Brown Sediment (Settled Detrius?)

[tutmatt3]

Welp, definitely at the point that I need some help! Some shots below.
Got this thick heavy brown settled sediment on the top-facing surfaces of my rock.
Not diatoms (i think... ) since those would have blown away. Black sand does not have this.

I didn't have strong flow at the time when thye formed, and it only appears to have gotten worse. Takes some very strong scrubbing to get some of it to come off. My theory is that left-over pellets ended up dissolving in this sumpless system (2x HOBs) and ended up settling & turning into this ugly goodness. Turkey baster won't do anything to this

Any input would be much appreciate!

Tank details:
55gal, 2x hob filters, was only 2x current usa eflux - but now added 1x jeabeo wp-25, skimmer, ato, 2x chinese black boxes, 1x 36" ati coral + t5, fan, heater, temp controller

Parameters:
ph 8.1
calc 380
amonia/nitrite 0
nitrate 5
phos .03
alk/dkh 8.0
iodine .06
potassium 390
salinity 1.026
temp 76.5-77.5

Feeding habits - turn HOB/wave makers off for 10 mins, feed slowly - about 10x pellets & 1/2 cube frozen food.
Every other night - oyster feast

Really hoping there's a resolution besides scrubbing - as I'm sure I'll cause many fatalities in the meantime to coral. I'm sure you can see I'm also dealing with a pineapple sponge problem on the underside, as well as STN from the base up on some acros

 

[jenkinscrew2578]

What does your cleanup crew consist of?

 

[tutmatt3]

What does your cleanup crew consist of?

5x turbos, 4x nassarius, & a tonnn of bristle worms.
had hermits while back, but caught em literally picking polyps out of an acro, so they got the eviction notice.

 

[jenkinscrew2578]

I would easily double if not triple that CUC.

What is your lighting schedule like?

 

[tutmatt3]

I would easily double if not triple that CUC.

What is your lighting schedule like?

Hmm ok. Any suggestions for CUC for rocks? I've heard good things about Cerith, havn't seen any at the LFS's around town. Hard for the turbos to navigate w/ coral frags everywhere.

Current Lighting sch: + my single t5 on from 11a-5p (6x hours)
Currently bringing lights up to 60/30, with 3% increase each week

Once the blues hit below 10%, only 3 bulbs illuminate per unit

 

[jenkinscrew2578]

I would get some astrea snails and some hermits.

Might hold off on the increase of light each week and might bump it back down to last week settings and hold for a few weeks to see how the cuc do.

How long has your system been up and running?

 

[tutmatt3]

6 months now

 

[jenkinscrew2578]

Ok so pretty new, mine went through a stage like that, but mine is a 100 gallon and I have a cuc of about 50. Seems like your rock maturing. I would get more cuc and see how it is after a week or two. Your parameters look good though. If it was easy to blow off, I would say blow it off and do water change after each time. But shouldn't hurt anything. It will eventually turn to green and then purple coraline algae. Just keep those parameters stable.

 

[Katrina71]

Ninja star snails!

 

[tutmatt3]

Ok so pretty new, mine went through a stage like that, but mine is a 100 gallon and I have a cuc of about 50. Seems like your rock maturing. I would get more cuc and see how it is after a week or two. Your parameters look good though. If it was easy to blow off, I would say blow it off and do water change after each time. But shouldn't hurt anything. It will eventually turn to green and then purple coraline algae. Just keep those parameters stable.

Got it. I'll def up the CUC. Yeah, its not easy to blow off, it's not even easy to scrub off!

My fear was that it coated the rock so much that coraline won't eventually be able to grow, since there's a 'mud' layer

Ninja star snails!

Never heard of those guys, thanks!

 

[jenkinscrew2578]

I am at about 9 months and I am starting to see purple coraline. Starts out a brown algae, then to green/dark green and then to purple. That is what I have noticed. Your getting close [emoji3], the cuc should just help make sure it doesn't turn into, out of control, nuisance algae.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Here's a nice article on snails and what they eat.
Choose a variety. Esp as you have odd diatom Dino looking stuff growing.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Ninja star snails!

Heck yea!
http://m.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+526+2844&pcatid=2844
Spiney star asteria .

 

[tutmatt3]

Thnx guys! Picked up 10x cerith snails yesterday. Got lucky n found them local.

I'm not seeing an article link salty? Thank you though

I'm going to refrain from using the new life Spectrum food for the next two weeks as well as oyster feast and see if things improve. Only Frozen Brine and my mysis

Also considering using rowa. Phosphates we're at .05 according to my hannaphosphorus Checker, but since there's algae if I can start it then that should go away, correct?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

but since there's algae if I can start it then that should go away, correct?

no, not always.

 

[tutmatt3]

no, not always.

Any harm if i run it? Maybe it might starve my corals?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Any harm if i run it? Maybe it might starve my corals?

Correct. IMO, just add slowly.

Even though so many folks run it regularly. Every time I added even a tablespoon (LITERALLY)of gfo to my 30 g , my candy canes would almost melt, and recede to the bone. I repeated the experiment a number of times. pretty much figured I just cant use gfo. lol.

 

[tutmatt3]

Correct. IMO, just add slowly.

Even though so many folks run it regularly. Every time I added even a tablespoon (LITERALLY)of gfo to my 30 g , my candy canes would almost melt, and recede to the bone. I repeated the experiment a number of times. pretty much figured I just cant use gfo. lol.

dang. Alright good to know i need to tread with caution

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

dang. Alright good to know i need to tread with caution

just go slow. its funny how every tank is so different.
The HIlarious thing was, my tank was a rebuild that had been completely taken over by cyano. the po4 was off the charts and my skimmer was junk. I tested rock for Po4 leaching, scrubbed, used peroxide dips to reduce organics n algae.
I wound up using a hob refugium and higher lighting and water changes to cure it. Stuff like that happens to me a lot.

 

[Gil03]

I agree with the above mentioned get a variety of snails and that should do the trick, also you can dose something like Remediation from Aqua Vitro weekly.