Phosphorus rise causing issues..

[DamonG]

Bare bottom.. I'm just curious how many are running them, and if this would solve my problem I am currently having? I am moving next week and strongly considering this option..

I have had my system set up for a while(almost a year and a month), and recently am experiencing some phosphate issues). Nothing has changed, except I was using brs hc gfo, and had to switch to aquaforest since brs was out for a while.. But this has began even when I was still using brs gfo. It started maybe 3 to 4 months ago.

I never vacuum my sand simply because I have a sand sifting star in the tank, but I'm wondering if this is the cause of my issues.. And, I know for flow, it's a ton easier to not have sand, but just mulling everything and every option over for the move..

Thanks in advance for any insights .

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[tmz]

I run my tanks almost bare bottom. There are a some patches /pools of sand 1 to two inches deep here and there for burying wrasses. For the most part any sand in the display and frag tanks is less than and inch I do keep some deep sand in an unlit refugium though with live rock on top of it. New sand may adsorb phosphate to it's surface and then leach some back overtime ,usually it takes longer than a couple of years for that to happen.

My system is also dosed with soluble organics( acetic acid and ethanol) . PO4 in the heavily fed system holds around 0.02ppm to 0.04ppm per hanah 713, NO3 around 0.2ppm per salifert test, without any removers . I haven't used gfo or in over 3 years nor any lanthanum chloride in over 5.

[azjohnny]

I have kept tanks using DSB, what I call average sand bed ( 1-3") , SSB and BB. If you can get beyond the look of not having sand BB is my favorite, you can have a lot more flow in the DT

If you have Phosphate issues try researching Algae Turf Scrubbers, its a natural method of removing nitrates, phosphates and other minerals. I watched a recent documentary that in a 3rd world nation they would use algae to make undrinkable water drinkable

[DamonG]

Thanks for the replies.. I have run scrubbers in the past, and I may end up doing another.. I will be doing the bare bottom for sure.. It's just the first time I've ever run one..

And I now, run a five with cheato lit heavily(led eq to 400 watts).. I just don't quite understand what has happened, as it just began doing this and having this issue.. It's really, really weird..

But I may just do the scrubber after the move.. I will see how it does with the bare bottom.. But it is certainly going to be an asthetic adjustment..

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[tmz]

asthetic adjustment

It is ; I liked the beachy look when the sand was white and the sand critters but the bare bottom can be covered with coralline and/or coral growth like chalices and montipora ,zoanthdae in time and even some sponge growth which are equally pleasing to my eye.

[DamonG]

asthetic adjustment

It is ; I liked the beachy look when the sand was white and the sand critters but the bare bottom can be covered with coralline and/or coral growth like chalices and montipora ,zoanthdae in time and even some sponge growth which are equally pleasing to my eye.
Yes, that is what I was thinking and talking to the mrs about... It would be really cool if it covered with corraline.. That would be awesome.. For sure! I guess I will know in a couple months if it is successful on that end.. I was also thinking about moving all of the live rock from the sump to the display to not only seed the corraline, but also to cover some of the space that will be open.. I'm running basically a single level(on the sand) scape right now.. So it will be interesting if I can achieve a good look with just rock and no sand..

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[bertoni]

Sand-sifting stars feed on animals in the sand, so they prevent the infauna from processing any detritus, or as much detritus. You could consider removing it and adding some animals, but the damage might be done, if the sand is in fact the source of the problem. That's hard to say.

[DamonG]

Sand-sifting stars feed on animals in the sand, so they prevent the infauna from processing any detritus, or as much detritus. You could consider removing it and adding some animals, but the damage might be done, if the sand is in fact the source of the problem. That's hard to say.
Hmmmm.. I hadn't thought about that.. Thanks for that insight..

My buddy is helping me move the system on Saturday.. I'm going bare bottom this time, so maybe I'll just give him my star as he loves them also, along with my mel wrasse.. Though,i hate to think about giving up the wrasse, as I've grown him from small. But oh well, sometimes it just happens that way..

I'm going that bare bottom gets rid of my issues as far as the phosphate is concerned..

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