Sand Bed Problems.

[2Barrel]

Hello everyone.
Yesterday I was doing some tank maintenance and noticed some rock hard chunks in my sand bed.
What could be causing it ?
Precipitation??
Tank is 50 Gal. total volume.
I'm dosing BRS soda ash @ 53ml. per day.
BRS Calcium @ 50 ml. per day.
BRS Magnesium @ 11 ml per day.

DHK 8.0 " HANNA"
Cal. 425 "Red Sea Pro"
Magnesium. 1350 "Salifert"
P.H. 8.3 "Red Sea"

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[tzabor10]

Precipitate for sure. I switched to all for reef and don’t have that problem anymore.
Good luck

 

[sgdnycct]

Following

 

[mbuxton]

Do you have a picture?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Photos?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

High pH and high alk, and low phosphate and low organics and low magnesium all promote precipitation, with the first two and new sand being the biggest risk factors.

How old is the tank/sand?

 

[2Barrel]

Tank actually just turned 1 year old.
Phos. 0.06 "Hanna"
Nitrate 7.2 " Hanna"

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Might the sand hardening have happened in the past? it is much more common with new dry sand.

 

[2Barrel]

It's possible Randy.
Sand is normal on top.
Real crusty on the bottom. I can break up the chunks with my bare hand.
Could this just be compaction?
Sand used is Carib Sea Special Grade.