What could be doing this?

Well, I need to know what could be making my tank look as though there is dirt all over the base rock? I have a small cleaner crew of 5 reef hermits and 6 turbo snails in my 55 gallon tank. All the perameters look good and I have had several diatom blooms as the tank has been cycling. However, it appears as though there is a brown sand like substance on the agronite and on the surface of the horizontal live rocks. I've also noticed the same substance on the bottom of my wet/dry sump. The live rock is healthy and the red coraline is thriving but this makes the tank look dirty. Any ideas?

 

diatoms...these should help ya I'd say you are under snailed and under blue/red claw crabbed...

http://www.3reef.com/forums/algae/rust-colered-algae-50880.html
http://www.3reef.com/forums/algae/diatom-outbreak-50655.html
http://www.3reef.com/forums/algae/diatoms-sand-id-solution-plz-50557.html

 

with no fish id have to say current or just sand coming of hermits and snails as they crawl around

 

If I understand you correctly, Your still cycling, so the diatoms is normal. It will go away by itself within a couple of weeks or so. Luna

 

By all parameters looking good, what do you mean exactly? If ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites are at 0 you are no longer cycling and it should be ok to add a few more hermits/snails and such.

If the tank is less than 6 months old then an algae cycle is going to be normal and you just have to wait it out, but it should not take long as long as you are using; RO/DI water with a TDS of 0, have decent flow in the tank, try not to overfeed, and are not using a super long lighting cycle.

Diatoms are normal in a new(ish) tank though. It will go away with time.

Good luck!

 

Let go outside the box here and ask how long has this tank been set up and running ? and what type water do you use for filling and top off of the tank ?

 

The tank has been set up for 3.5 months.It has been exactly one month and a week since I added the live rock and one week since adding the very small cleaner crew. I have a new R/O system that I use to top off the tank with. I use the R/O water and premix the salt and get it to a temp of 80 before addidng it to the tank. It normally sits for a few days before top off is required.

 

Yeah you are cycling, the brown stuff is totally normal it will go away I wouldn't go nuts I would however get a more snails and hermits .