Is this normal

[Rich42082]

My sand bed gets like this everyday. It goes away in the morning. By daytime it's back up.

 

[Sniperhank]

That is cyano bacteria. It is a high nitrate issue. Reduce feedings, add more flow, and export that nutrients you do have with a skimmer or macro algae.

 

[Rich42082]

I have 2 koralia 1400 plus a mag 9 return. I use the swc150 skimmer. I have a phosban reactor with the phosban media. I feed once every other day with some home made live food. I have my pumps on a controller and they turn on and off at the same time every 10 seconds. Do I need more flow?

I had my koralias aimed a way that kept the sandbed clean but I have fine sand and it would lift the sand and make the water a little cloudy.

What do you recommend?

 

[Sniperhank]

I'd feed way less and siphon the cyano out.

 

[Rich42082]

Ok, so once every two days? What's your feeding schedule like?

 

[Sniperhank]

I feed mysis once a week. I split a cube up between my 36 and 55.

 

[Rich42082]

Ok I'll try this out. Forgot to add this is a 90 gallon tank.

Powder brown tang
Sailfin
3 damsels

 

[Sniperhank]

You are feeding homemade food. How much? This is usually quite the improvement from manufactured nutrient rich food. I would feed in small amounts.

 

[Rich42082]

I usually break off a small piece but once it defrosts it usually looks like a lot of food. I thought this was ok since I was only feeding once every other day. My reading are always good sometimes ammonia goes up just a little but with my water change every two weeks it goes back to 0. I just added miracle mud so hopefully it helps.

 

[Sniperhank]

Wow, if it is causing an ammonia reading then this is way way too much food.

 

[Rich42082]

Yeah I probably don't have enough fish for the amount of food I put in.