Brown stuff everywhere

Okay I am just wondering but what is all this brown stuff that is everywhere in my tank basically. I am thinking that it is algae or somthing, but whenever I move my sponges or play around with my overflow or display tank, all these brown particles come flying up off the surfaces of stuff and going everywhere in my tank. Is this normal or should I do somthing about it..I am also wondering if this could be bacteria?

 

Flazky
these are probably diatoms- they construct themselves using silicates in the water, which with new set ups, new tank, new plastics etc there are always a load of

when the silicates are exhuasted they gradually dissapear
the tank can look covered in chocolate powder for 2 - 6 weeks (depends on silicate levels really) and then looks as clean as the day you set it up, when they have finally gone

you dont have to do anything to get rid of them

Steve

 

hmm but my tank is almost 2.5 months old.

 

my experience has been they showed up anywhere between weeks 2 and weeks 6
and lasted between 2 - 4 weeks ( last longer if you use tapwater I believe as tap water could contain additional silicates)
so yours at 10 weeks does seem a late arrival to me, but your description does sound like diatoms.

also if you add any new plastics like a new power head or wavemaker that can trigger a later smaller scale outbreak
adding a new sand bed can also set it off again

Steve

 

almost sounds like detrius considering it "flies up" and all.... whats your CUC like?

 

well hoping that none of my hermits died and snails, I should have about 20 hermits, about 11 nassariuos snails, and about 12 cleriths