texmexbigspring Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) Tank has been set up for about 2 and a half weeks now. I am pretty sure that it is all normal. So what is this brown stuff all over my rocks and sand and everywere? And what is my next move? When cycle is done will all this be gone? Thanks all Edited July 27, 2009 by texmexbigspring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texmexbigspring Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) well I was trying to put a pic up but it keeps giving me message that internet explorer can not display the web page so I will try to put it up tomorrow. Thanks Edited July 27, 2009 by texmexbigspring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texmexbigspring Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 It looks like brown spotts all over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 look up diatom algae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texmexbigspring Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 Ok that is what this is so I guess it is normal. So what should my next move be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesleyB Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 If your water parameters test 0 for ammonia and nitrite toss a clean up crew in there....turbo snails, austrea, hermits etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhart032 Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 the diatoms is part of the cycle they will burn off. it takes some time and a good cleanup crew from www.reefcleaners.org will help keep it under control. have john make you a custom cleanup crew you wont regret it. you wont be able to stop it but you can at least keep it under control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 My next move would be to do frequent water changes and/or over skimming. Diatoms will eventually go away on their own once the water parameters have been met. They feed on the silica present in the rock, sand, and sometimes new tap water present in a new tank. At about week 2 they tend to begin to show themselves and generally clean up in about another 2 weeks. If persistent you might have an area in the tank that could use more flow from a power head. As the silicates are eaten the diatoms will run out of food and disappear. That is why I would just concentrate upon keeping the water as clean as possible thus depriving them of any additional food source. Clean up crews do become a necessary part of the tank but I wouldn't add them now. They just become an additional bio-load to the tank as it is trying to stabilize. There really isn't much out there critter wise that can be said to definitely remove the diatoms from the tank. If you had green hair algae or aptasia for the critters to go after I'd consider adding something at that point. A clean up crew's real purpose in the tank is to eat left over missed food, fish waste, and to eat critters that die in a part of the tank that we cannot reach. They eat waste before it can foul the tank. Some, like emerald crabs, peppermint shrimp, turbo snails, etc.. tend to show traits to eat a specific nuisance within the tank but I'm at a loss for one that will take care of diatoms, and at that they will clear up within such a short time I wouldn't consider adding anything just for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+dapettit Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 +1 on what Mike said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texmexbigspring Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 Ok I took some water to lfs today and still have a small trace of nitrite but the ladie gave me a bottle of bacteria to help with the cycle so guess I will wait a week to have it tested again. Thanks all for your wonderful advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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