Algae question

[skeety]

Had my tank up about a week. (72 gallon w/30 gallon sump)

And already, I have a layer of brown fuzz growing on rocks, and patches
of gravel.

While I have the tank in a room with a window, that window has a heavy
black curtain which keeps the room pretty dark during the day.

2 days ago, I added 5 small fish. (2 clowns, 2 damsels, and a Coral Beauty).

A day after I set up the tank, I added 20 lbs of live rock

All the fish seem to be doing REALLY well...eating...swimming..etc.

But my question is...doesn't Algae usually take longer than a week to start growing that much?

Also, I'm used to algae being green...can it be brown as well?

Do you think this is algae? or is there something else it could be?

what causes/promotes algae growth? Chemicals? Oxygen? What should I be looking at?

you can find a picture here:

http://mysite.verizon.net/s0da/pics/...%20(algae).jpg

[Ace's Reef]

Welcome to TRT like all of us when we first get into this hobby we have lots of questions and perform lots of mistakes.



Sorry to tell you that the brown fuzz on rocks and sand is diatom a type of algae. This is a common thing to happen when a tank is not established yet. Let the tank cycle it will go away on its own but it will take a while. Also keep in mind that since your tank didnt cycle yet you might lose the coral beauty. Keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrites, nitrates. Also try not to overfeed there is sometimes when i feed every other day.


ACE

[ErinGoBragh]

I am a newbie, but from what I know, the brown is algae, and it is a normal process during the cycling of the tank. Since it has only been up a week I believe that is what is happening, but I am sure someone else will show up and give more detail. Can't give you much more help than that, thats about all I know.

[candian bacon]

i would get the damsels out of there once your shur that the tank has finnished cycling. Those guys are little devils. Very aggrisive fish. might even go after the clown. I have spent many hours standing over my tank with a net trying to catch those little #%$$$*. The brown algae you see is normal. hang in there. Nice tank BTW.

[skeety]

Thank you all for the help! Much appreciated!


The Damsels are a Beau Gregory (who truly seems to be keeping to himself..and appears more interested in moving gravel to make his little hole/home than he seems interested in teh other fish), and a Orang Tail Damsel...who you guys MIGHT be right about...he can be a bully at times...but for the most part, seems to get along with everyone.

But it's still early.

Either way, appreciate the help! ;-)

[aussiereefer82]

WOW you have only had your tank set up ONE WEEK and you already have fish in there! This really jumped out at me because the only thing that this spells is DISASTER. You need to let the tank cycle for usually between 4-8 weeks before you even think about adding any livestock. The brown algae you have is diatoms and it is a regular occurance during the CYCLING of the tank.

Cycling is the process whereby you let nature take its course, adding liverock and allowing the die off of dead organisms on the liverock to cause ammonia. During cycling bacteria develops and spreads within the system, fed by nitrogenous wastes(ammonia). Cycling starts when ammonia can be detected in the water collum, then progresses through a stage where ammonia levels fall and nitrite builds (ammonia and nitrite are both highly toxic with fish and inverts). Once ammonia and nitrite fall to undetectable levels (usually at about 4weeks) you may add a clean up crew to the tank (snails and hermits). After the initial cycling has finished nitrate levels will be high and large water changes will be needed to correct this. You should wait until the nitrate levels have fallen to undetectable levels before adding any fish or corals to the tank, and then only 1-2 specimens at a time.

Here are a few tips;
1. Return all the fish to the LFS, they shouldn't have sold them to you in the first place. With the exception of the damsels (maybe) everything else will more than likely perish when ammonia starts to build.
2. Provide us with some more information about your tank, eg. filtration, do you have a skimmer, water parameters, lighting etc.
3. Get some more live rock. 20lbs is not enough in a 72g tank, you should have roughly1-1.5lbs per gallon (expensive i know)
4. Read us much as you can here on TRT and in books, slow down and take things steady as the only thing that happens fast is disaster.
5. Do a search on cycling in this forum, you will find some great info.
6. CYCLE THE TANK.

I hope this helps. Good luck if you stick to your origional plans.

[JFDJason]

SLOW DOWN....your going way to fast. Poor Fish that are going to die. Read things on here first before you go and do it.