i have a salt water fish tank over night the bottom started to turn brown with algae,what do i need to do .?

Answer 1

You're experiencing a diatom bloom. This needs nutrients (nitrate) from the tank as well as silica (from sand, glass, water source, or salt mix) to grow. If yours is a new tank, this often goes away on it's own once the silica gets used up, but if your salt mix or water contains this, it will stick around. Adding a cleanup crew of snails and hermit crabs will help eliminate this, as will competition from green macroalgae.

See these links for more on diatoms and how to eliminate them: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brownalgcontfaqs.htm
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/algae/diatoms.shtml

Answer 2

It's diatoms. Form of algae that feeds on silicates in new tanks. A mexican turbo snail will do a great job of clearing it. It will also go away on it's own once it eats the dissolved silicates. If you leave the rocks alone, they will turn brown, then green, and finally as the tank starts to become mature the green will fade some as the clean up crew gets to it leaving a very natural look. If you have enough coralline algae in the tank, it may then start to spread. Scrape the diatoms from the glass but leave the rocks alone.

Answer 3

agree with copper, if its jsut set up that a normal part of the cycling process, about 1 snail per 3-4 gallons or so and 1 hermit per 5-7g should clean that up in a few days or longer depending on your tank size. those "detrius packs" often have to many. also keeping the lights on a timer, about 8 hours a day is good. how old are your bulbs, this is only a problem with older tanks, but remember to change bulbs once a year.

Answer 4

yea go to your local pet store and ask what is the best way to clean a fish tank if you dont know how

Answer 5

get a algae eater

Answer 6

Clean it

Answer 7

you need to clean it and don't leave the light on all nite.