I know this has been brought up many times before however I'd like everyones opinion.
First off I filled my tank with about 250lb of PLAY SAND (silica base was all I had available I also have a 20 gallon refuge that I put 20lb of KENT BIO-SAND and a 175 MH 6500k with 1 24" actinic NO, Now the problem is I have a really bad algae problem It's completly covered the refuge so much that I can't see the back glass through the brown hairs coming off the rocks and it looks like it's suffocating my LR, However the algae is not growing on the sand only the rock, My phosphates are really high at 5.0 the tank has been up for about 4 weeks (Approx.) Nirite=0, ammonia=0, nitrate=20. Is the algae caused by the sand? or by the excess phosphates? I only have 4 NO bulbs on the main tank and there is very little algae, however I'm afraid If I turn on the 3 400watt MH the whole tank will look like the refuge and I'll have a heck of A mess if the algae doesn't go away
If you think the sand is whats doing it then I'll have to bite the bullet and pay $3 a pound for argonite sand and redo the tank However if there is someone who has used SILICA SAND before and the algae went away let me know.
Everyone opinion is very much appreciated and sorry if I've repeated other posts.
Thanks.
First off I filled my tank with about 250lb of PLAY SAND (silica base was all I had available I also have a 20 gallon refuge that I put 20lb of KENT BIO-SAND and a 175 MH 6500k with 1 24" actinic NO, Now the problem is I have a really bad algae problem It's completly covered the refuge so much that I can't see the back glass through the brown hairs coming off the rocks and it looks like it's suffocating my LR, However the algae is not growing on the sand only the rock, My phosphates are really high at 5.0 the tank has been up for about 4 weeks (Approx.) Nirite=0, ammonia=0, nitrate=20. Is the algae caused by the sand? or by the excess phosphates? I only have 4 NO bulbs on the main tank and there is very little algae, however I'm afraid If I turn on the 3 400watt MH the whole tank will look like the refuge and I'll have a heck of A mess if the algae doesn't go away
If you think the sand is whats doing it then I'll have to bite the bullet and pay $3 a pound for argonite sand and redo the tank However if there is someone who has used SILICA SAND before and the algae went away let me know.
Everyone opinion is very much appreciated and sorry if I've repeated other posts.
Thanks.