sand color

[bluehd60]

my sand is turning a brownish orange color, what is this from?

 

[Leroy]

It's normal for a new tank to cycle through some nuisance algae outbreaks. It takes time for the proper bacterial populations that consume nutrients like nitrate to get established. First you will see brown algae on your substrate. This lasts for a few weeks to a few months. Also you might see the dreaded cyano. Use RO/DI water for your water changes. Use activated carbon and change it every three to four weeks. A good GFO like phosban will also help in keeping your phosphates low and is almost a must have if you want to keep algae at bay.

Jay the above is a quote from reefkeeper2. Test your phosphates or if you don't have the test for it bring a sample to me and I'll test it for you.

 

[JohnK]

Also, "brownish orange" sounds like you might be seeing some diatom growth. This is totally normal and not a problem. Silicate is the limiting factor/food for diatoms. I often see a bit of a diatom bloom when my DI cartridge gets old and needs replacing.

 

[reefinghabit]

i agree with jimmy. sounds like a cycling tank. or just diatom algae growth. check po4 and no3