newbe question

Dennis1438 · 05/02/2006, 03:40 PM

Quick question I have FIJI LS in the bottom of my tank. The top layer is starting to turn brown, my question is do I just leave the top layer of brown for the hermit crabs (4), or suction half off during one water change, then the second half on the next water change.

4MB · 05/02/2006, 03:51 PM

You can suck it up if you want, itll just come back. I sucked up some a few days ago in a water change. Looked good up until late yesterday until tomorrow morning.

Everyone is going to tell that it is part of the start up of a tank.

shadowman70 · 05/02/2006, 03:52 PM

the bottom line is ....what are you doing that is causing algae blooms in your tank? what does your water tests look like?

rustybucket145 · 05/02/2006, 03:54 PM

Sounds like a diatom bloom. Very common algal stage in a new tank. Just ride it out. It will likely shift to green, then coraline will begin to grow. There are some snails that will help with this such as nassirius, cerinths and turbo's. Leave the sand in. Sucking it out will do absolutely nothing except give you less sand.

Dennis1438 · 05/02/2006, 04:13 PM

Thanks I guess I will just ride it out, I just tested my water. There is some of the brown alge growing on some LR also. Amonia-0
Nitrite-0.2
Nitrate-10
PH-8.2
Alk-3.5
Salt 1.025

Scuba_Dave · 05/02/2006, 05:29 PM

The brown diatom algae stage usually doesn't last too long
I didn't vacuum anything, better to leave it

05/02/2006, 03:40 PM	#1
Dennis1438 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Palm City, Florida Posts: 63	newbe question Quick question I have FIJI LS in the bottom of my tank. The top layer is starting to turn brown, my question is do I just leave the top layer of brown for the hermit crabs (4), or suction half off during one water change, then the second half on the next water change.

05/02/2006, 03:54 PM	#4
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	Sounds like a diatom bloom. Very common algal stage in a new tank. Just ride it out. It will likely shift to green, then coraline will begin to grow. There are some snails that will help with this such as nassirius, cerinths and turbo's. Leave the sand in. Sucking it out will do absolutely nothing except give you less sand. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

05/02/2006, 03:51 PM	#2
4MB Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Maine Posts: 98	You can suck it up if you want, itll just come back. I sucked up some a few days ago in a water change. Looked good up until late yesterday until tomorrow morning. Everyone is going to tell that it is part of the start up of a tank.

05/02/2006, 03:52 PM	#3
shadowman70 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Castle Rock Co Posts: 145	the bottom line is ....what are you doing that is causing algae blooms in your tank? what does your water tests look like?

05/02/2006, 04:13 PM	#5
Dennis1438 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Palm City, Florida Posts: 63	Thanks I guess I will just ride it out, I just tested my water. There is some of the brown alge growing on some LR also. Amonia-0 Nitrite-0.2 Nitrate-10 PH-8.2 Alk-3.5 Salt 1.025

05/02/2006, 05:29 PM	#6
Scuba_Dave EMERTXE YID Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Asylum, South of Boston, MA Posts: 10,362	The brown diatom algae stage usually doesn't last too long I didn't vacuum anything, better to leave it