HELP!!! I can't get rid of Brown algae

[Hedrick11]

I just did a water change and clean the sand a day ago and within a day and a half there is brown algae back all over my sand. What is going on this is very. Irritating. I would upload a pic for an error keeps coming up

 

[homerclease]

We would need more info to help. Like all the tank stats... how long the lights been on... how old the lights are... hold long the tank has been setup... tons and tons of questions to be answered before you can get a true answer to your question .

 

[Walla2GSP]

What is your flowrate through the tank and especially at sand level? Without seeing it, I'm only guessing that it's detritus and diatoms and that feeding the tank less and increasing the tanks turnover rate will help. Again, more info is needed to give an informed answer.

 

[amesnard]

My tank has been up and running for around 2 years and now my sand is turning brown. My nitrates are 10 and phosphate 10. Lowest reading ever. Now my sand is turning brown I just bought a maxspect Gyre tank was looking awsome. Now sand is tuning brown.

 

[pisanoal]

If were to bet, I would bet on your tank being very new (couple months old?). And this is most likely diatoms. Increased flow will help keep your sand looking clean. Depending on the size of your tank, you could get a fighting conch snail. Very cool critters to watch, and do an excellent job keeping the sand white. You could do one if you had a mostly open sand bed at around 20 gallon tank size, or 40 if most of your tank is covered with rock.

This is all assuming I am right on the diatoms. More info is needed to confirm or deny.

EDIT: Your last post changes things although it still sounds like diatoms and a conch will still help if you don't have anything to stir your sand bed. You might also consider changing your sand. Siphon out about 1/4 to 1/3 of your sand bed and replace at a time with at least a few weeks in between. You can prewash the sand, and use a section of 2" or larger pvc with a funnel to get the sand in the spots you want without making the tank extremely cloudy in the process.