What is this brown stuff?

[Djm9288]

What is this brown stuff on my substrate. M yam. and Nitrite levels are at 0, but I have no clean up crew yet. So do you know what this is? Is it Algae?

[Guest AbSoluTc]

Diatoms - naturally occuring during new tank setups.  You need to get the sand stirred up.

[Sahin]

Yes its diatoms.  My tank was completely covered at one point with this.

 

Addition of 8 Astrea snails cleared it up within a week.  The hermits did make some attempt too.  But it was the astreas that really did the job.  Since you dont have any cleanup crew, i suggest now would be a good time to get about 6 astrea snails and about 4 blue legged hermits.

 

If that doesnt get rid of it completly, you might consider using some Rowaphos to remove phosphates and slilicates-if present in sufficient quantities in your tank.

 

IMO the cleanup crew and water changes along with maturation of the tank is all thats needed to get rid of it.

 

I got diatoms in about the 2nd week of my tank setup.  By end of 2nd weeks my tank looked really horrible.  By 4th week there wasnt a trace left.

 

Hope this helps.  Good luck.

 

(Edited by Sahin at 5:09 pm on June 23, 2002)

[HuBu]

yup and yup. new tank are know to have them. theyll die off eventually. nothing to worry about now.

[jay2k2]

diatoms