Hi

[gratefulbreen]

I just set up a 90 gallon tank that was established with water, live rock and sand. Its going through a small nitrogen cycle, the ammonia is gone, took about 5 days and now nitrite is @ 1.0 and nitrate is @ 20 PH is around 8.3. I've been noticing this red stuff in my tank, any ideas? And when do you think my nitrites will be gone so I can add livestock? :question:

 

[Smitty]

Hello and welcome to the site. The stuff on the rocks and sand are diatoms...they will come and go, especially in a new tank.

 

[wontonflip]

Welcome to the site!

Are you talking about the hred stuff in the sand bed, or the red stuff on the live rock? +1 Smitty -- the stuffo n the sand is diatoms. The bright red stuff on the rocks are most likely just coralline...good to have.

With the diatoms, looks like you need more flow down there. How many powerheads do you have?

 

[VAreef]

I'll second the brown diatoms. Nothing you can do about them. They come and go all by themselves. The red stuff? It could be cyano. Its a form of algae as well. I wouldnt worry about it to much till the tank is completely done with the cycle. Once it's done cycling you can start water changes to drop the nitrates which will limit the cyano growth too. It could also be corralline but it is a bit bright red for that though.

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

+1 Smitty

New tanks go through an algae cycle so it's not something out of the ordinary. I recommend doing a water change to help lower your nitrates. Also, are you using RO/DI for top offs and water changes? Those diatoms look pretty intense and tap water can cause some pretty crazy diatom blooms, especially in a new tank.

 

[DJ404]

Hello and welcome!

 

[gratefulbreen]

thank you very much for the advice everyone!:D

 

[yote]

Welcome to the reef.

 

[daugherty]

welcome

 

[reeffreak]

Welcome to the site and hobby!

 

[BL1]

Welcome to the site ... you should start a build thread with some pics, it's kind of an unspoken rule for membership here :mrgreen:

 

[dcantucson]

Hello and welcome to Living Reefs!

 

[coolhandgoose]

Welcome to the site.