Please HELP - something's eating my LR!!

[spencka]

Well, as some of you suggested, I pulled out the rock that I suspected as deteriorating, and I visually inspected it, and smelled it. Nothing out of the ordinary, at least as far as a novice can tell.
I've done a little more reading, and was wondering if any of you could describe a Diatome Bloom? Hope I said that correctly?
Along with the items I previously described, I also have what appears to be brown dust or dirt all over the inside of the tank. It's on the front of my HOB overflow box, on top of my power heads, what do you think??

 

[teresaq1]

hi, i kinda had the same kind of problem, but my rock had a mantis shrimp in it. i guess it was scraping away inside the hole to make it bigger. you might try a fresh water dip, and see if something comes out of your rock.

 

[spencka]

Thanks Teresa, but I think I may have misdiagnosed. It appears the brown stuff I thought was rock residue, may on fact be a algae bloom called Diatom.
Some people suggested it may have been from keeping my lights on too long (15 hours).
Now I'm trying to get some idea of how to clean up this mess!
Ever have this problem. A couple guy's said this is a step in a healthy tank. Somehow, I just don't believe it, because I'm a little frustrated!!!
Steve

 

[teresaq1]

yes its true, every new tank gets this stuff. Did you use tapwater, it makes it worse. Have you bought any snails yet. They should help clean it up. keep your lights to about 8 to 10 hrs, and lots of snails, and water changes, you should be fine.

 

[spencka]

No tap water at all. Do I need to do any house cleaning or will this stuff just go away??