Sand

[thakr21]

My sand is starting to turn a rusty looking color. I checked my water conditions and everything is perfect. What is going on? HOw can i get rid of it?

 

[yetex]

diatoms

 

[thakr21]

And how do u get rid of diatoms?

 

[xxvietxjustinxx]

shrimps... forgot which kind, wait until someone post up what it is..sorry

 

[jlem]

Diatoms in a new tank mean that the cycle is going as it should. Give your tank some time and it should clear. Shrimp won't do much if anything for the diatoms. How deep is your sand bed. If it is only an inch or so you can stir it up with a rod and turn it over, but in a new tank it will only come back until the tank matures.

 

[thakr21]

Yea my tank is only about a little more than a month old. I got a horseshoe crab. Hopefully he can stir things up a bit.. One prolly wont do much though.

 

[mr_bubbles]

Try lowering the amount of time you leave your lights on. If you are like me you probly leave them on for way to long.

 

[chem-e]

I have a pretty new tank too (4 months old) and have a similar problem. My hermit crab seems to be enjoying it because I see him munching on the diatoms once in a while. Maybe diatoms are part of their diet. I only have 3 hermit in my tank, so they can't keep up with the diatoms. I plan on just waiting out the problem. Hopefully, it won't take too long.

 

[xxvietxjustinxx]

heh of shrimps dont work, use some h crabz i think..

 

[phil1964]

I have the same proplem after 1 week of starting my cycle.
I had this problem in my first tank and that is why I got a RO/DI filter. I thought this would help.
Nothing but RO/DI water in the new tank and still brown algea on the sand. How long until I can throw in some crabs?
Wait until cycle is done or not?

 

[phil1964]

OK taking the advice and waiting...till the end of the month!