brown substance

maxdout · 09/11/2006, 10:23 PM

Over the 3 day weekend last week i started to have this brownish substance on my sandbed. it has grown over the week and i'm trying to figure out how to get rid of it or what it is. So i guess what i am asking is what is it? bad or good? and how to relieve the issue.

Thanks for any input team

FunGuy · 09/11/2006, 10:27 PM

It looks hard to tell because we can't see the color. It's probably red cyanobacteria? Increased flow, less nutrients in the system and maybe a sand filtering goby will clear it all up?

maxdout · 09/11/2006, 10:51 PM

its actually brownish. looks just like the first picture about 90% of the color is there. also, i've got a san sifting goby already, he's been in there for over a month and this had just started last weekend. i currenlty have a seio 1500, 2 seio 620, quiet 1 3000 sump return and mag3 for my skimmer. i have a 100gallon tank. Is that not enough flow yet? i do have a spare mj1200 i could throw in there but it starts to kick the sand up. should i be pointing my seios toward the sand bed? i've seen other ppl's tanks and they just have thier's shooting across, thats how my 1500 is and my 620s are pointing towards the edges. any other suggestions?

MandM · 09/11/2006, 11:13 PM

Diatoms, a microalgae. A normal phase. I'm guessing this tank is fairly new? My tanks usually go through this phase at 2-4 months. Next phase I see is cyanobacteria, a red slimy bubbly goo at 6-7 months.
It sounds like you have a good bit of flow, you may want to re-direct or put in one of those Hydor rotating heads to mix up the current a bit. You want get the sand to move a bit withouth getting too much clouding. If you are not overfeeding, the algae will starve and things will balance out. Our next meeting speaker will probably have some good tips for you.
Relax and enjoy, it takes time for things to settle in.

maxdout · 09/11/2006, 11:16 PM

ok... that sounds good then. the wierd part is i thought i had already gone through my brown algae stage. i spoke with another member not too long ago and he stated that it might be time to replace my bulbs. i got them recently about a month as well, from another member which told me it was only about 1 month of use if that. T5 IC. any other suggestios would be great. thanks again for your input.also, i thought the sept meeting was canceled?.

MandM · 09/11/2006, 11:30 PM

Last I saw, Bruce was going to talk again, he was the speaker last month I think. Since he sets up and maintains tanks for others, he has lots of good info.
I have PC lights, not T5 but I usually replace at 10 months.
If this is a second bloom of diatoms, something likely got the nutrients increased to fertilize them. Perhaps the goby is stirring up detritus and nutrients. Got a good skimmer? That will help export some of the nitrates/phosphates that the needs to grow.

maxdout · 09/11/2006, 11:53 PM

i have an aquac hob pro. i also got a bunch of nessarius snails.. about 15-20 or so. they been in there before the goby - 2 months or so.

09/11/2006, 10:23 PM	#1
maxdout Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: elk grove Posts: 1,098	brown substance Over the 3 day weekend last week i started to have this brownish substance on my sandbed. it has grown over the week and i'm trying to figure out how to get rid of it or what it is. So i guess what i am asking is what is it? bad or good? and how to relieve the issue. Thanks for any input team

09/11/2006, 10:27 PM	#2
FunGuy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bay Area/San Bruno Posts: 907	It looks hard to tell because we can't see the color. It's probably red cyanobacteria? Increased flow, less nutrients in the system and maybe a sand filtering goby will clear it all up? __________________ Nope, it's not Fungi, Fungai or Funnyguy... It's FunGuy! Current Tank Info: 37g Oceanic , 250w hamilton 14k

09/11/2006, 10:51 PM	#3
maxdout Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: elk grove Posts: 1,098	its actually brownish. looks just like the first picture about 90% of the color is there. also, i've got a san sifting goby already, he's been in there for over a month and this had just started last weekend. i currenlty have a seio 1500, 2 seio 620, quiet 1 3000 sump return and mag3 for my skimmer. i have a 100gallon tank. Is that not enough flow yet? i do have a spare mj1200 i could throw in there but it starts to kick the sand up. should i be pointing my seios toward the sand bed? i've seen other ppl's tanks and they just have thier's shooting across, thats how my 1500 is and my 620s are pointing towards the edges. any other suggestions? __________________ ********* AGE 40x28x22 tank, custom sump, ATB flowstar, 2*A350 Current Tank Info: 90 everything

09/11/2006, 11:13 PM	#4
MandM sick yet brilliant Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,497	Diatoms, a microalgae. A normal phase. I'm guessing this tank is fairly new? My tanks usually go through this phase at 2-4 months. Next phase I see is cyanobacteria, a red slimy bubbly goo at 6-7 months. It sounds like you have a good bit of flow, you may want to re-direct or put in one of those Hydor rotating heads to mix up the current a bit. You want get the sand to move a bit withouth getting too much clouding. If you are not overfeeding, the algae will starve and things will balance out. Our next meeting speaker will probably have some good tips for you. Relax and enjoy, it takes time for things to settle in. __________________ Sheila I was emo when emo wasn't cool If your not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate. Current Tank Info: 120g, 8g

09/11/2006, 11:16 PM	#5
maxdout Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: elk grove Posts: 1,098	ok... that sounds good then. the wierd part is i thought i had already gone through my brown algae stage. i spoke with another member not too long ago and he stated that it might be time to replace my bulbs. i got them recently about a month as well, from another member which told me it was only about 1 month of use if that. T5 IC. any other suggestios would be great. thanks again for your input.also, i thought the sept meeting was canceled?. __________________ ********* AGE 40x28x22 tank, custom sump, ATB flowstar, 2*A350 Current Tank Info: 90 everything

09/11/2006, 11:30 PM	#6
MandM sick yet brilliant Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,497	Last I saw, Bruce was going to talk again, he was the speaker last month I think. Since he sets up and maintains tanks for others, he has lots of good info. I have PC lights, not T5 but I usually replace at 10 months. If this is a second bloom of diatoms, something likely got the nutrients increased to fertilize them. Perhaps the goby is stirring up detritus and nutrients. Got a good skimmer? That will help export some of the nitrates/phosphates that the needs to grow. __________________ Sheila I was emo when emo wasn't cool If your not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate. Current Tank Info: 120g, 8g

09/11/2006, 11:53 PM	#7
maxdout Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: elk grove Posts: 1,098	i have an aquac hob pro. i also got a bunch of nessarius snails.. about 15-20 or so. they been in there before the goby - 2 months or so. __________________ ********* AGE 40x28x22 tank, custom sump, ATB flowstar, 2*A350 Current Tank Info: 90 everything