Brown algae and lots of bugs??

reef dude

reef dude

Member
Hey guys, My tank is still in the beginning of things but i put in about 10 lbs Lr today and plan on putting in 50 more tomorow to start the cycle, however right after i put my MH lights on, i noticed tons of little bugs walking all over, is that good or bad, they look sort of wierd, like pill shaped little things. Also i have had lots of brown algae, I got 12 turbo snails, should i get more, especially in the beginning of my cycle?
 
byrself

byrself

Member
the bugs are pods. very good for your tank. a good food source for some fish. they will feed off of the algae so don't be too worried about that. the extra snails and maybe a few small hermits (blue legged work better) will help cut back the algae. also test your water for phosphates, which can fuel algae blooms. you will more than likely have this algae at least through the cycle process but should cut back on it's own as long as you aren't adding fuel to help it grow. maybe add some more circulation to help as well. hth
 
byrself

byrself

Member
they have a phosphate test. or you could just get some phos-zorb, which is a media like carbon that removes phosphates.
most people would recommend to wait to add any snails and hermits. you may lose a few, you may not. the choice is up to you on that.
the algae will settle down on it's own after your water cycles. if you are using tap water though, it is notorious for phosphates. try the phos-zorb as a preventive measure if you are using tap.
you could also reduce the hours your lights are on. with that much lighting, fighting algae at first is going to be a battle. good luck.
 
frankl15207

frankl15207

Member
If your tank is in the early stages of the cycle, the "brown algae" is most likely diatoms and they are normal. The snails and hermits will help to keep them down.
The white things are normal and good.
 
crystain

crystain

Member
I doubt that snails or crabs will survive a cycle. Inverts seem to be much more sensitive to water quality than fish.
 
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