Growth in tank

[mmaglione]

Appologize in advance for the noob question but im having a rough day haha. My tank parameters are fine 0ppm ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, salinity is within normal recomended range, etc. I have a protien skimmer. The tank has been very healthy along with all of the creatures within it, i have yellow polyps, tangs, and a clown fish, inverts, feather duster. I have been regularly getting a thick lining of a very dark almost brown / black coating on the bottem of my sand bed. I am not sure what it is, but it doesnt look the best, so each time i disturb it and take it out. When it is disturbed (broken up) it gets stringy and someone take the form of broken up sea weed. Does anyone have a clue what it is ? Some of it sinks below the sandbed, some is filtered out, the tank is fine for a few days then after a week or so the dreaded stuff comes back covering my sandbed again. Any ideas ?

 

[mmaglione]

ahh found what it was, Red Slime Algae, so am i reading correctly its most likely because of the water i use as i dont have issues with lighting etc.? I do use TAP water with no filtration, i know it is someone higher in sulfates. I just fill a bucket, dump some salt and PURE Chemical detoxifier in with a Power head let it airate for 12 - 24 hours then i dump it into my display tank when everything is perfect. Think i really need an RO/DI for this, how does everyone else handle it ?

 

[melosu58]

We have a good article about it in our SW articles section. There is several causes for it. Excessive nutrients from overfeeding and using tap water. I work for a water municipality so I know what`s used to create clean drinking water. Good for us humans but not for our Sw aquariums.

 

[Jimbo7]

Your levels read fine because the algae is eating all of the excess nutrients up. Get an RO/DI and replace any bulbs that are over 6-8 months old. Here is that article,
Cyanobacteria, AKA Red Slime Algae

 

[xsmoker_3]

buy your water at walmart they have a water machine with ro water just use a buffer to bring ph up its 7 dollars for 20 gal