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[kitsapdan]

hi i'm new to salt water tank world and need some help. my tank is getting brown on all the rocks and sand. how soon will this go away. is there any thing I should do and will it come and go all the time?
thank you

 

[cwby416]

Welcome to RF and to the PSAS!!

It sounds like your tank is going through the Diatom Algae cycle of the new tank cycle. Yes it will go away.... first tell us a little more about your tank...size, how long its been up, what kind of water your using, livestock, sump/filtration, lights....the more info you give us, the better we can help you through your journey

~Randy~

 

[kitsapdan]

hi
i have a oceanic biocube 29 it has a
36 watt true actinic 03 blue straight pin
36 watt 10,000k daylight straight pin
and 3 .75 watt blue moon glow led
and a pump flow rate 243 gph
the biocude come with all the pumps in side. I also have 29 lbs of live rock, a Gold Band Maroon Clownfish, Foxface Lo , Blue Hippo Tang, 2 things of Live Coral and 1 Anemone for the clown.
it has been up and running for about 2 weeks with all things in it and about 3 week before that with just the rock
I also have not seen my foxface for about 3 days (he hides behind the rock) but now i.m getting worried about him

 

[Damsel13]

Hi kitsapdan! Welcome.

what cwby said is right. It might have been better to wait on the fishes.
Is your live rock from another setup?

 

[kitsapdan]

my live rock came from the pet store (shark reef) in silverdle wa. they tested my water every couple of days until they said every thing was good. the water test that i did at home is all good to. the main thing is that i'm worried about the foxface. he is still behind the rocks and has not come out to eat. he was put in the tank the same time the clown was but the tang was put in a week later and that is when the foxface started to hide.

 

[LakeEd]

Dan,

1st, and most importantly... WELCOME TO REEF FRONTIERS!!!

What you are most likely seeing, is the effect of competition for what will soon become (if not already) very little space for the type fish you have chosen for your system. Both the Foxface and your Tang require much larger tank volumes that what your current system will give them.

As for your original question... yes, sounds like "New Tank Syndrome" of a Diatom bloom that every new system has to go through! This can last from as little as a week, to as long as a month or more.

There are a couple things you can do to help this progress through its cycle as quickly as possible. Do frequent (daily, if possible) water changes. When doing these water changes, use a plastic Turkey baster to blast water against the rocks... stirring up the diatoms as you suck your water out of your tank for those water changes. Don't be afraid to use a mag-cleaner on your glass as well... also stirring up the diatoms helping you suck them out as you do those water changes.

Again... WELCOME TO REEF FRONTIERS... and I look forward to reading much more from ya!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Welcome to RF!!!

Tough the tang is probably tiny, they will grow to over a foot long and typically need a 180+ to be able to swim naturally in, even when young. Foxface get big too. Perhaps you can take those back to the LFS for store credit, and buy some small fish at a later date when the tank has cycled further?

 

[Reefergeorge]

Welcome to RF!
I don't want you to start out on a negative, But none of those fish or the anemone should be in that size tank. Please do research before buying fish or corals.

 

[kitsapdan]

As I am not a fish expert, I spoke with the trained professionals at two different fish stores and I followed their recommendations.

 

[pitmam01]

Welcome to the very unkind world of "Fish stores have to make money too". Believe me, I went to a reputable place to buy my set up and don't think the guy could've bent me over any further!!! It's only been 4 months and I have already replaced a whole grip load of equipment. Instead of sneaking new clothes or shoes in the house, now it's equipment or livestock!!! I just keep telling my husband "Nothing in the tank is new, I just rearranged everything". He knows I'm full of it, lol. Anyway, it never hurts to get a second opinion.

 

[pitmam01]

Best of luck to you!

 

[jnarowe]

kitsapdan: As has already been stated, those fish are innapropriate for that size tank. Unless you are planning a major upgrade within 8 - 12 months, I would take those fish back to the fish store and either get your money back or exchange for nano size fish. There are so many available that would be perfect for that tank.

Shoot me a PM and we can talk about your tank some more. There are several experienced reef keepers in and around Poulsbo that can help you avoid mistakes and enjoy your new mini-reef.

 

[dhnguyen]

Dan,

Welcome to the disease so to speak
I'll second what Jonathan and others above stated about returning the fish you have for smaller ones. That said can you tell us some basics of your setup?

What protein skimmer are you using or are you using one at all?
Are you using RO/DI water?
What are your water parameters?

pH
Alkalinity
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
Phosphate

Number one rule in this hobby is always take what the LFS tell you with a grain (or bucket at times) of salt.


D.

 

[kitsapdan]

thanks for the help. the fish that are in the tank are on the small side, I know that in a year I will have to get a bigger tank (thats the plan). for now they are doing great I also would like to thank the ocean reef in poulsbo for there help

 

[dhnguyen]

Keep in mind tangs and foxface are serious poopers so I hope you have a decent skimmer in your setup.