Brown Growth

[Tabordan]

I am new to salt water and just started a new tank. It is 3 weeks old and has not cycled yet, however, the white gravel is turning brown in some areas as shown on the attached photo. What is this brown stuff? Is it good, bad or no big deal?

 

[I.have.the.salty.bug]

How long do you have the lighting on for??

 

[I.have.the.salty.bug]

Also what lighting do you have?? I had it when I was starting my tank but it went when I added some crabs.

 

[Hondatek]

It's normal diatoms . It will go away on it's own when it is done using all the silicates in your tank.

 

[Tabordan]

I actually just started using the lighting system a few days ago after I received my chiller. It is a quad reef lighting system set up for a nano tank. Between the lights and the wavemaker pumps built into the system, I could not keep the tank under 80 degrees. I just got the chiller this last Tuesday and started using the lights that day. With my new chiller electonic temp controler, my temperature keeps between 76 - 78 regardless, unless I change the settings.

 

[54seaweed]

hows the circulation in your tank, if there's dead spots those areas will turn brown , but if you have good flow through out the tank those brown spots will go away

 

[Schism]

It's normal diatoms . It will go away on it's own when it is done using all the silicates in your tank.

Yep diatoms, completely normal for a new tank. Nothing to worry about. Keep up with regular maintenance and things will be fine.