Brown algae in new tank?

[pontiac]

Was just wondering how long this brown stuff will hang around? Tank has been up and going for about three weeks, the rock was new and not cured. All water perimaters are back to normal range and I have added five red leg hermits, ten blues, and fifteen nasarus snails. They are working on it but is there anything else I can do to help? It now has a fine coating on all of the sand, rocks, and some of the glass, If I blow it off with a turkey baster will that do any good??

 

[Craig Lambert]

That is a normal outbreak for a new tank. That wavy, ugly, brown algae. I had some of that in a new setup and a couple of Turbo snails devoured it in 3 days. Astreas will eat it too. Nassarius are great snails, but they're really for the sandbed. On a side note, those hermits will likely kill your snails in time.

 

[pontiac]

So, the only way I could get rid of it for now would be to try and vac some of it up and get a bunch of turbos? I have had no deaths in two years with hermits and snails, as long as you seed them with plenty of empty shells. so far that is, I am sure it will happen eventualy.

 

[Craig Lambert]

What size is the tank? I have 4 turbos in a 75G (along with two dozen assorted other sanils). Turbos are huge, so just a few can be enough.

 

[pontiac]

It is a 150gal, with about three or four inches of sand and 100lbs of rock, as soon as I get some more cash I need maybe another 150lbs of rock.

 

[Craig Lambert]

I have 100lbs of rock in my 75G. I suggest you pick up 4 turbo snails and put them to work.

 

[pontiac]

Cool! I'll get some tomorrow, what would be your thoughts on a conch and maybe some cowries?

 

[Craig Lambert]

I have a fighting conch. I had a pair in my old tank, but the one I have now is pretty good sized. If you get one be sure to get a "fighting" Conch rather than a "Queen" Conch. The Queens can get very large. They won't help your rock much though, they bury themselves in the sand like Nassarius snails. I have no experience with cowries.