Rust red filter sock

[jpvd007]

Hi all
It’s been a while since posting but all’s been going well till this little problem has come up over the last 2 weeks. This is the second sock change that I have had this happen and I was wondering what is causing this problem. On inspection of the overflow pipe running in to the sock I also found the rust colour slim coating the pipe as well as in other pipes in the protein skimmer the phos reactor and the return pump intake. All of the places it is growing are high flow areas.

It is not at all in the tank it self only in the no light areas and pipes.

Is this a form of cyno? Or some other algae.

The water parameters are as follows
PH 8
Phos 0ppm
Cal 380
Ammonia 0ppm
KH 143
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 40ppm

So the nitrate is high but that’s the only one out of whack and when the first sock was red the nitrates at that time were only 5ppm.

 

[jpvd007]

 

[leslie hempel]

possibly a pigment from the food you feeding?

 

[jpvd007]

possibly a pigment from the food you feeding?

That was my first thought after starting a new coral food just before this happened the first time but that was 4 days after the new feeding and I have not fed it since, would this old food still be in the system two weeks after the feeding? If so that’s crazy.

 

[jpvd007]

Okay so this is what the other parts of the sump look like including the skimmer cup. I am still not convinced it was the food that was fed as This is getting worse over night the reactor was not as full of the red stuff yesterday. I also put a new sock in yesterday and within 6 hours of filtering it looked like this.

 

[jpvd007]

 

[Joshua1]

Are you using NSW or are you mixing/buying water?

Are you dosing anything?

 

[jpvd007]

NSW, Rowaphos in the reactor and I dose with Red Sea reef foundation ABC I have been using this for 1 year nw with no problems.

 

[jpvd007]

The Rowaphos has only been running for 3 months

 

[jpvd007]

M other 120L also runs on the same NSW and no problems there.

 

[Joshua1]

Your rowaphos tumbling in the reactor?

 

[jpvd007]

Yes

 

[Joshua1]

I have read before that rowaphos gives off a red dust even after thorough rinsing.

Maybe switch off the rowaphos reactor and see if the situation improves

 

[jpvd007]

Thanks I will try what you suggest as I have been told the same thing when buying it.