Looking for Solutions to Persistent Green Algae on Sand Bed

[Denisk]

Hey everyone,

Looking for some help dialing in my sand bed in my sps tank. I keep seeing tanks with those super clean, bright white sand beds and I’m trying to figure out what I’m missing.

I’ve been dealing with green algae on my sand bed for a while now. Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

• Nassarius snails to keep the sand stirred
• Increased flow (powerheads kicked up quite a bit)
• Conch snail for additional sand movement
• Regular siphoning during water changes every week

Despite all that, the green film keeps coming back.

Current system:
50 gallons
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.2 to 7.9
Alk: 8.2
Cal: 420
Mag: 1320
No3 : 5
Po4: .04

I dose nitrates and phosphates to keep n03 and p04 elevated because if they bottom out I start to get Dino however I believe it’s also accelerating/feeding the growth of the algae at the same time. But as I keep the nutrients elevated my sand bed just can never stay clean.

Any solutions/ideas to really help with this? Maybe a ton of hermits? Not sure.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Get a Diamond goby!! That's all mine dos is stir sand all day long!

 

[Denisk]

Get a Diamond goby!! That's all mine dos is stir sand all day long!

I’ve heard a ton of sand stirring gobies will throw sand all over corals and rocks. Do you have any issues with that being the case with a diamond goby? Thank you.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I had a watchman goby. It had a tendency to kick up sand, but never bothered my corals! Had more issues with my urchin doing that

 

[THE REEF WHISPER]

What is your feeding schedule

 

[Denisk]

What is your feeding schedule

I feed probably 1.5 cubes of frozen everyday spread out between 3/4 feeding a day.

 

[Denisk]

I had a watchman goby. It had a tendency to kick up sand, but never bothered my corals! Had more issues with my urchin doing that

Yeah I had a yellow watchman goby that just jumped out while I was gone even though I have a screen top but it was too late. But that being said, I felt like he barely did anything with the sand.

 

[ColorMeGone]

My little hermit crab keeps my sandbed clean.

 

[Denisk]

My little hermit crab keeps my sandbed clean.

Yeah I have about 2 in my tank since most of my clean up is trochus but they rarely touch the sand. Maybe I need to get 15 small hermits or something.

 

[reefnoob83]

How much flow do you have on the bed?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I’ve heard a ton of sand stirring gobies will throw sand all over corals and rocks. Do you have any issues with that being the case with a diamond goby? Thank you.

I do not. I have a diamond goby ad ywg, The diamond is by far the most active. I almost never (like once or twice a year) have sand on my corals. But he is a great sand sifter.

 

[Denisk]

How much flow do you have on the bed?

Hard to say how much flow I have at the sand bed but I’ve got my. Two mp10s on one side of the tank both cranked to about 95% running anti sync on reef crest mode.

 

[Denisk]

I do not. I have a diamond goby ad ywg, The diamond is by far the most active. I almost never (like once or twice a year) have sand on my corals. But he is a great sand sifter.

That is good to know. I might have to look into one.