What is it and how can I make it go away?

[luvnsalt]

What is the ugly brown film on my live sand? What do I have to do to make it go away? Why does it disappear when I turn my lights off??? Help!!!!

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

sounds like diatoms, how long has it been since you have had your tank?

 

[gobie]

Snails Snails Snails And Other Diatom Eaters

 

[luvnsalt]

I am just beginning my 11th week. Will it eventually go away? All my numbers are good when I test my water.

 

[Mike HArrington]

Are you using R/O? If so get a TDS meter and check it. MAy be time to replace teh membranes if they are old./

 

[Angelscrx]

How old are the bulbs? I think you guys bought the tank from someone right? What are your phosphates reading? With a tank that yopung you may just need more time. Snails, snails, snails got to have them for the diatoms.

 

[wrightme43]

Diatoms live need silocone to build a skeleton. As it is used up, they go away. It is a sign of a new tank, or a tank that has had a disturbance, or one that has silicate added in water changes. Usually they start to make air bubbles and form a mat that will start to lift off the substrate, just pick it out with your hands or use a small tube to siphon it out. This is just my experince and I hope it helps you. Steve

 

[luvnsalt]

Yes, I bought the tank from someone, but it was empty and they had freshwater. My lights are only a month old. I did use tap water for my initial fill up but have since turned to R/O. I don't have a phosphate test myself, but when I took some water into Amazon he said it was good. Turbo snails? Or another type? I have 4 turbo snails and 9 hermit crabs now.

 

[gobie]

lets see 11 weeks that gives a good idea,have you had you nitrates and nitrites tested? both will also add to the production of diatoms. and the base is sillicas. what is your method of filtration. can you add phos remover to suck up the excess po4 / sillicas.

 

[BSHANE651]

since you are no longer running filter floss w/ your carbon, i would try a phosphate filter, they have a media that traps them as they pass through your mechanical filter, i eventually started using these on a tank, and it completely eliminated a red diatom problem

 

[luvnsalt]

Thank you BShane for your great wisdom, ole wise man....LOL hahahhahah. No, seriously...thanks. Where did you get yours?

 

[BSHANE651]

got three at pets smart for 7.00??, they say there good for 3 mos, however since they are phosphate traps i would use them and get rid of them a lot sooner that that,
since you are topping of with r/o water and not overfeeding i am sure it is a temporary problem from your initial setup w tap water, who would do something like that lol, anyway the added bonus to getting rid of phosphates is coralline production goes a lot quicker. anyway i have to get ready for work so see ya

 

[luvnsalt]

Yah...you go get ready for work would you!!!! I think I will head to Petsmart. Do the filters just go in my regular filter?

 

[BSHANE651]

they are a drop in pouch , very cylnder shaped , easy to use
good luck dashia, hope you have an awesome holiday

 

[BSHANE651]

oh i didnt answer your question , yes it should drop in your hang on top filter, if it dsnt take the power filter from your quarantine
tank and use it in there

 

[luvnsalt]

Thanks. I Went And Got Some Of The Filters And Put One In Tonight. As I Was Cleaning The Algae Off My Glass And Siphoning My Sand.....i Got The Most Disgusting Smell I Think I Have Ever Encountered.......i Had A Dead...i Mean Reaaaaaaly Dead Snail In My Water. Holy Crap Batman....i Never Knew It Could Smell That Bad!!!! Maybe That Was Part Of The Problem. Gross!!!!