is the brown still on glass and sand?

ey boss..i had the same problem..even long after my cycle. theres this realllll good stuff out there i dont got the name now cuz im at work. and i have it at home. but it might be algeafix in a white bottle with a blue cap. totally harmless to life in the tank. but man that algea will be goneeee and its also not harmful to coraline growth on ur rocks..look it up. i gave it a try. and everything is crystal clear now. just have the every now and the normal algea in a corner. but everything is soo good now. all i got to do is shake up ma sand bed a bit. and das it. let me kno how it goes...

eazy

well..i stand corrected. biginners mistake? but glad i made it :) lol. if not salt water woulda neva mentioned that.. and we woulda neva known!! :(

Hey look at this article i found on diatom algae . . . Diatom Algae typically is brown in appearance and usually is seen within the first 4-16 weeks following the install of an aquarium. Diatom algae have three basic needs to thrive: silicate as a food source, a low pH in a saltwater environment, and light in the yellow, orange, and red spectrum. During the first few weeks after an aquarium is set-up diatom algae growth can be very aggressive. It may cover the glass in as little as 48 hours. Diatom algae growth is normal and the direct result from the tremendous amount silica found in the synthetic salt used to make saltwater. Most synthetic sea salt manufacturers use silica, a moisture removing product, in the manufacture of synthetic salts. As the concentration of silica falls, the algae runs out of food, and slowly goes away. . . .

My PH is 8.0 - -I am in the process of raising it with a marine buffer, and I think pimp and I agree that I probab;y have high levels of silicate in my tap water - - I have switched ro RO water but have only done one water change so far, and my white lights are only running a couple hours a day if at all . . . .sound like a plan of attack ??????? Snowboss