Brown Sand

[martinc909]

Why is my live sand getting brown. is it because of the light. should i mix it. i have a 55g fowlr tank. running since thanksgiving. with 2 damsels. what should I do with the sand. what kind of fish would clean it up. or do I have to clean it myself.

 

[lion_crazz]

What is your nitrate level? Do you have a clean-up crew?

 

[martinc909]

My nitrate level is nearly zero and I only have 2 damsels. I have no clean up crew I found some snails in my lr today.

 

[lion_crazz]

The brown sand just sounds like a new tank diatom bloom. I would probably pick up some cerith snails and some small hermit crabs to sift through your sand. If it is live sand, you do not want to disturb it yourself.
While we are at it though, how long is your light on for?

 

[weberian]

You're just an the "brown" stage - happens to every new tank of your age. It has to take its course, but there are a few things that can help a little bit. Calculate the hourly turnover rate of your tank and make sure it's at least 20x. (I've heard FOWLR can be as low as 10x to 15x but more flow is helpful in the stage your tank is in) Also cut back on the hours your lights are on. And keep the fish feeding low. However, time must take its course, and this stage cannot be avoided.

 

[procomp]

Martin I have just about the same set up and I am getting small brown spots in my sand also I hope some one can hepl us. See my post clean up crew or more live rock in the reef tank post.

 

[martinc909]

My light in on for at least 6 hours because someone in my family keeps turning it on. I have the timer from 5 to 11 pm.
What is an hourly turnover rate.

 

[lion_crazz]

Oh that is nothing for your lights. Keep them on a set time everyday. Your time schedule is okay.
An hourly turnover rate is how many gallons per hour your powerheads and filter process per hour. Do you have any powerheads? What kind of filter do you have?

 

[procomp]

Sorry for jumping in but I am in the same tank as Martin, I do have 2 power heads should they point at the live rock? They are on either side of my tank just under the water line with the jets pointing up to the surface of the water is this okay.

 

[lion_crazz]

They are not pointing at each other, are they? Ideally, you want some flow going through the live rock. With my closed loop system, both of the outlets are right behind live rock, so that the flow has to go through the rock.
What is your hourly turnover rate?

 

[procomp]

No they are not pointing at eachother. They point up and to the front glass of the tank. I have 2 Maxi jet 600's that produce 160gl per hour, the filter is a Aqua Clear 70 unsure of it.

 

[lion_crazz]

And what is your tank size?

 

[procomp]

55gal here is a pic.

 

[lion_crazz]

Alright well you have two problems. One, you need a lot more live rock. Secondly, you will not have enough flow in the long run. For now it is fine because you have nothing in it, but when you start to stock it, you will run into problems due to these two things. You are only running 11X per hour.

 

[procomp]

Plan on getting more LR today, how may lbs do you suggest to start with? and how did you figure 11x an hour.

 

[lion_crazz]

I would eventually tell you to get another 30 lbs. However, if you do not get cured live rock, you will have to cure it in a separate container, unless you don't have any live stock in your tank.
Also, I figured out your gph by doing the following:
300 gph (filter) + 160 gph (powerhead) + 160 gph powerhead = 620 gph
620 gph / 55 gallons of tank water = 11.3 hourly turnover rate

 

[mechslave]

My new 110 is going through the same thing, and has been for the past week. I have nothing in mine yet but about 10 lbs of LR and 8 damsels. But today I added 10 small hermit crabs, and OMG!! That stuff is like filet mignon to them. The brown was almost all nearly gone in a few hours. They sift that sand and eat the algae like crazed maniacs.

 

[lion_crazz]

Yep, some hermits and cerith snails usually do the trick if its just from being a new tank.