Brown stuff forming on substraight

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

Hello all, I've had my tank up and running since March, and over the past month or so, I have noticed a brownish substance forming on my sand/crushed coral sub straight. It looks like diatom bloom, but my tank is 10 months old. Any idea what this could be from? I just got a new conch and he seems to be eating it slowly. I'm wondering if he and my hermit crabs will clean it up over time?

Any ideas would be helpful.

 

[reepher315]

What lighting are you using? When I got my LED's and ran them too high all my sand formed brown algae too.

 

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

Unfortunately I'm still using the florescent lights that came with the tank. I haven't bought lights to grow corals yet.

 

[wcarterh]

Need full tank parameters. Also if you are running gfo or an ATS.

BTW, it's normal for a maturing tank. There are a few things to help keep it in check.

 

[kmbyrnes]

If you are using flourescents, it may be time to change the bulbs as well.

 

[cloak]

You probably just have an unusual amount of Silica in your water right now. This could be why your seeing the diatoms. What kind of water are you using, tap water or RO/DI? Perhaps your filters need replacing if you are using RO/DI. Have you added anything new lately? (sand, equipment etc)

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