doogy_7

First post on here. Hello everyone.

Just got our 1st saltwater tank going October 1st. (2) clownfish/ "Nemo" & "Marlin". (1) Damselfish/ "Fin". 55 gallon tank, heater, Marineland canister filter, Marineland power filter, Koralia turbo pump (the fish love this thing), digital thermo, fake plants, coral rock, etc...

I do 5 gallon water changes once a week, clean tank walls everyother day, clean filters everyother week when I do water changes, test water weekly. clean gravel bed during water changes. Timer on my light to turn it off and on.

#1 I have white gravel that is slowly turning brown. This brown is also showing up on walls, plants etc... It is easily wiped off though. Should I be concered?

#2 Pick my 4th fish for me. Any suggestions, pics? My local fish store recommends me waiting awhile before I get anymore. ugh!!!! I know he is just trying to be cautious for me.

Fish seem healthy happy, and playfull. Espacially the clownfish.

COBettaCouple

welcome to Fishlore.. the brown stuff sounds like algae called diatoms. that should go away in time and isn't harmful to the fish - many like to eat it.

actually, i believe there are many SW fish that it's recommended to add only when a tank is 1 year old or older.

Peterpiper

Hello & Wecome! , sounds like you have all your cleaning under control. How many power heads are you using & what size?

doogy_7

ugh lets see

#1 Marineland C-220 canister filter. Their new model. Its seems like a great filter.

#2 And the one on the back of the tank is actually a AuqaClear 50.

Does anyone have any suggestions for preventing dead areas? I have my input set near the bottom and my output on the oppisite end near the top. Its pointed toward the input. Then I have my turbo pump near the middle same end as my canister output, again pointed to the input end. I also have a two 6" airstones at the back of the tank.

sirdarksol

Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you've got a good water flow setup. You shouldn't have any problems with dead spots, as long as you don't have any areas that are completely sheltered from the flow (for example, an area in the corner hedged in by live rock).