[Green Marine]

My tank is about 4-5 weeks old. Brown Algea is growing everywhere and continuing to spread. Its all over the glass and its even covering the live rock giving it a really dark colored nasty look to it. It almost seemes like it came all in one day. Also my sand which was white as day now looks like the bottom of a sewer. My Coral beauty is worken hard but the poor thing cant handel it all lol...i can see spots in the sand where she has been pecking..shes trying. Any suggestions? Leave it? Snails, Crabs? anything? THanks

By the way isnt that a sign of something high in the parameters....i just did a water change about 5 days ago.

[Green Marine]

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[BubbaWPB]

Brown algae in a new tank is usually due to diatoms. To some extent, there is usually a diatom bloom in a new tank. However, certain things can make it worse - high nitrates, high phosphates, and high silicates.

Also test your water source - if your water source is high in nitrates, phosphates and silicates, water changes won't work... you'll keep adding these nutrients.

Test your tank water and your source water for these three substances. You also might try to cut your lighting by an hour or two a day for a week or two. This can help during the initial bloom to minimize it.

[charlie]

Bubba has got you covered on this one, but I would like to add that you could probably throw some snails in there, and they will give you a hand!!!