"dirt" on my live rock in the tank

[engine]

My tank has been up for about 5-6 weeks. It cycled in about two weeks. last week I added 2 small clown and a firefish. My live rock is now becoming dirt colored in spots and its starting to spread. I dont know how to describe it.....it doesnt like like algea, it jus looks like someone threw dirt on it.

12 hermits
4 super tongan nassariaus
1 mexican turbo
1 fighting conch
8 trochus snails
any ideas what this could be?

[engine]

sorry, I forgot to include:
Amomnia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 2.5
ph between 8.0-8.3 (hard to tell with the color scale)
phosphates 0

[plyle02]

detritus.... That would be my guess.... How much flow you got in there, and what type of skimmer in the sump/fuge? I would up your cleanup crew as well. With proper flow, and a good cleanup crew, your LR should be clean in appearance. Good luck....

[skippy2]

sounds like it is diatoms. Part of the new tank syndrome

[drummereef]

Yeah if it's brown then it is diatoms. Totally normal and should go away on their own in time. Make sure you are using RO/DI as your water source. If you are having detritus issues get yourself a turkey baster and blow it off.

[engine]

Im using rodi and blow the rocks off with turkey baster. I have euroreef skimmer cs6-1 and around 2000gph including my return.
I thought diatoms kinda 'grew' off the rocks like hair or something similiar, no?

[Iron Maiden]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10168485#post10168485 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by engine
Im using rodi and blow the rocks off with turkey baster. I have euroreef skimmer cs6-1 and around 2000gph including my return.
I thought diatoms kinda 'grew' off the rocks like hair or something similiar, no?
Diatom in a new tank looks like a brown dust on everything, rocks, glass, powerheads and sand! I'm just getting over the battle myself. I use a soft bristle toothbrush every other day to brush it off the LR. It's going away now, so to speed it up I put a bag of carbon in the sump to rid the water of the silicates that are left. Just takes time.

[engine]

I havent run any carbon yet, so if that will help ill have to get some tomorrow.....thanks