Pet Information > ASK Experts > Pet Fish > Saltwater Aquarium > New Tank Question

New Tank Question

25 9:49:39

Question
I am about 2 1/2 weeks into the cycling process of a 55 gallon fish only setup.  All is going well, but there is a reddish substance growing all over the crushed coral.  Could you possibly tell me what this is, and how to get rid of it if I need to. Thanks!

Answer
Keith,
You are most likely experiencing your first algae growth.  Typically once a nitrate presence is seen in an aquarium you will start to see a brownish diatom algae form on the gravel, glass and decorations.  It's not harmful by any means but can be a bit unsightly.

Feel free to wipe it off of the glass, stir the gravel up to deprive it of light and wait a few more weeks to perform your first water change.

Long term solutions to removing this algae it to use a phosphate and silicate removing resin such as Two Little Fishies PhosBan.  This resin works just like the carbon in your aquarium only it removes these organics that tend to feed algae.  You may also want to consider purchasing some herbivores such as snails or blue leg hermit crabs.

Additional techniques for keeping algae at bay can be found in Julian Sprung's book, Algae: A Problem Solver.  It's inexpensive and is a great resource for every marine hobbiest.  Feel free to check out more details via our online catalog at www.aquariumcrazyfish.com

Best of luck with your new tank!

Regards,
Scott Johnson
Aquarium Crazy Fish
www.aquariumcrazyfish.com