What is this white and brown algae growing on my back wall and parts of sand?

[Reef Devils]

Tan is about four months old now. I thought I just got over the ugly stage last week but I’m looking on my rocks and I see little areas with brown stuff on them. I am also seeing new spots that are dark brown on the sand behind the rocks. Also, on the back wall of my tank, I see this white stuff growing and some brown patches on the back. What could this be? Is that a problem h

 

[Dan_P]

Tan is about four months old now. I thought I just got over the ugly stage last week but I’m looking on my rocks and I see little areas with brown stuff on them. I am also seeing new spots that are dark brown on the sand behind the rocks. Also, on the back wall of my tank, I see this white stuff growing and some brown patches on the back. What could this be? Is that a problem h

Don’t know what this stuff is.

By the way, the weird and very annoying off color growth is likely just starting in your aquarium.

 

[jabberwock]

Don’t know what this stuff is.

By the way, the weird and very annoying off color growth is likely just starting in your aquarium.

Yep, buckle up. Hard to ID that stuff, but I would not be alarmed. Any livestock?

 

[Reef Devils]

Don’t know what this stuff is.

By the way, the weird and very annoying off color growth is likely just starting in your aquarium.

Yeah diatoms went away last week. I had them for like 2 months but they might be coming back

 

[Reef Devils]

Yep, buckle up. Hard to ID that stuff, but I would not be alarmed. Any livestock?

Yes 2 clowns, 4 Kupang damsels, 2 cleaner shrimp, and 5 corals

 

[jabberwock]

Yes 2 clowns, 4 Kupang damsels, 2 cleaner shrimp, and 5 corals

Can you post a full tank shot? At this point I would say, if the fish are ok, the tank is ok.

 

[Reef Devils]

Can you post a full tank shot? At this point I would say, if the fish are ok, the tank is ok.

Here is a pic and a video. Overall tank has been looking great lax all parameters are good but nitrate and phosphate are 0.

 

[jabberwock]

Here is a pic and a video. Overall tank has been looking great lax all parameters are good but nitrate and phosphate are 0.

Thanks! The tank does look good. You have a lot going on for such a young tank. A little early for corals IMHO.

 

[zhenya]

Yes 2 clowns, 4 Kupang damsels, 2 cleaner shrimp, and 5 corals

Well, that’s it then. You are going to have to take the system apart, sterilize all the rock and sand, let the tank sit fallow for 8 months, and then try again!
Whatever is growing in your system is fulfilling a need. There are a million variables, so don’t get too panicked. I have had tanks I abandon only to return months later to fat fish and growth I can probably get credit for discovering.
Remember, the more you try to control one variable the more other things are affected. Fish feeding and swimming is the goal for a new system, you have accomplished that.

 

[Reef Devils]

Well, that’s it then. You are going to have to take the system apart, sterilize all the rock and sand, let the tank sit fallow for 8 months, and then try again!
Whatever is growing in your system is fulfilling a need. There are a million variables, so don’t get too panicked. I have had tanks I abandon only to return months later to fat fish and growth I can probably get credit for discovering.
Remember, the more you try to control one variable the more other things are affected. Fish feeding and swimming is the goal for a new system, you have accomplished that.

So you are say start over? All parameter look good but my nitrate and phosphate.

Nitrate - 2.9ppm
Phosphate-0.0ppm
pH- 8.2
Salinity- 1.024
Alk- 9.3dkh
Calcium- 444ppm
Magnesium -1350ppm

 

[Lavey29]

You do understand the ugly stages go off and on over the course of the first year right? 4 months means your barely into it. If you let things get out of balance then ugly stages happen well after the first year too. Your nutrient levels are bottomed out which if you have no corals that might not be critical but if you have corals then they are starving to death now. Low nutrients and high alk is also bad.

 

[Reef Devils]

You do understand the ugly stages go off and on over the course of the first year right? 4 months means your barely into it. If you let things get out of balance then ugly stages happen well after the first year too. Your nutrient levels are bottomed out which if you have no corals that might not be critical but if you have corals then they are starving to death now. Low nutrients and high alk is also bad.

Well all of my corals look great. They open fully every day. I need to get nitrate up

 

[Lavey29]

Well all of my corals look great. They open fully every day. I need to get nitrate up

Corals typically decline from the inside out with no nutrients. Can take weeks or months before they show the decline on the outside. Learned quite a bit from my own experiences.

 

[zhenya]

So you are say start over? All parameter look good but my nitrate and phosphate.

Nitrate - 2.9ppm
Phosphate-0.0ppm
pH- 8.2
Salinity- 1.024
Alk- 9.3dkh
Calcium- 444ppm
Magnesium -1350ppm

My apologies, I was trying to say that you should just ride it out and not worry about eradicating life that you do not find visually appealing. Good luck and enjoy.