Things Going Brown?!!?!?!?!?

[sven]

i have already got a fish only and in the past few weeks all the sand and the rock have gained a layer of brown on the top what does this show?????
please help!>?

 

[whipple]

How old is the tank ? might just be an algea bloom

 

[adam & jeanne]

I have a 55 gal fish only tank. within two to three weeks i started seeing a deep brown almost rusty colored layer growing on all of my decor. i was told by most it was simply diatoms, which like to grow on the color white, and also it was a simple thing that usually happens while a tank is cycling. no need to worry.

 

[ocellaris_keeper]

This is a normal effect of a marine tank. You are going through the diatom cycle. Try adding some hermit crabs and snails but your tank will outgrow this stage anyway. Make sure your water quality is good including the water you are adding - not tap water and your tank isn't in direct sunlight.

 

[adam & jeanne]

any problem with tap water that has been treated?
if so, suggestions for the water im replacing. on the average im replacing one to two gallons a week due to evaporation.

 

[josh]

Adam
What do you mean by treated? I would err on the safe side and just buy RO water. I think even wal-mart sells it, that way you can sure the water is clean. As for the evaporation, always replace it with RO water b/c the salt does to evaporate with the water.. so adding RO water will maintain the salinity.

Any others questions we can take a stab at?
-Josh-

 

[adam & jeanne]

i mean treated as dechlorinated with water conditioner. also i have been told that only freshwater evaporates so freshwater should be added (salt is accumulating on everything weekly) and my salinity is still steady at 1.022 just as when i started the aquarium.
ill look up the 'ro water' slang. im new to all the lingo here.
thanks!

 

[adam & jeanne]

any suggestions on the preffered type of water to replace with?

 

[dpittman]

You need to find out more about your source of water. Where I live the water is melted snowpack. If you are using well water you most likely have alot more minerals, phosphates, etc in your water. This can lead to algae blooms and may require RO water.
Donovan

 

[sven]

so what your saying is that the brown in my tank will go away?

 

[fshhub]

if you have no minerals, nad your parameters are all good, yes, it will soon go away, but your ammonia-nitrites-sitrates-phosphates must all be ZERO(for your tanks health too) and it will all pass
and RO stands for reverse osmosis, it is a method of treating water, where they actaully squeeze all of the impurities out of it, this actually is not sw slang, but water industries in general, but i think it is on the slang post anyway

 

[chainsaw5vent]

yes. i'm trying to ride out the brown bloom also. it looks very ugly...enough that the wife is complaining about it. i'm hoping that it ends real soon. yyeeecccchhh!