Is this normal, or am i missing something

[jaymoney2]

So I went bare bottom about 7 weeks ago to combat cyano and GHA issues i was having, and i like the idea of easily siphoning waste out of the tank.




I was already using a felt filter sock changing every 3rd day.

I added an MP10 (have a MP40 coming in the in the mail, not sure if i will keep both or just the mp40) i use 2 seperate nutrient modes a day along with reef crest and lagoon to keep it interesting.

i also added a DI section to my RO unit. i was going from 260 ppm to 6ppm, and now and making 0ppm water.

I have kept my parameters stable, basted or blown off rock & siphoned 2x a week, Done atleast a 10% water change 1x a week, kept feeding to a minimum and added 10 cerinths and 5 nerites to my exhisting 4 nerites and 4 cerinths. I have also set up some chaeto in my sump(which is growing well).

I rinse my skimmer neck/ cup 1x a week, and keep it set to get a watery / tea colored skimmate.

i have never had any detectable nitrates or phosphates, but that is prob just the test kits/ algae eating it up im sure.

i dont have much algae any more, and what does grow (or maybe it is just left overs) is brown.

i think i am making progress...

only issues are:
a semi hairy, but not dense, brown "algae-ish" random covering on the bottom. i can only describe it as "the nasties"

and any time i move a powerhead or rock or baste the rocks i get a cloud of junk stirred up in the water. i was expecting the random flow of the vortech to help keep all this just suspended so it could be washed away, and am worried, that im letting all this just rot in my tank and have not started to add any coral since i dont want to put it in a poor environment.

is all this "crud" sitting loosley on my rock normal? is this part of the normal cycle, or am i missing something?

only things i can come up with is just too much rock, limiting flow, or the MP10 with a 500gph and 1600gph powerhead on the other side isnt doing enough to keep every thing clean.

ive included a pic- cant really see any of the nasties in this one- i can try to get a close op whe ni get home if somone thinks the can identify it!

[sporto0]

Crud in a tank is pretty much a given if you have livestock that feed regularly, I don't know of anyway to suspend every single particle without having entirely too much flow to sustain a normal environment. The greenish/brownish hairy covering on the glass bottom is more than likely film algae building up, the same stuff we scrape off the glass every few days, a few turbo snails would clean that up in a hurry. 1 Turbo Snail would do a better job than 10 Ceriths or Nerites in my opinion & experience.