Brown stuff on sand

[weasertt]

I have a 30 gallon tank with a small niger trigger and a porc puffer. I dont have any live rock yet just fake plants and some caves. Anyway lately ive noticed brown stuff on the sand on the bottom. I have an adequate filter and a good protein skimmer running. Is it just waste? How Do I get rid of it

 

[bigbobsull]

If you can tell that its not algae its most likely waste. Get like 15 or more blue leg hermit crabs and that should do the trick. I had a lot of that (small pieces of brown waste) and I got 10 blue legs for my 12 gallon, and within a few days the sand was clean. GL

 

[salty cheese]

How long has the tank been setup?It might be diatoms.

 

[weasertt]

the tank has been up for about 6 weeks. Its like a light brown and its all over the sand. It doesnt look like waste pellets. Whats a diatom and what would I do about it?

 

[cheets22]

I think I may have the same problem. My tank has been up for about 8 weeks, and it's kind of brown and scattered on the bottom of my tank (on the sand) and some is on the ornaments in my tank, but there is none on the sides of the tanks or anything. Could it be the same, andif so can I do anything about it? I described it to someone and they said it may be cyanocide or something, so I bought stuff.. should I wait to put it in?

 

[duke13]

If you get a cleaner crew, don't buy Blue Leg Hermits, they fight too much. Go with the Red Leg or Zebra.

 

[weasertt]

are hermit crabs safe with these fish.

 

[weasertt]

Also I wanna add some live rock to make the tank look good. About how many pounds are appropriate for a 30 gallon tank. and this brown stuff is really making it look unattractive

 

[weasertt]

bump

 

[whiterose]

The appropriate amount of live rock is 1-2 pounds per gallon of water. I am having the same problem with brown algae, or what I think is brown algae. Mine grows overnight and even hourly. It's a pain and I can't get rid of it.

 

[cnlight]

Your tank has only been set up for six weeks and you already have two fish in there? The brown stuff on the bottom is diatom algae which is produced when your nitrates go up because of a new tank or two much fish for the size of your tank. Do you realize that those fish are both going to getting 10" inches each. Don't add anything else and return them for something smaller.
Also live rock is a great way for filtering your tank and making your fish happy. If you want just a fish only with live rock, then a pound per gallon, but that is just an estimate. Do a test on your water parameters first and then go from there.

 

[boomper]

If you add a clean up crew, be wary I think your trigger will go after snails and hermits.