Live Sand turing brown

ebeckels

ebeckels

Active Member
My Live sand is turing a brownish color in some spots. Is this algae? My lighting is not strong right now... 2x55 watt... I've recently purchased new lighting 2x96 watt. however, why is my sand turning a different color..is it ok? Will it get worse with the new and improved lighting that is coming in a week? Thanks a lot.
-Eric
 
kris walker

kris walker

Active Member
These brown spots are probably diatoms. They are often the first form of "algae" that show up after or during a cycling tank. You will probably have them proliferate like crazy in your tank for awhile, then suddenly die off. I had them pop up on me, but I had crushed coral substrate. Regardless of substrate though, this cycle is rather interesting.
sam
 
kris walker

kris walker

Active Member
It's just a guess that they are diatoms. I think its possible to get them when your tank is already cycled. How long have you had your DSB for? In any case, I think I've said as much as I should, since I don't have a DSB.
sam
 
ebeckels

ebeckels

Active Member
i've had the live sand in there for about 4 months and 20 new lbs were added last month. Well, If that's all it is then cool...I guess it'll just work itself out.
-Eric
 
predator

predator

Active Member
It's algea. It won't harm a thing and if you don't like looking at it just stir the sand up. My'n went from turning brown to red. How old is your tank? It's cycled but sound like it's not very mature.
 
@knight

@knight

Member
i had the same thing happen to me. after 6 months I had a diatom bloom. brown stuff growing on patches and spreading over the sand. It got really bad after about 3 weeks later. a week after that they startedd dieing off. it only went across the sand.
-
 
goober

goober

Member
i had the same problem when i added ls but i just stired it up once a week and it went away. Im with everyone else on that its probably just ditomes
 
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