I just got done completely dismantling my 30 gallon tank & starting everyting off fresh & new. I used a 100% silica sand as my substrate, and am using an Aquaclear 300, 201 powerhead & live rock for filtration. Lighting is currently not right (just using a 20w Dayglo fluorecent), but it's only on 3 hours a day later in the evening.
My levels are all over the place due to the tank going through stages of cycling, but SG is constant at 1.023 & pH seems steady around 7.9.
But as I've been watching the tank (for about a month now), I'm seeing more & more of this reddish, almost rusty coloured algae spreading across the sand.
There's also a bit of it forming on the glass & rocks.
Now I'm new to using sand, and I'm not quite sure how to clean this off! It's not slimy, and if it's hairy at all, it's a very very fine hair. It looks more like a discolouration than anything else; but it's hideous to look at & I'd like to get it under control now before any livestock goes into the tank.
Can anyone tell me what this might be & ways I can rid the tank of it? Any help is greatly appreaciated!!
My levels are all over the place due to the tank going through stages of cycling, but SG is constant at 1.023 & pH seems steady around 7.9.
But as I've been watching the tank (for about a month now), I'm seeing more & more of this reddish, almost rusty coloured algae spreading across the sand.
There's also a bit of it forming on the glass & rocks.
Now I'm new to using sand, and I'm not quite sure how to clean this off! It's not slimy, and if it's hairy at all, it's a very very fine hair. It looks more like a discolouration than anything else; but it's hideous to look at & I'd like to get it under control now before any livestock goes into the tank.
Can anyone tell me what this might be & ways I can rid the tank of it? Any help is greatly appreaciated!!
