Need help!!

[jjbroxi]

:happy: Hello everyone!
I'm looking for a wee tip, i've just started my tank about 3 weeks ago, it's getting there but i've got a wee problem!
I've got white sand at the bottom and want to know how to keep it white if i can? I put in a piece of live orange coral, and i think maybe its that which is giving out wee brown things, or my jumbo tube worm!! Any ideas:notsure:

 

[nacl-man]

Fighting conch should take care of detritus that collects on the bottom. Mine is a tank and keeps my sand really clean.
The brown stuff you are experiencing could be diatoms. Common in new tanks.
3 weeks is an incredibly young tank, how are your water quality tests?

 

[jjbroxi]

Nitrate 5.0, Nitite 0.25, Salt 0.020, ph 8.2 and my ammonia is 0.25
:happy:

 

[bsktmom]

:nope: You really shouldn't have anything in your tank until after your tank has cycled which means your ammonia - 0, nitrites - 0 and your nitrates <20. corals like good water quality.

 

[jjbroxi]

:thinking: What should i do now?

 

[bsktmom]

Do you have a friend or a LFS that would hold your coral and your tube worm for you until your tank cycles? Anyone else have any opinions?

 

[jjbroxi]

:nervous: I haven't! How long do you think the cycle will take then?

 

[birdy]

Since you have livestock in the tank, you can do water changes to keep those nitrite and ammonia levels down. You look like you are almost at the end of the cycle.
I would say 5-10% water changes every other day.
The brown stuff sounds like diatoms and are very common in a new tank. If you are using purified water like RO/DI or distilled then it should go away after a short time.
Once your levels are correct, then you can add a clean up crew of snails and crabs to keep things clean.
Good luck!

 

[jjbroxi]

This is me going into my 4th week, i've tested it every week! Can you add anything to the water to balance all the tests?