Ugly Brown algae or Diatoms?

[baron1282]

I got this nasty stuff growing on my rock. It's a 29 gallon tank.

Water Temp is 77 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Ammonia is 0
Nitrate is 0
Nitrites is 0
PH is 8.0
I use RO water from the LFS premixed. My salinity is around 1.25 to 1.26

According to the test I most recently did yesterday. My tank has been running for four months now. I got 50 pounds of live rock and 60 pounds of live sand. I got a BH-1000 Reef Octopus Skimmer, and a Fluvial 206 filter running. I run my lights at 11AM to 9PM. It's on a timer!

I attached a pic of the problem. What is it, and how do I get rid of it or is it a waiting game?

Some additional info. I am moving this tank to a 55 gallon at the end of this month, I am getting about 20 more pounds of live rock, and I am adding 30 more pounds of sand (not live).. Thanks for the help!!

 

[czwicky]

If your nitrates read 0 you prolly need a better test kit or your tank is nit cycled. Im going to say its diatoms feeding of esscess nutrients. Also that is A LOT of sand. U should only have about a 1 inch layer in your display. Deep sand bed =breeding ground for bad bacteria and storage for excess nutrients

 

[Sniperhank]

That amount of sand will be fine, just make sure you add the rock first and then the sand to avoid the rock work from tumbling down if the sand shifts. Deep sandbeds aren't as bad as advertised, you don't want to disturb them but that does for all sandbeds for saltwater.
In terms of what is on your rock, just scrub it off. It is a sign of nutrient issues in the tank, though I'm not exactly sure what it exactly is. I have a tank sitting needing to be taken apart and the stuff grew rampant over the rockwork after the last inhabitant died. So this stuff is fueled by the nitrates/phosphates in your water.
What I would do is cut back on feedings, I only feed my 55 reef twice a week, and increase the flow in your tank.

 

[tampa_nick]

No livestock? If your just cycling u don't need lights. How are you cycling the tank? My 29 runs no filter just over sized power head and a heater. That's a lot of sand get you some sand sifters when it's ready for live stock

 

[baron1282]

My tank has been cycled for 3 months now. I got four fish!

1 Six Line Wrasse
1 Flame Hawkfish
1 Blue Spotted Puffer
1 Coal Beauty

the first two fish the Six and flame have been in for 3 months. The Puffer in for 2 and the coal in for 1.

I am moving over to the bigger tank for the Puffer and Coal Beauty. It will be set up by the end of this month. I will check my nitrates again. I am not worried about the Sand Bed being I am moving it over to the 55 gallon tank. When I go to the bigger tank I am going to get some Sand Sifters. I want some snails, but my Puffer will not allow for that, He has left all my crabs alone..

This tank is 4 months old now, I cycled doing the Shrimp method. No fish until everything tested right. Have not had one fish loss due to cycle. For my 55 gallon, I got a Bio-Boast that I am going to add. In hopes of it helping the new 55 not cycle as much. I am hoping with the live rock and sand spread thinner the 55 will not need to cycle and harm my fish. Being I got the good Bactria colonies already on my rock and filters.

I guess there is really not much to do about it now, being that I will be moving this tank at the end of this month. I will cut my feeding time from once a day to once every two days. You sure that will be ok with the fish I got??? I will also cut the lighting down 7PM turn off, that will be 8 hours of light.

I also do weekly water changes of about 5 gallons!

 

[czwicky]

Irregardless of the live rock and live sand your 55 will most likely go through a mini cycle if not a full cycle. For one use the water that is in your current tank and then add the extra 25g. This should help but no guarantees. Also using your current sponge and filter pads will help seed your New tank. I would reccomdend about a 1 inch deep sand bed on the bottom of your tank. Also more live rock is always better

 

[czwicky]

Also feeding every day is perfectly fine. I feed every other day and have never had issues. I have a biocube 29 and do an 8g water change a week with no issues. The lighting change was also a good idea. 8 hours is optimum, while 7 hours is average. To much light= more algae growth

 

[baron1282]

Thanks Czwicky.

I am scared of moving things over to the bigger tank. I like my fish I have now, and don't want to kill them or shorten their life. So I am hoping all the precautions I am taking will allow for the tank to cycle very fast to the point it does not matter.

I am using this "bio-spira" and everything I have read on the internet gave it good reviews. So like I said, I hope with all the filters and rock I am moving over that already has the good Bactria on it will make the tank cycled. I guess we shall see.

I changed the lighting today to 8 hours, and I will feed every day still. I will suck up the stuff on my rock as much as I can when I do a water change tomorrow.