 x Common Clown
1 x Emperor Cardinal
1 x Red Scooter Blenny
1 x Orchid Dottyback
3 x Green Chromis
1 x Regal Tang
1 x Cleaner shrimp
1 x fire/blood shrimp
1 x Maldives Starfish
5 x snails
1 x Hermit crab


I’m getting a matting of brown red matter on my sand bed. I recently changed the gravel substrate for white fine sand really for aesthetical reasons and I thought my bottom dwelling blenny would appreciate a smooth bottom. Now Im concerned how to keep this clean. I know if it’s a good idea to disturb the fish by scooping up the sand in a sive and I feel the algae or whatever it is would break down and just blend in with the sand.

Is it normal to get this sort of matter on the sand. Is it a side effect of not having a protein skimmer.
I’m also unsure if I’m over filtering as I read that with live rock (I have about 20 kilos) you can even not have an external filter (I have a fluval 404 at present).
My cleanup crew consist of 5 snails 1 starfish and 1 hermit crab. Are they being overwhelmed do you think?

Lastly, there seems to be little circulation from the output from the filter, I think I should fit a powerhead. Is this recommended in a FOWL fish only live rock setup?

Sorry to be asking such questions but I really could do with some advice.

Many thanks

Paul

 

[chkltcow]

How long has the tank been up and running? If it's relatively new, the brown could be diatom algae. Nothing to worry about, it'll basically go away on its own with a bit of help from the crabs. The reddish stuff though... that's a nasty bugger. If it's what I'm thinking, it's cyanobacteria. It forms these mats on the rocks and sand, and can cut down flow to them. It's a thick red slime, although not necessarily red. If it starts to look nasty like it has air bubbles under it, that's certainly what it is. I don't know any critters that will eat it, so the best thing you can do is use a turkey baster or something to suck it up and get rid of it. Make sure you have some flow in those areas where it's forming. Cyanobacteria forms in areas where water is stagnant, so keep it circulating.

But, again, if it's a newer tank, it's a normal part of the system establishing itself. Don't worry too much about it... just suck it up and get rid of what you can.

 

[Paul Robbins]

Aha, circulation is the key I feel too. Tank has been up and running for over 7 months now and bar the loss of the initial 2 clowns, I've not lost anything.

I'll get some pwoerheads and get the water moving around the rocks as I know it's not moving much at all at present.

BTW, is it gospel that if I have this anount of live rock (20Kg) in my 160L tank, I don't require a filtration system?
Whatver the answer I feel I'll always keep the external 404 running to help nature out as such.

Cheers

Paul

 

[Navarre]

Cyano is a bacteria and it loves a low circulation envirnment. Increase your circulation and this will help greatly. Remember that its the common rule that a marine tank needs a minimum of 10x capacity on circulation per hour. A 160l tanks needs 1600l per hoursa turnover as a minimum. Some aim for 15x or even 20x. Remember that in the wild, fish and corals are subject to enormous surges in water movemnt and this is one area of marine keeping that we cannot come close to ompeting with. Get some flow in there and you will see the tank come to life.

As for filtration, you cannot over filter your tank. Its true that liverock can and will filter it all on its own but the very fact that you have cyano etc means you have an excess of nutrients in the tank. Get a skimmer on the tank to reduce nutrients. run the filter but just with sponges (no bricketts inside) as the bricketts will reduce the efficientcy of your liverock. However, do not remove any bricketts etc inside the filter all in one go. each time you do a water change simply remove some. after 4 or 5 changes you should have an external filter with just sponges. This will not put the liverock under to much strain. It would not harm you either to increase the amount of liverock in the tank. it looks good and also does a grand job at filtering

 

[Paul Robbins]

I've just got 2 power heads that'll pump about 2400 L/Ph but I;m unsure as where best to position them.

An mentioned before, it's a FOWL tank, 4ft long with the live rock running along the back of the tank for the length of the tank.

Should I put the heads at either end of the tank to stop the fish getting "blown" all other the place or shoud I put one high and one low. The heads have 2 different outputs, either one large or 2 small outlets at 90 degrees to each other.

Any advice gratefully recieved as usual!

 

[Navarre]

No matter what powerhead you put in there, your fish wont get blown about.(Well except perhaps seahorses and similar species)


Coral reef at hit with HUGE surges every few seconds and these fish are designed for it. As for positioning the powerheads... Put them in the back corners facing to the front middle of the tank. THis will create turbulance rather than current and is far better for the fish and corals.

 

[Paul Robbins]

Thanks for the advice. I'll add the 2nd powerhead tonight.

Here's a link to the muck I was refering to http/www.yumyumbubblegum.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk


Yesterday, I had to empty the tank of 90% of it's water and all the rock to be able to move it as it appeared it was no longer level and I was worried about the bottom of the glass cracking, that was a laugh I can tell you!

Another think I'd like to ask, the noise from the powerheads. Not too bad from outside but I was wondering how the noise affects the fish inside the tank. I mean this by if you place an ear on the glass, the noise seems deafing.

I suppose the ocean is none to quiet itself but just curious.

Thanks

 

[Great Lakes]

Powerheads are a way of life I woldn't worry too much.

What kind of lighting are you running? This is also a large contributor to algae and bacteria blooms.

GL

PS, yes your cleanup crew is also overwhelmed. YOu should have about 40 blue or redleg hermits, and about 40 snails.