Brown stuff on sand and rocks

[sidneyfirepm]

I have a 55 gal. salt tank and im new and a lill dumb. Ok PH is 7.8 NITRITE NO3 is 10 AMMONIA is 2 and NITRITE NO2 0.50. I have brown or rust colored stuff on the sand and rocks,how do i stop it and will it hurt the fish.

 

[Just.A.Bit.Salty]

Look at your thread under "Getting started" then go down about six threads and you will see http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f14/brown-spots-in-new-tank-140728.html

You will see some answers there

 

[sidneyfirepm]

Thanks i need all the help i can get. I got the tank and it was all set up not much maint. in a while but Ive had it running four about 4 weeks and just put in fish and crabs four days ago,so i kind of freak out on the brown stuff. I think my numbers are high should i do like 10% water 2X a week?

 

[tyspot1000]

Sounds like diatoms, they should go away on their own in time. What are you parameters?

 

[mr_X]

the ammonia and nitrite are hurting the fish, not the diatom outbreak. did you cycle this tank before adding the livestock?

i would do some large water changes to get that ammonia and nitrite to undetectable levels ASAP.

 

[sidneyfirepm]

Yes i had it up and running 4 weeks before i added fish, going to do 20% water change, today should i do it again in 2 or 3 days? and i just treated for ick i used Mardel CopperSafe a 2 days ago.

 

[mr_X]

well, i believe the ich is showing up because the fish are stressed from the ammonia.
you know that you won't be able to keep inverts in this tank any more since you added copper, right? that live rock will leach it out for a long time.

 

[austinsdad]

Oh man! Another soul who was probably told to set up a tank and let it run for a few weeks before adding fish. I'm sorry that happened to you. More sorry for the fish in your tank who are going thru this cycling with high ammonia and nitrite levels.

Read up on cycling a tank. You'll see that it is hard on fish. Very hard. Look at our articles section and read about fishless cycling.

Now that you've added copper, pls belive what MrX told you above. Inverts (crabs, shrimp, starfish, coral, anenomes) will not live in that tank. I'd use it as a quarantine/hospital tank for new fish arrivals or sick fish and get a new tank, rock and sand and start over. Be more informed, and don't give in to being "new or a lill dumb" before you spend your money. You'll enjoy it a lot more

 

[sidneyfirepm]

Oh man! Another soul who was probably told to set up a tank and let it run for a few weeks before adding fish. I'm sorry that happened to you. More sorry for the fish in your tank who are going thru this cycling with high ammonia and nitrite levels.

Read up on cycling a tank. You'll see that it is hard on fish. Very hard. Look at our articles section and read about fishless cycling.

Now that you've added copper, pls belive what MrX told you above. Inverts (crabs, shrimp, starfish, coral, anenomes) will not live in that tank. I'd use it as a quarantine/hospital tank for new fish arrivals or sick fish and get a new tank, rock and sand and start over. Be more informed, and don't give in to being "new or a lill dumb" before you spend your money. You'll enjoy it a lot more

I guess i will kill a friend, and im doing a 20 gal change should i do more and when? and i will buy a new 55 gal and start over, after the cycle is done on a new set up will it be ok to move my fish in to it?

 

[tyspot1000]

I would recommend doing a Partial water change every day to keep the nitrites and ammonia down until they are not present in the aquarium, this will hopefully keep the fish alive enough for the tank to cycle.

 

[sidneyfirepm]

I would recommend doing a Partial water change every day to keep the nitrites and ammonia down until they are not present in the aquarium, this will hopefully keep the fish alive enough for the tank to cycle.

Ok thanks 5 gal or 10 gal per day, its a 55 gal

 

[sidneyfirepm]

Oh man! Another soul who was probably told to set up a tank and let it run for a few weeks before adding fish. I'm sorry that happened to you. More sorry for the fish in your tank who are going thru this cycling with high ammonia and nitrite levels.

Read up on cycling a tank. You'll see that it is hard on fish. Very hard. Look at our articles section and read about fishless cycling.

Now that you've added copper, pls belive what MrX told you above. Inverts (crabs, shrimp, starfish, coral, anenomes) will not live in that tank. I'd use it as a quarantine/hospital tank for new fish arrivals or sick fish and get a new tank, rock and sand and start over. Be more informed, and don't give in to being "new or a lill dumb" before you spend your money. You'll enjoy it a lot more

When i got the tank it was all ready set up, i keep the water that was in it and run it for 4 weeks ,all my numbers where at 0, 3 days later i add fish

 

[mr_X]

sidney, if you can, purchase a reef ready 75 gallon tank. a 55 is barely 12" from front to back. a 75 is 18" front to back. 20 more gallons, but a much bigger footprint. you'll be glad you did.

keeping the water from the old tank isn't going to do anything to prevent a cycle. there is virtually no bacteria in the water- it's all on the surfaces.

 

[sidneyfirepm]

sidney, if you can, purchase a reef ready 75 gallon tank. a 55 is barely 12" from front to back. a 75 is 18" front to back. 20 more gallons, but a much bigger footprint. you'll be glad you did.

keeping the water from the old tank isn't going to do anything to prevent a cycle. there is virtually no bacteria in the water- it's all on the surfaces.

Thank Mr. x i hope i can keep the ones i have alive and do a lot more reading

 

[Dylan5359]

http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-setup-your-first-saltwater-aquarium-

heres a good thing to read - you said you wanted to read up more

 

[sidneyfirepm]

How to setup your first saltwater aquarium.

heres a good thing to read - you said you wanted to read up more

You know i got my tank all set up it was running when i got there to pick it up live sand live rock snow flake eel and all i got it home and put the water that was in it back in it and i let it run no fish no eel wife did not like eel for 4 plus weeks did all the texts and all tests were 0 ph was 8.0 all good right So i get 5 fish 2 crabs and all [moderator edit] breaks loose now im doing 5 gals of culligan water very day to get it back to 0s

 

[sidneyfirepm]

sidney, if you can, purchase a reef ready 75 gallon tank. a 55 is barely 12" from front to back. a 75 is 18" front to back. 20 more gallons, but a much bigger footprint. you'll be glad you did.

keeping the water from the old tank isn't going to do anything to prevent a cycle. there is virtually no bacteria in the water- it's all on the surfaces.

You know i got the tank all ready set up it was running when i picked it up it had live rock live sand full of water and a live snow flake eel about 18 ins. long, wife did not like eel so i sold it. Igot tank home put water back in tank and let it run for 4 plus weeks. Tests were all 0s and PH 8.0 i buy 5 fish and 2 crabs and all [moderator edit] cuts loose. Now im doing daily water 5 gals. of culligan os water.

 

[austinsdad]

I like the idea of a 75g too. We ALL want as bigger one than we first got.

Ok to move your fish into the new tank after cycling, but not the rock or sand I believe.

 

[sidneyfirepm]

Good news ick has gone away all my levels are 0s and my fish are doing great.