brown algae under sand level... diatoms?

[Hawaiianfishkee]

A hole bunch of brown algae is collecting under my sand line! 2 questions. First question, two parts:
How should i clean it, and whats the best way without scratching the grass? Second question: How do i prevent it from growing back?

 

[Rockbass6]

How long has your tank been set up? May not be completely cycled yet. If it has been setup for a while using ro or di water and cutting back on the amount of time you have your lights on will help. Is this a reef tank or fish only with live rock?

 

[~ocean]

tank parameters?

 

[festerfish]

thay will go away i had a huge diatom blume in my GSP brac tank and this was because it was a newly cyclad tank they feed of nitrates and will go way after a while and water changes to keep there food source down "nitrates"

 

[~ocean]

yeah, he might just be cycling...

 

[mr.reef24]

that is the first parts of a new tank some nassirus snails will clean that no problem and throw in some ceriths to clean the rest as well. Just stay up to date with your water changes and you'll be over the diatom outbreak.

mr.reef24

 

[Hawaiianfishkee]

thanks, well i forgot to mention the tank is outside on the padio. its not in direct sun light but lets just say it gets its natural amount of sun... i had it set up for about 1.5 months now. i dont mind cleaning it, its just that it grows so fast. my overflow outbox is almost completely covered with it... there are a numbers of crab, shrimp, and i just now started seeing snails on the glass. i also have 3 big eye squirl fish in there..

another thing, i noticed there are some white dots appearing on the glass.. they look like mini stars... they acumilate pretty fast. anyone got a clue?

 

[mr.reef24]

do the little stars look like any of these?

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchstars.html

the direct sunlight will help bloom the algae but if you put a snail per gallon that should help you in counter balancing your diatom problem

mr.reef24

 

[Hawaiianfishkee]

do the little stars look like any of these?

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchstars.html

the direct sunlight will help bloom the algae but if you put a snail per gallon that should help you in counter balancing your diatom problem

mr.reef24

Nah it's not a star fish. I would post a pic but the why's thngs are too small. Yah Ima try to get some snails. What about brittle stars? Do they clean algae?

 

[mr.reef24]

Nah it's not a star fish. I would post a pic but the why's thngs are too small. Yah Ima try to get some snails. What about brittle stars? Do they clean algae?

brittle stars are more detrivours and scavengers not so much herbivorous towards algae like some trochus, cerith, asteria snails will be.

mr.reef24