Everything's brown, is this normal?

[ketchup318]

Hi All

I was just wondering if what I have in my tank is normal because for the last few weeks, the only color I see is brown.

It's been over two months since I first started to cycle the tank and in that time, my dry rock and live sand have completed cycling, I think. I have 0 ammonia and nitrites, and about 20ppm of nitrates (probably from the dead snails). I got 5 hermit crabs, 5 cerith snails and 5 nassarius snails at my LFS when the nitrites hit zero.

My crabs have eaten 3 nassarius and 2 cerith snails and I'm wondering is it because my tank isn't finished cycling? Everything's brown... no green anywhere. Are the inverts getting hungry?

Thanks for any help.


Here is my setup, http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f14/36g-bowfront-conversion-w-sump-251042.html

 

[Bectan01]

I think just too many snails and crabs too early. In such a new tank there is not enough food for them to eat yet. All new tanks go through diatoms in the early stages (brown algea) Looks ugly but should clear up on its own.

 

[ketchup318]

Good to know. I thought that after the ammonia and nitrites hit zero, I would be good. Guess not. Can't wait to see something other than brown.

 

[tonedogz]

I don't think 10 snails is alot for a 36 gal. tank. The brown algae is a normal process of a newly cycled tank. As the water quality gets better it should start to go away