Brown substance on rock

Rylan · 12/22/2010, 09:33 PM

Hey ReefCentral,

I have a 10g Nano tank, Just within the last 4 days I have noticed this brownish red looking substance starting to form on my rock and sandbed.
Looks like alge of a sort. My buddy gave me established water from his tank just to start mine, I dont know if that is good or bad. This tank has been running for 3 weeks now A1 and this just popped up out of the blue.

The rock is dry rock, and the sand is crushed coral sand. Im just wondering what it is, if its bad, and how to get rid of it.

Here is what it looks like! (actual photo)

Im sure some of you more experienced reefers would know!

cloak · 12/23/2010, 12:31 AM

Does it come off real easy if you take your thumb to it?

Sisterlimonpot · 12/23/2010, 02:46 AM

looks like the start of a diatom bloom. just part of the process, it'll go away just as quick as it appeared.

I see a shrimp and maybe a monti frag in there, has the tank cycled yet?

GT3 · 12/23/2010, 05:24 AM

hey no matter what is it, they definitely look better than ordinary 'brown algae'!

Rylan · 12/23/2010, 10:39 AM

My buddy just gave me the shrimp, hes doing fine. Molted yesterday.

Im new to this all, it looks like diatom i just dont know enough about this to be sure.
Yes, it comes off easy when you scrape at it.

Sisterlimonpot · 12/23/2010, 10:44 AM

I see a shrimp and maybe a monti frag in there, has the tank cycled yet?

Rylan · 12/23/2010, 10:52 AM

I dont know? lol

I used established water from my friends tank. Im sure it still has to go through a cycle with that. It's been running great for 3 weeks, and then this brown stuff started popping up on the rock and sand bed.

Rylan · 12/23/2010, 08:30 PM

I used a new toothbrush and tried brushing it off, and it came right off.

Any good ways of getting rid of it all?

sheac12 · 12/23/2010, 11:16 PM

The brown stuff is algae, more then likely diatom. Just leave it alone and as you cycle it will go away. Make sure you watch your parameters with live stock in there already!

Rylan · 12/23/2010, 11:54 PM

Thank you, I took my live stock out. It's in my friends tank that has been running for years now. Just until I get this all worked out, I figured it would be a smart idea to take them out.

Sisterlimonpot · 12/24/2010, 11:48 AM

that's a great idea, if the livestock stayed in there you were sentencing them to death.

while your waiting, be sure to read through this sticky

Rylan · 12/24/2010, 03:32 PM

Thanks

It hasn't gotten worse since yesterday, just staying the same. How long before diatoms go away normally?

Sisterlimonpot · 12/24/2010, 03:46 PM

it may be a few days to a week, but one day it'll be there and the next day it'll be gone.

Rylan · 12/24/2010, 04:05 PM

Okay thank you for your replys!

12/22/2010, 09:33 PM	#1
Rylan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 106	Brown substance on rock Hey ReefCentral, I have a 10g Nano tank, Just within the last 4 days I have noticed this brownish red looking substance starting to form on my rock and sandbed. Looks like alge of a sort. My buddy gave me established water from his tank just to start mine, I dont know if that is good or bad. This tank has been running for 3 weeks now A1 and this just popped up out of the blue. The rock is dry rock, and the sand is crushed coral sand. Im just wondering what it is, if its bad, and how to get rid of it. Here is what it looks like! (actual photo) Im sure some of you more experienced reefers would know!

12/23/2010, 02:46 AM	#3
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	looks like the start of a diatom bloom. just part of the process, it'll go away just as quick as it appeared. I see a shrimp and maybe a monti frag in there, has the tank cycled yet? __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

12/23/2010, 05:24 AM	#4
GT3 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 294	hey no matter what is it, they definitely look better than ordinary 'brown algae'! __________________ 20G Reef Tank, DSB, 25lbs of live rocks. Spec: Ph 8.2, >520 cal and 8 kh, Temp 77F, SG 1.026 Equip: Coralife 24x2 T5HO, 2x Koralia 425 powerheads, no skimmer. 2L HOB Sump: Cheato, feather dusters, copepods, bristleworms Livestock: 4 blue-legged hermits, 2 nassarius snails, 1 astra snail, 1 Argent Mono, 1 FireGoby Corals: Mushrooms, yellow polyps, zoanthids

12/23/2010, 10:44 AM	#6
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	I see a shrimp and maybe a monti frag in there, has the tank cycled yet? __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

12/24/2010, 11:48 AM	#11
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	that's a great idea, if the livestock stayed in there you were sentencing them to death. while your waiting, be sure to read through this sticky __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

12/23/2010, 12:31 AM	#2
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Does it come off real easy if you take your thumb to it?

12/23/2010, 10:39 AM	#5
Rylan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 106	My buddy just gave me the shrimp, hes doing fine. Molted yesterday. Im new to this all, it looks like diatom i just dont know enough about this to be sure. Yes, it comes off easy when you scrape at it.

12/23/2010, 10:52 AM	#7
Rylan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 106	I dont know? lol I used established water from my friends tank. Im sure it still has to go through a cycle with that. It's been running great for 3 weeks, and then this brown stuff started popping up on the rock and sand bed.

12/23/2010, 08:30 PM	#8
Rylan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 106	I used a new toothbrush and tried brushing it off, and it came right off. Any good ways of getting rid of it all?

12/23/2010, 11:16 PM	#9
sheac12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Columbia, MD Posts: 77	The brown stuff is algae, more then likely diatom. Just leave it alone and as you cycle it will go away. Make sure you watch your parameters with live stock in there already!

12/23/2010, 11:54 PM	#10
Rylan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 106	Thank you, I took my live stock out. It's in my friends tank that has been running for years now. Just until I get this all worked out, I figured it would be a smart idea to take them out.

12/24/2010, 03:32 PM	#12
Rylan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 106	Thanks It hasn't gotten worse since yesterday, just staying the same. How long before diatoms go away normally?

12/24/2010, 03:46 PM	#13
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	it may be a few days to a week, but one day it'll be there and the next day it'll be gone. __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

12/24/2010, 04:05 PM	#14
Rylan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 106	Okay thank you for your replys!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Brown substance on Zoos?	thejiro	Zoanthids	1	07/13/2008 08:44 PM
Brown substance on Zoos?	thejiro	Tampa Bay Reef Club	5	07/02/2008 10:35 AM
brown substance everywhere	mikuarium	New to the Hobby	10	08/18/2007 04:48 PM
brown substance	maxdout	Marine Aquarists Roundtable of Sacramento (MARS)	6	09/11/2006 11:53 PM
Please help! Green Slimer discharging brown substance!	Ralph ATL	SPS Keepers	3	06/03/2006 05:26 AM