Brown/Orange stuff on the substrate...how do I get rid of it?

[Codeman00]

Dave (or anyone else)....is this diatoms or algae? It's only on the substrate, because the snails have cleaned it off everything else (rocks, glass, drains, etc). The snails will not stay on the substrate. If I have to vacuum this stuff, I would have to do it every 2 days..surely theres a better way to control it...

Any help would be appreciated.

<img src="http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/83895DIATOMS-med.JPG"
<img src="http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/83895DIATOMS2-med.JPG"

[Below Sea Level]

Yeah that definately looks like a diatom bloom. Isn't your tank in its cycle anyway??? If so that is a normal part of it and once your cleanup crew takes care of the substrate it should not come back or be an ongoing problem.
How many crabs/snails do you have now?? I know most blue legs are like magnets for the rocks and once cleaned usually move over to the substrate.

Dave

[Rendos]

Diatom bloom...pretty typical for a new setup. I would definitely say your cycle is over...now on to step two...diatoms. The best thing to do is let it go, but if you really don't like the brown scurge, get a turkey baster and blast it off the sand...your filter/protein skimmer will pick it up. Small water changes now would help increase water quality and discourage the diatoms.

[Codeman00]

The tank has had rock in it since 6/17 and it did go through a mini cycle (NH4 was gone in 4 days). I know diatoms are a part of this, but the diatoms had formed on the glass and, drains, etc at least a week and a half ago and the cleanup crew has got this under control...but they havent' touched the substrate. Over the last 2 days, diatoms just covered the substrate as the pics show.

For my cleanup crew, I have:
50 Golden Astreas
15 nassarius snails
2 jumbo zebra turbos
5-10 other turbos
20 blue leg hermits
8 scarlet hermits.

The problem is they are all on the rocks... I'm thinking that they've been on the rocks so much, that they don't know that diatoms formed on the substrate over the last couple of days. Today, I'll just pull them off the rock and move them down there.

Any other suggestions?

[Rendos]

Turkey baster...it's not just for basting turkeys anymore.

4 out of 5 reefers recommend it...and if I ever find that fifth guy...I swear I will beat him into submission.

[Codeman00]

I've got a couple of basters...and I will try the water changes / blasting substrate too!. Thanks.

[Rendos]

Not hard enough to stir it up too much, just enough to loosen the diatoms up.

[Codeman00]

Well, I loosened the diatoms up...and in 2 hours it looked like I hadn't used a baster at all. I moved the crabs and snails down to the substrate..they feasted for awhile and then they decided to move back on the rock and glass where there is much less to eat.

I'll start my water changes tomorrow..we'll see how that goes.

[Rendos]

It is a slow going process, but once it is gone...it rarely comes back. Be patient, young Grasshopper.