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Something wrong with substrate?

PostPosted:03 Mar 2019 16:30
by zlatan2601
Hi,my tank (6 weeks hold) shows soe brown coloration at one side, more specifically the side looking at the window (indirect sunlight).

Some pictures of the coral substrate somewhere else (original color):
IMG_20190303_171503.jpg
IMG_20190303_171503.jpg (1.23 MiB) Viewed 9213 times

Picture of the window side of the tank with the brown coloration:
IMG_20190302_123449.jpg
IMG_20190302_123449.jpg (1.01 MiB) Viewed 9213 times

Is this normal? Is this coloration of the coral substrate or are these algae?

Fyi i bought this coral substrate:
IMG_20190303_171551.jpg
IMG_20190303_171551.jpg (1.06 MiB) Viewed 9213 times
IMG_20190303_172258.jpg
IMG_20190303_172258.jpg (1.19 MiB) Viewed 9213 times

It's not as beautiful as the original white but I don't mind if it is normal:). Or should I be worried? Shrimps are behaving normal, some are very red, some are pale. They don't swim a lot but sometimes they do and i see them frequently eating algae present in the tank..

Re: Something wrong with substrate?

PostPosted:03 Mar 2019 18:01
by Algae In Space
It's the so called diatom. It is a form of alga which is part of tank cycling. After the diatom the green alage will follow. Everything A-OK :grin:

Re: Something wrong with substrate?

PostPosted:03 Mar 2019 21:29
by zlatan2601
Yeey, I am very relieved to hear that, thank you! :smile:

Re: Something wrong with substrate?

PostPosted:04 Mar 2019 19:30
by odin
Yup just another post relaying what @Algae In Space has said, very normal and is part of the cycling process. If you think your shrimp are happy now wait till its fully cycled (which wont be far away).

Re: Something wrong with substrate?

PostPosted:04 Mar 2019 19:42
by zlatan2601
Hmm, guess i will need more shrimps or my glass will get covered with algae :nerner:
Hope they start breeding soon :smile:

Re: Something wrong with substrate?

PostPosted:04 Mar 2019 19:43
by odin
Get a few horned nerite snails for your tank, they will eat up the algae and wont breed.

Re: Something wrong with substrate?

PostPosted:04 Mar 2019 20:20
by zlatan2601
Yes but they lay eggs everywhere don't they? I don't like that... And will they leave the water? My tank isn't closed on the top...

Re: Something wrong with substrate?

PostPosted:05 Mar 2019 09:52
by Algae In Space
Welcome to the “algae game“ :grin3:

Re: Something wrong with substrate?

PostPosted:04 Apr 2019 23:37
by zlatan2601
Update, the brown algae (diatoms) are taking over the tank. Mainly the lime stone rock and the white coral, but also the glass walls. Is this still normal? Tank is 2.5 months old now. Shrimp seem to be ok, but each time i clean the glass walls they are disturbed and i dont see thel for days.

This brown algae seems to form a film, also covering some of the green algae i received from a friend... Doesnt look nice at all. Will it disappear by itself, or are snails really needed?

Fyi i have a 30 liter tank with 10-15 shrimp. Salinity is 1.012, pH around 7

Edit: the film also traps a lot of air bubbles, also big air bubbles. The film covers white coral and lime stone, and later the glass, but does not cover the lava rock at all...

Re: Something wrong with substrate?

PostPosted:05 Apr 2019 11:06
by Algae In Space
Sounds normal to me. You can use „microbe lift“ or something of that kind to speed the whole thing up. Strange my Opae Ula don't mind me cleaning the tank at all!