Live Sand

[davelriston]

hi
iv just setup my 1st tank and its been running about 12 days just have a look tonight at it and the live sand has started to go dark brown in bits .could someone tell me is this the start eco process i could do some tests but i only did it 2 days ago
thanks dave

spec

215L
filled will RO water
40lb live sand
8kg live rock

[wayne in norway]

Diatoms. Silicate feeding algae. Will soon disappear as long as you use decent topup/water change water

[davelriston]

thanks for the reply would 25% do it

[hairyduck]

you shouldn't need to do anything, the diatoms will use up whatever silicates are in the water, when it runs out they die off and should disappear, it's a patience thing!

you can use Rowaphos or another similar product which will remove some of the silicates/phosphates

[davelriston]

Originally posted by hairyduck@Oct 26 2005, 16:31
you shouldn't need to do anything, the diatoms will use up whatever silicates are in the water, when it runs out they die off and should disappear, it's a patience thing!

you can use Rowaphos or another similar product which will remove some of the silicates/phosphates
thanks mate i will just keep a eye on it

[Martyn]

This is just the first stages of the algea cycle that your aquarium will go through onto maturation over the next 2 years.
This is all natural and normal for the Aquarium as it matures.
As higher algae's become established they take away the foods the lower forms of algae are using.
As do the Corals as you slowly introduce them over time.
Once the nitrogen cycle has stabilised you can introduce snails of different kinds that will eat diatoms and many forms of algae's.
one very hardy snail that eats diatoms and algae spores and will breed in your aquarium is the stomatella snail.

Martyn