Brown algae all over my New tank

[rexman]

Should I be freaked out??

I just set up my 15 gallon salt water tank 2 weeks ago with 7 lbs of live rock, 20 lbs of live sand, a turbo snail and a brittle star. The brown algae is covering my sand, rock, power head and surface skimmer. pH is 8.3, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrates, 0 nitrites, Temp is 80F.

Can I put some other critters in the tank to eat this stuff or just continue to do water changes with Distilled water (I don't have an RO/DI system).

Thanks for any advice!!! :'(

[Craig Manoukian]

Part of your tank's natural cycle/maturation. *Probably diatoms from the silca in your sand bed. *Green algea, brown diatoms, and red cyanobacteria are all things you will experience in this hobby.

Diatoms will abate as the silica dissipates. *Nitrates are what fuels the green algae and cyanobacteria.

[rexman]

OK thanks!!!!!!!!!!

[Craig Manoukian]

You betcha rexman!

[Lehmann]

Have only been running my 25 Gal for about four weeks now, and have been through the same things...we all do. This is my third setup, although my first decent reef setup in such a small tank. If you want really good advice it is do it right the FIRST time and be patient all the way. The Diatom (Brown growth) will be repalced by the green and red micro algeas before the Macr stuff take hold. Keeping the Nitrates low or non existant will limit the "Nuisance Algae" Do not overstock and listen to the guys who have been doing it for many years. I speak every few days to a guy in the States called Bob Goemans who has only ever given me good advice. Good Luck and by the way, I hope you are not using Distilled water for water changes. Fresh water is used only as top up for evaporation loss, while NSW (Natural Salt Water) or commercial branded salt water is used to do water changes. I trust this was just a slip of the keys!
Cheers
Mike in Cape Town

[Craig Manoukian]

Great post Mike! Not to be too technical, but the red is usually cyano bacteria, not algea.