Tank Is Turning Brown
- Thread starter smooth_9
- Start date
smalltimer
Member
Brown is not all bad, it is a diatom algea that blooms when ever there is an increase in light or a new tank is set up. Once they use the available resourses in the water it goes away, add more light and some more comes back. It happened in my reef when I had 2 55 pcs on new start up...then I addded a 250 mh and boom, more brown algea...It will go away, just keep doing water changes and DO NOT do anything drastic. 
smalltimer
Member
You might get some, clouds, usually that is when the tank is cycling, the nitrifing bacteria over produce and what you see is the extra nitrosomas that are not needed to do the job of the cycle, as they die, not to be concerned with, what you need in the tank for the amount of waste you have stay alive, the tank will clear. As far as the diatom algea, It should be gone in about 2 to 3 weeks, but in about a week you will notice it going away. Also, there is a burn in time on your bulbs where they burn funky color, usually a color that promotes algea growth. On my old tank I had 2 250 20k mh, and my tank was perfect, until I started getting little algea, then more, then hair algea. I put in new bulbs, and bam, back to norm. The burn in is usually 100 or so hours. I have 2 65 watt actinic power compacts that TOTALLY changed I mean visually to the eye, color after about 2 weeks and the diatom went away. Oh yeah I forgort to tell you, started with 2 55 one white, one actinic on reef. Added 10k 250 mh pendent in canopy, with NO actinics to go with it, got brown diatom. About 2 weeks later when my 65 actinics came in I got the diatom again, until they changed color. Funny get algea at the begining of a bulb and you will get it at the end if you run them too long... Good Luck
smalltimer
Member
You shouldn't have another diatom or any algea rise, but if the live rock is not cured you will kill your tank....if you buy cured live rock from you lfs, it should make it home ok if they wrap it in soaked newspapers or even better take some buckets with you and ask them to put rock in bucket and put water over them...then you're assured almost no die off. Problem if rock has to travel long ways and then stick in tank, it has to nitrogen cycle it's own die off ...curing live rock.....If you buy uncured live rock you need to set it up in seperate tank, or rubbermaid container, with a skimmer and let it cycle til no amonia, no nitrite, only nitrate is left and then you can put it in your tank..you might know this but I thought I would warn you..