Brown discoloration in sand

[Osalcido]

What's causing it?

 

[BDAWG]

I think it's Diatoms. Have you checked your Phosphate level? What kind of water do you use, tap or RO/DI? What is your feeding schedule? Type of lighting? Any info would be very helpful.

BTW Welcome to AA! Good to see a fellow Texan on the board!

 

[Osalcido]

Thanks for the welcome

I only check nitrates nitrites ammonia and ph

I'll go look for a phosphate tester tomorrow thanks

 

[midiman]

New tank? If so, diatoms are part of the process. Keep water paramters stable and they'll more than likely go away on their own. I had two blooms in the beginning, but now my crabs and snails polish off any brown specks that appear.

 

[RMPD109]

Diatoms are caused by silicates unlike other nuisance algaes. As stated abaove they are normal in new tanks and will burn off on there own. If you are anxious you can get a cleanup crew if cycling is complete to help.

 

[Jonathan G.]

i have the same thing and i just set up my tank in february... should i worry about scrubbing it off my live rocks or just get it off my equipment and get a better more snails and crabs? also whats the difference between diatoms and cyano or are they one in the same? and one more question is there any filter media that will help with this that i can buy?

 

[mjvincent]

What is Brown or Golden Algae?
Referred to as a microalgae, brown or golden algae is actually not an algae at all, but diatoms. What you are actually seeing in your tank are diatom skeletons, all linked together. It can appear as a simple dusting on the tank walls and substrate surfaces, or it can turn into a massive growth that covers just about everything in the tank. This type of algae outbreak typically occurs when a tank is just completing or has finished the nitrogen cycling process, new live rock is introduced, as the curing process can add nutrients when some organisms on the rock dies off, or tank maintenance has been neglected. It is a normal occurrence, as diatoms are one of the first to appear in the chain when the tank conditions are conducive for algae growth, and is usually a precursor to other forms of desirable and undesirable nuisance type green macroalgae. http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/algaecontrol/a/aa091100.htm