Yellowish stuff all over sand and rock

[UsernameByMatt]

I’m new to salt water tanks and forums so I apologize if I’m asking this for the 1000th time, set up this tank two weeks ago using live sand and rock. This yellow stuff showed up practically overnight. I just got the test strips but my alkalinity and hardness are too high, everything else is fine. Questions are what is this and how can I get rid of it? If it’s caused by the two above things, can anyone recommend anything to fix it?
It’s on that very rusty looking rock and that clean circle is where I removed a rock from for the photo.

 

[CoralB]

These look like diatoms which is a normal part of the process of cycling a tank . Let them do there thing . Keep parameters stable during cycling period and throughout . As far as your using live sand and rock it does help reduce the time to cycle but it still has to do its thing . The high alk you didn’t say how high . Could you please list the individual parameters that were tested and there results . Imo keep in mind that alk ,cal, mag , phosphates , nitrates ,salinity , temp, and ammonia are the most important tests to have starting out .

 

[UsernameByMatt]

These look like diatoms which is a normal part of the process of cycling a tank . Let them do there thing . Keep parameters stable during cycling period and throughout . As far as your using live sand and rock it does help reduce the time to cycle but it still has to do its thing . The high alk you didn’t say how high . Could you please list the individual parameters that were tested and there results . Imo keep in mind that alk ,cal, mag , phosphates , nitrates ,salinity , temp, and ammonia are the most important tests to have starting out .

Iron 0
Copper 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Chlorine 0
Hardness between 75-150
Alk 120-180
Carbonate 40
Ph 8-8.4
Temp 78
Salinity 1.04
Looks like I need more test stuff to check phos, ammonia, cal and mag

If they’re diatoms, will it clear up as it finishes cycling?

 

[Pistondog]

They should clear up on their own in a few days.

 

[CoralB]

Iron 0
Copper 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Chlorine 0
Hardness between 75-150
Alk 120-180
Carbonate 40
Ph 8-8.4
Temp 78
Salinity 1.04
Looks like I need more test stuff to check phos, ammonia, cal and mag

If they’re diatoms, will it clear up as it finishes cycling?

I’m sorry but in my opinion I wouldn’t trust my tank to test strips . And I can’t offer you any suggestions based on them . Your salinity is off , your nitrates are zero which they should never be zero , I can go on . My opinion would be to go to you lfs store and have them test your water and not with test strips . If it were me I would invest in better test kits like salifvert , Hanna , etc .no api but that’s my opinion . Then maybe we could find out a little better of what’s going on .

 

[CoralB]

Phosphate , nitrates , salinity , magnesium , calcium , alkalinity , and temperature would be a good start and are you using RODI water to make your saltwater up with ??

 

[cilyjr]

It is most likely diatoms and as stated they will eventually go away. It will likely become far worse before that happens. They will turn a rusty brown color.

Also as stated above those test strips are not going to be the most accurate.

Salinity is pretty low if you are measuring via specific gravity IE with a refractometer most people shoot between 1.023 and 1.026 depending.

 

[Pistondog]

Missed to 1.040 salinity, how is that measured?
Thats really high if accurate.

 

[Duzzy]

I’m new to salt water tanks and forums so I apologize if I’m asking this for the 1000th time, set up this tank two weeks ago using live sand and rock. This yellow stuff showed up practically overnight. I just got the test strips but my alkalinity and hardness are too high, everything else is fine. Questions are what is this and how can I get rid of it? If it’s caused by the two above things, can anyone recommend anything to fix it?
It’s on that very rusty looking rock and that clean circle is where I removed a rock from for the photo.

It’s the uglies…diatoms and normal

 

[UsernameByMatt]

Thanks everyone for the info. I went back to where I got the water from and they had a sign saying people have been reporting high salinity. Mine (1.04) was measured with a refractometer. They tested the water for nitrate, nitrites and ammonia. All were 0 so I did get some seachem stuff to get the cycle going. I’ll have to order some better test kits and add some fresh water to try to bring down the salinity. I got a RODI filter and reef salt so I’ll do it myself now, shoulda tested first but hindsight’s something else when you don’t know what you’re doing lol.

 

[UsernameByMatt]

I’m sorry but in my opinion I wouldn’t trust my tank to test strips . And I can’t offer you any suggestions based on them . Your salinity is off , your nitrates are zero which they should never be zero , I can go on . My opinion would be to go to you lfs store and have them test your water and not with test strips . If it were me I would invest in better test kits like salifvert , Hanna , etc .no api but that’s my opinion . Then maybe we could find out a little better of what’s going on .

I’ll get some better test kits and I’ll check out salifvert and Hanna. Thanks for the recommendations. Once I get accurate readings I’ll post them.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

are those test strips? They are ok to get you through a cycle, but going forward in the hobby you will want to invest in quality test kits (not API), especially if you want corals or inverts, you will need more accurate readings than what a test strip can provide.