Brown stuff on sand

[pongicz]

hi guys! hope all is well. Im 4 months into the hobby. Im noticing brown stuff(no bubbles, not slimy) on the sand that disappears when the lights go off then shows again during the day. I do weekly 20% water change (premixed saltwater from LFS) and siphon the sand. I only have corals and inverts now coz i had an ich outbreak 2 months ago that killed my two clowns. What is it?
thank you for your help.

i have:
BC29
aquaticlife mini 115 skimmer
20lbs of live sand
25lbs of live rock
chemipure elite
purigen
powerhead 200gph
return pump 1000gph
2 hermits
2 nassarius
1 turbo snail
2 emo crab
duncan
candy cane
xenia
gsp
toadstool
frogspawn
torch
kenya tree

 

[cloak]

Diatoms most likely.

 

[BigEZ77]

Diatom bloom? I'm in the midst of one now.

 

[pongicz]

thats what i thought. so they really do disappear at night?

 

[pongicz]

i just want to know what im dealing with before i take actions

 

[BigEZ77]

Mine don't seem to disappear entirely at night but they definitely get worse with the lights on in the day.

 

[pongicz]

mine gets really clear like nothing happened. my lights are on for 8hrs from 7am-3pm. browning peaks between 12-3. stirring the sand made is worse i think

 

[dbigfoot111]

less light and more flow?

 

[Luke Schnabel]

Increase flow and do some water changes and run GFO. Should clear it right up and not come back.
I vacuum my cans bed every two weeks, it used to get dingy looking newr the tail end. So I bought 50 burrowing snails to keep it stirred up and they have worked wonders, perfect looking sand and I only vac once a month.

 

[pongicz]

less light and more flow?

i like the position of my powerhead and return right now. should i get an extra circulation pump aiming towards the sand?

 

[Luke Schnabel]

I wouldn't aim it at the sand but general flow of the tank will help the sand bed.

 

[pongicz]

thanks luke. just ordered phosphate test kit. just wanna know where im at

 

[Sully72]

Tank is cycling, it will do this for awhile. This is normal..just don't want the Diatoms to get out of control.

 

[cloak]

Check these out.

http://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/1/aafeature1

HTH.

 

[pongicz]

Tank is cycling, it will do this for awhile. This is normal..just don't want the Diatoms to get out of control.

that is very possible since i used live rocks so i didnt see much of a cycle months back

 

[pongicz]

bought some nerites. hopefully that'l help

 

[pongicz]

so this is what my sand and tank looks like

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9_Q4zJMCkg

 

[homer1475]

Yup its diatoms. They will eventually clear up on their own. They are a natural part of a young tank. As your tank matures, they will clear up on their own.

 

[pongicz]

just go tthe phosphate test kit. its in between 0 to 0.25.