sand changing colour

[fishandchips]

ok i know i may have rushed it
ok..i started to too set up my tank 3-4 weeks ago got mywet/dry pump , skimmer and t5 4 blub arcadia light
and sand and livesand. started by cleaning the normal sand then put it in the tank added the water then salt,
got the salt level right temp right then ph level had (had too add a bit of buffer to get it up their). then when they were right added the live sand. the sand seemed ok for the next 2 weeks stayed the same colour, had the light on for about 10-12 hours a day. but then i started to get a bit too egar ana bought a clown and another little fish that i forgot the name off (bad i know).
after i got them i checked the nitrite levels and they were high (4.0) this is where i ask you lot for help!!!
is it because of the nitrite level that the sand is turning dark brown or the light is too bright ..or chould it be worse is the sand dead

 

[Starbury03]

I dont know much about saltwater but to me it looks like Brown Algae.

 

[aresgod]

diatoms if i had to guess

 

[S.Reef]

The brown algae (diatoms) is natural for a new aquarium. The reason your nitrite levels are high is because the tank has not biologically cycled yet.

Sam Reef

 

[TurbineSurgeon]

As Sam said, diatoms are very common on newly set up tanks. They usually go away with no intervention on your part.

 

[supahtim]

take your fish out until your cycle is complete please.

like everybody else has said, the brown algae is normal when a tank is cycling. when your nitrates go up and down, wait for another few weeks before you add fish or anything else for that matter.

have you done any reading yet? keep a log of everything that you add, and that happens to the tank. it will help in the long run.

Tim

 

[wayne]

The brown algae is diatom algae, so just leave it to disappear in it's own time. You can't really speed this up.
High nitrites is interesting , and tells you your livesand was a waste of money. Surely if it was a ready made filter it would contain a bacteria culture to decompose the nitrite. Are you sure it's not really a false positive from nitrate ions - unfortunately some nitrite test kits also react to nitrate! Check the instructions carefully.
Yes buying fish at this point is bad. Buy some good quality live rock instead.

 

[fishandchips]

thank for the replys's good to here that the alage will go in time. and im not gonna buy any more fish for at least a month now. but a few ppl have told me to buy live rock is this a good time to buy it?

 

[wayne]

It's as good a time as any I suppose. Can you get decent cured rock where you are - if not you're going to need to get the fish out else you'll likely kill them with an ammonia spike.

 

[Statix]

You can most likely leave the fish in. I would. Clowns are strong little buggers and you probablky also picked up a damsel fish(the one you dont know the name to) which is hardy also. I have used these fish multiple times to cycle a tank. As for adding live rock, everytime you add it your tank it is gonna cycle. Stuff will die off causing the differant spikes. As for your nitrites spiking your tank might be in the middle of a cycle and the nitrites are about to change to nitrates. I think you were duped with the live sand like wayne said. You are at the 3-4 week period. The algae if it is still there will go away after your first water change.

 

[sinasster]

I hate to ruin everyones day but the brown algae in a salt water tank never goes away. As it does in fresh water, its just a part of the continous cycle of salt water maintenance, every single day, untill you decide you dont want a salt water tank any more.

Turbo snails are excellent for helping out with this, as is a "Mag-Float" glass cleaner.

 

[S.Reef]

Well after setting up numerous saltwater aquariums and reef, the brown algae has always gone away. If you keep nutrient levels low you will have no problem.

Sam Reef