Is this the start of the ugly phase?

[Hannahmunt]

Over the last few days my dry rock has started turning brown and the sand bed is getting patches of brown.

 

[The Farmer]

Yes it is, how long have you had your tank setup for?

 

[Hannahmunt]

Yes it is, how long have you had your tank setup for?

22 days, had live rock and live sand as well as a few chromis and pair of clowns

 

[homer1475]

Live sand is a joke, don't believe the hype. Specially "live" bagged sand.

In the OP you state dry rock, then go on to say live rock. Which is it? Looks like dry dead rock from the pictures.

And yes those look to be diatoms, and the start of the ugly phase.

 

[The Farmer]

Did you add a bottle of bacteria for cycling?
you can turn your lights off for awhile to let the tank mature a little bit longer. It will help going through the ugly stage quicker

 

[Dreamscapesaquatics]

Sure is. Just ride it out. It'll settle down on a few months.

 

[The Farmer]

Did you add a mixture of dry and live rock?

 

[Hannahmunt]

Live sand is a joke, don't believe the hype. Specially "live" bagged sand.

In the OP you state dry rock, then go on to say live rock. Which is it? Looks like dry dead rock from the pictures.

And yes those look to be diatoms, and the start of the ugly phase.

I have a mix of live and dry

 

[Hannahmunt]

Did you add a mixture of dry and live rock?

Yes

 

[The Farmer]

With an ugly stage it’s a good sign that your tank is maturing. Let it go through the motions and keep us update on the progress

 

[Hannahmunt]

Did you add a bottle of bacteria for cycling?
you can turn your lights off for awhile to let the tank mature a little bit longer. It will help going through the ugly stage quicker

I did, I added colonie I think it’s called. I’d turn the lights off but I have two soft corals and I’d rather get the ugly stage done and out the way quick

 

[Hannahmunt]

With an ugly stage it’s a good sign that your tank is maturing. Let it go through the motions and keep us update on the progress

Will my soft corals be ok during the ugly phase?

 

[The Farmer]

Yes they should be fine they are very hardy corals. If you don’t want to turn the lights off you can decrease your photo period that way your tank is not getting a lot of Light energy for the brown algea

 

[Hannahmunt]

Yes they should be fine they are very hardy corals. If you don’t want to turn the lights off you can decrease your photo period that way your tank is not getting a lot of Light energy for the brown algea

Ah good. I have a small emerald green crab so hopefully he eats away at the algae

 

[Titleist1964]

Live sand is a joke, don't believe the hype. Specially "live" bagged sand.

In the OP you state dry rock, then go on to say live rock. Which is it? Looks like dry dead rock from the pictures.

And yes those look to be diatoms, and the start of the ugly phase.

Can you elaborate? Are you talking about Caribsea or real ocean sand?

 

[The Farmer]

The emerald crab will target more of the bubble algea type. If you haven’t started adding a clean up crew I would start with some snails they do a good job on the film type algea

 

[homer1475]

Speaking of caribsea.

I'm sure at one point it did have live bacteria, but lets be real here. It was bagged, god knows how long ago, sat in a warehouse for god knows how long, then sat in a truck/airplane/etc for transport to your supplier, where it again sits for god knows how long before you buy it.

Do you really believe anything is still alive after all that time?

 

[The Farmer]

Ether way carbisea includes little packets that help stimulate the remaining bacteria in the Bag.
with adding the Bottle of bacteria and what ever ammonia is in the sand will be consumed by the new bacteria

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Ether way carbisea includes little packets that help stimulate the remaining bacteria in the Bag.
with adding the Bottle of bacteria and what ever ammonia is in the sand will be consumed by the new bacteria

I thought the packets were flocculant...

I think the point is that bagged "live" sand costs more and is often no more helpful to a cycle than any other sand.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

looks like its just diatoms, very normal from using new sand, it will die out on its after a week or so once the silicates are consumed. No need to do anything until you see green algae.