Brown stuff on sand

[janasleah]

I have a micro reef tank with aragonite sand substrate and several pieces of live rock. Been set up 1 1/2 weeks; sg is 1.0235, temp 78? F, ammonia just a trace, nitrites a trace, nitrates a trace, pH is 8.0. There is a layer of brown on the substrate and live rock, more on the surfaces exposed to the light. On the substrate it is getting pretty thick, and has gas bubbles underneath it; some of it even rises to a point, like meringue (lol). The hitchikers all seem to be fine, lots of amphipods and what I'm assuming are spaghetti worms, feather dusters, etc. I'm sure this tank hasn't cycled yet, but I'm surprised to register any nitrates. Is the brown stuff diatoms? Should I just let it run its course? Or should I add a hermit crab or something? Or a diatom-eating snail (assuming there is one)?

 

[Liquidcfour]

that would be brown algie i beleive
which i beleive is quite normal for setting up a tank... that's waht i was told... and tha's what i'm waiting for

i'm not an expert but if i'm wrong someone please correct me
good luck

 

[Gealcath]

Its Diatom algae, you can let it run its course if you want, or add snails which will munch on it. Also you might want to check the Phosphate level of your water, as Phosphates are plant food.

 

[janasleah]

Well, the diatoms or whatever are already diminishing; but I wonder if anyone can tell me about the worms in my tank. They are about the thickness of a hair, some colorless and some red. They either stretch themselves or spin a type of strand, from rock to rock or rock to sand. The strands don't remain for more than a few hours, though. Sometimes I see them picking up individual pieces of sand, although I can't see what they gain from it. Also, some brown, cigar-shaped things about 1/2" long are appearing on the sand. One appears every morning, in the same area; there are four of them now. They don't have feather dusters or anything coming out of them, and they're not attached to anything.

 

[vcelani]

once your bacteria levels out the diatoms will start to disapear they did the same in my tank.

 

[axepilot]

I'm also in the middle of a diatom bloom. My tank has been up three weeks now. I'm just going to ride it out. It will settle down once the tank cycles and I start water changes with an RO/DI.

 

[Particleman]

My thank has been up since novemember and over that time period the color of my sand has gone from white to more of a tan color. Would this still be the brown alage people talk about. There is nothing slimy about any of it just a general color change that I've noticed. Phosphates are non existent, Calcium is at 450, Amonia, Nitries 0, Nitrates 15. I do a 20% change every week with RO water. Any ideas?