Week One- Brown Algea EVERYWHERE

[CKC]

Hi all. Set up my 10 gal last friday.

(20 Lbs sand, 11.5 Lbs LR)

 

Problem is, ive got brown algea growing all over the place, even over my coraline algea. .. I used Distilled water for the initial tank fill because I would have to drive too bloody far (over 100 miles) for R/O water. ( I live in maines northwoods..hah)

 

Question Being. Should I get a snail to pop in there and start hacking down the algea, or let it go for a bit?

 

The water peramiters are life sustaining, alk is a little high, but not off the charts..

 

..help?

[mtglore]

It's likely a cyano (or is it diatom?) bloom. Quite common for new, cycling tanks. I wouldn't worry about it much as it will disappear in time. If the parameters are life sustaining and the tank has surely cycled, however (i.e., ammonia, nitrates and nitrites are 0), I guess it wouldn't hurt to put a cleanup crew in there.