water change?

[md8410]

My cycle has finally finished and all levels have been at 0 for 3 days but one of my live rocks and my sand(Carib-Sea Aragonite) is starting to turn a rust color it is even getting on the dead piece of coral that I have in the tank for looks. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[oceanjumper]

Probably nothing to worry about. I got the same thing a few weeks ago (I'm still a newbie as well). It seems it is normal that first brown algae appear. I was worried as well (posted a thread here and indeed some replied with my current answer).
At the time I did cut back on the hours lighting (from 12 back to 8 hrs). After a week all the brown stuff was gone. I am currently back to 8 hrs whites, 10 hrs blue. Rights now I'm facing a small amount of green algae (not hairy or bubble). This also seems part of the cycling. What I start to learn is that "cycling" is not JUST ammonium & nitrite back to zero. It is a lot more, including algae growth.
Good luck!

 

[jackdp]

Brown stuff is probably diatoms. It will go away soon, a normal part of the cycle. Some snails and hermits may take of it too.

 

[coorsxman]

I had that also my 180 gal reef tank with 160 lr been up for 2 mo. now still have the rust looking effect ...u can get turbo snails and crab it will help ...my friend said as soon as the cycle gets done 3-4 mo. it will start to go away

 

[md8410]

Thanks for the help I was starting to worry a little. So cutting back on the hours of light should help slow it down a little, and maybe pick up a few hermits or something? What other kind of bottom cleaning things should I get now that I am done cycling? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[coorsxman]

how big of tank? mexican turbo snail are great there clean my back wall and sand great...i more my sand around some also

 

[jhead]

Does/did your tank look like this?

The same tank 3 days later.

Hard to believe, but yes it was only three days. All I did was to clean the front glass a couple of times and wash my filter daily. This happened to me after I upgraded my lighting.
For those of you on dial-up sorry for the larger image size. I'm at work and did not have time to edit them down.

 

[md8410]

It is a 39 gallon Eclipse tank. Me and my wife were keeping freshwater fish in it and decided to go for the saltwater tank now. I am sure I will be getting a bigger tank very soon but I wanted to check it out first. Also yes my tank looks just like that picture and I sure hope it looks like the second picture in 3 days. The turbo snails sound like a good idea and will probably get some this weekend. Thanks for all of the advice.

 

[coorsxman]

good luck...bigger is better