Sand turing a rusty looking color

[Lance]

So far for the past week my sand has been turning a rusty color in certian areas. It is gone by morning time when the lights come on for the most part but by mid day it has started to turn again. My prams are the same pretty much the whole time the tank has been running and that is:

Ph 8.2
NH2/3 0
NO2 0
NO3 0
PO4 0
CA2 460-500
Sal 1.024

The color change started when I added new corals to the tank. I added Colves, Hammers, and frogspawn from a well established tank. Might this have something to do with the changing of the sand. Is this something that is bad or something that will just cycle itself out?

 

[DaveJ]

That looks like the beginnings of cyno or a small diatom bloom. You have a fairly new tank so you may get these things from time to time until it really matures. Typically they are caused by higher nutrients in the water and lower flow. Bulb coloration may play a roll in them popping up too as the spectrum shifts to yellow.

Adding new pieces may alter flow patterns slighty, depending on the size of them or there could have been some bits and bobs of it on them.

Regardless, its nothing to worry about. Just try to improve your flow in those areas, make sure your nitrates and PO4 do not get too high and lightly brush the sand to break that stuff up so your skimmer can pull as much out as possible. Continue your water changes with RO/DI water (not tap) and you should be okay.

If it continues or gets worse let us know.

 

[Lance]

Well I thought I was over the bloom after the first cycle. It has been running since the 20th of Dec and seems pretty stable. I did add the wall hammer that you see in part of the picture and it is right behind it and under it were it turns so I will try changing my heads a little to get a different flow in there.

 

[DaveJ]

@Lance6270 wrote:

Naw... you'll still get blooms from time to time... they just won't be as severe as the first one. People with tanks many years old still get cyno or diatoms on occasion.