Brown everywhere!!

yes you can scrape the glass if you want. I did. It will seem like forever but it will go away on it's on in a few weeks. Once the diatom bloom is over you get to experience the cyanobacteria (red slime algae) OH BOY! LOL. You can go ahead and stock fish it doesn't harm your livestock. I had to brush it off my green star polyp every once and awhile but it's all good.

 

Wow I didn't realize I could have so many CUC "employees"! I didn't want to overstock my tank so I just started with a few!

 

Forgot to ask, does this usually happen at the end of a cycle? Is it any indication?

(sorry for so many questions )

 

My bloom came in the middle of my cycle. I don't think it has to do with the ending of a cycle. Just more about the time it takes for the silicates to leach into the water and the bacteria to bloom. I could be wrong, just my observation. ;D

 

Hi Katrina. Yes, this sounds like a diatom bloom. As the diatoms die, you will likely see green hair algae and possibly cyanobacteria (may look red) blooms. All normal.

In terms of adding fish, I noticed you want to add 2 clowns and 2 damsels. Please be a little careful here. In terms of damsels, you really shouldn't add 2. You are much better off with one (or zero). The reason is that damsels are very aggressive and territorial, and 2 damsels may fight a lot in your sized tank. Now, when adding clowns, add 2 of very un-equal size. The larger one will become female. If you add 2 clowns that are too close to the same size, they will fight until one establishes dominance.

Bottom line - if you have your heart set on damsels, I'd personally add only one right now, and allow your tank to cycle further. Or add a pair of clowns. but definitely do not add all the fish at once. Just my 2 cents.

Oh, and yes, a diatom bloom is an indication of a cycle being over. After all, how could the diatoms survive in water that is full of toxic ammonia and nitrites? But if you add to many fish at once, you may start another cycle. Allow at least a few weeks between each fish addition.

 

what if I decided against the damsels and wanted to add more than 2 Clowns?

I don't want fish to be together that don't get along... or that will be agressive

 

Clowns and damsels are related and can both be quite aggressive. Clowns do well in un-equal pairs because that is how they mate. But 3 clowns in a small tank is not a good idea. At least one of them is bound to get picked on. If you want another fish, get something peaceful like a firefish or goby or something un-related to the damsel family.

 

from what ive heard you shouldnt have more than two clwons in the same tank unless its a big tank. big meaning ive heard that oceanparadise has four (i think, correct me if im wrong) in his 180 gal. i would add the two clowns then find a goby and pistol shrimp combo. that will be lots of excitement and not a very large bioloa. also how long has the tank been set up?

 

Diatoms for sure. I just finished cycling my tank. I also didn't turn the lights on during my cycle. Took about 5 days of my light being on for my bloom to take over and make everything brown. I still added fish from my 75g to this 135g and so far no issues jsut ugly brown diatoms on everything. My turbo snails and hermits are working away at it. So far I have 5 chromis, 2 pajama cardinals and my pair of black clowns. I still need to transfer my lawnmower blenny, red scooter blenny, mandarin, jester goby,watchman goby,flame hawk and firefish. I have already added most of my corals out of the 75g.

 

Ahh Ok

I will head to the FS that is about 20 minutes away and check and see what they have and see what I can pick up

Thanks!!

OH my tank is about a month old