Algae algae algae!!

[ThisCityIsDead]

I have had this tank for exactly 3 months now. For the past month, I have been battling this green algea and brown (whatever it is) on the sand bed. Is this part of the process or is it something gone bad?

I have 2 cleaner shrimps, 3 peppermint shrimps, 4 hermits and 2 snails. I had a hare but I lost it to the powerhead.

I recently purchased a fox face because I was told, and I also read, they eat algae.

How can I fix this problem? It's getting annoying:/
Green algae gets thicker when I don't clean it well.



Brown stuff on sand


Worst side because I can't really clean this area.

Will a diamond goby help with the brown sanded?

 

[explorer07]

We need some parameters and also are using ro/di? What size tank? Do you have a fuge?

 

[wcarterh]

Pretty normal. The glass looks like "normal" algae build-up. The sand could be diatoms? I can't tell too well with the photo. Pretty normal with cycling. Most will eventually get GHA (green hair algae) and cyano too.

As explorer said, to further help, will need to know full water parameters, how you get your water, and what you use for filtration and phosphate removal. Tank size and powerhead info would be helpful too.

 

[ThisCityIsDead]

Parameters are all 0 except for ammonia. I'm getting a read of .25ish. A water change should take care of that.

Calcium 400, dkh 187, Ph went up from 7.8 to 8.4.

Salinity 1.025. Temperature is 79 at night and 81 during the day BC of the lights. :/.

I have a red octopus skimmer. A 40g sump. A uv sterilizer. I also have two power heads. One is a hydor and another is a jebao.

My tank is 75g. Will the algae go away on its own or will it have to get scrubbed?

 

[wcarterh]

Just as a note that is a DkH of 10.4. Your alk number was in PPM KH. I do see live rock, so you may still be cycling with having ammonia. Did you observe a full cycle?

What is your magnesium level? The ph spike is unusual with a high dkh as you have. Over how long of a period was this? What point in your lighting cycle were they taken? Were any additives added during this time?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/

Ok, are you using something like the API test kit or a hannah checker? If using the hannah checker is it the phosphate or phosphorus version? Organic phosphates typically do not show up unless testing for phosphorus.

Even if these test sets read .03 or such, you still have phosphates present. IE you have algae growth. The algae simply uptakes the phosphates prior to testing resulting in a false low reading.

Depending if you are using a RO/DI or not, you could be adding phosphates with water changes/additions.

Standard algae and diatoms can be controlled via nutrient (phosphate) and light control.

Scrubbed as in cleaned or as in deep 6ed (trashed)? The diatoms will go away on their own if the phosphates are controlled. Algae is ever present. IE I have to clean my glass about every 5 days due to a film just starting to show on the glass.

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f6/new-tank-diatoms-water-change-175860.html

Post #18 shows a bit. A decent thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1871231

GFO or ATS (algae turf scrubber) will help a ton in controlling phosphates.

 

[cliffhanger]

Green algae lime on glass normal, [emoji106]

 

[00101]

I'd try some gfo to help knock down phosphates. If you've got ammonia I'd look at stocking and feeding compared to your biofilter. Hard to say too much more specific without more details.

 

[wcarterh]

You also need to change that water quick. Ammonia levels that high can be dangerous to anything living in the tank, possibly deadly if they are sensative enough. Toxic at best.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-02/rhf/

 

[ThisCityIsDead]

Hey guys, thanks for all the feed back!

I am using an api test kits (reef/water).
When I first started the cycle, I did not use RODI water. I filled the tank with drinking water (purified) I thought it was okay. I now have a RO system and use that water for water changes.

The rocks you see in the photo with the clowns are new live rocks. I purchased them from a hobbyist. About a month ago now. He had them stored with no water, but I already had live rock from the very beginning of the cycle. I had 70lbs of live rock and about 18lbs of cured rock (purple rocks).

As for the lighting cycle, I have no clue what you mean by that.

Magnesium isn't measured. I don't have a test for it:/

Live stock: 19 corals and 3 fish (and the inverts mentioned ^)

 

[Sk8r]

Are all your corals softies? If any are stony, you may be seeing that low calcium (s/b at 420) as a result.

Light cycle: 8 hours white/blue, 1 hour before and after blue-only. On timers.

The algae isn't that unusual, but any ammonia is a very bad thing. With others, I'm wondering if you've got some lingering problems.

 

[Jritter02]

I would focus on getting that ammonia to 0 before anything else. If I'm correct if you have a cycled tank then add more rock after sitting out of the water, you can start another mini cycle after adding that rock. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[wcarterh]

Jritter is correct. Adding any new rock will cause a cycle. How much and if it's dry/cycled, etc will vary it's severity.

 

[ThisCityIsDead]

That explains the ammonia increase! Ever since those rocks were added, the ammonia has been showing up! Not too high, but .25. Before it was 0.

Lights: I do 8 hrs of blue (1hr before and after the rest) so a total of 10hrs of blue plus and actinic plus. And 8hrs of purple plus and blue plus and one actinic and one white. Lastly, 2 hrs of moonlight.

I did add about 30lbs of fresh new dry rock. Like I said, about a month ago.

 

[wcarterh]

Mini cycle. You may want to put the foxface and CUC (debatable but could stress) in a QT (quarantine tank) until it has finished recycling.

 

[ThisCityIsDead]

How long for this mini cycle to end? It's been a bit over a month

 

[wcarterh]

Have you been feeding mysis, flakes, etc? I've seem where some only feed rabbit fish nori or such.

 

[ThisCityIsDead]

I feed the clowns pellets and blood worms and mysis. (Frozen). The rabbit picks at the sand and sometimes eats the other food. But for the most part it eats rock algea and sand stuff. I do put a piece of nori.

 

[wcarterh]

Well, you're feeding the cycle. Do you know how the rock was cured? Did he just pull them out or performed a muranic bath? If properly cured, I would have expected you to have finished the second cycle by now. Though I've heard of them lasting up to 3 months. From the sounds of it, I think you are still having die-off from the dry rocks.

 

[ThisCityIsDead]

I'm not sure how they were cured. I didn't ask because I was a complete super noob then. I know he had the rocks in a huge tub with water cycling and lights over them.

 

[wcarterh]

Were they out of water during transport? Wetted? If so, for how long?