BigEZ77
Member
Hi All,
My tank is now about two months post cycle (40G AOI) and have been experiencing a diatom bloom for the past two weeks (I read this is normal for a new tank). I have have live sand, RealReef rock, skimmer running, carbon running in mini reactor, bag of Rowaphos in sump just before returns, good flow with Gyre XF130. Feed fish once a day, alternating different frozen foods. Feed corals (soft) a couple times a week with Reefroids. Put in a fighting conch a couple days ago and he's gone to town on the diatoms in the sand, almost cleared up now. My questions are...
-I am now seeing a green film algae all over the rocks. Is this the beginning of hair algae? Is this usual for a new tank? Any good natural suggestions to deal with this? Would a lawnmower or starry blenny be a good idea? Would love to get a Hector's goby but not sure it would be very effective.
-The tank is in my great room which has high vaulted ceilings with very large floor to ceiling windows on one wall. No direct sunlight hits the tank because of the direction the windows face but there is still quite a bit of natural light in the room. Could this be attributing to the issue? Unfortunately its too late to move the tank and the wife doesn't want it anywhere else. Should I be closing the blinds when I leave for the day?
-I have Kessil A160WE over the tank and really like to have the lights on a lot for aesthetic purposes when I'm home. I wake up about 7am and get home around 6pm. The lights turn on at 8 and ramp up for 3 hours, then 6 hours at medium/high, then 3 hours ramping down...at this point, I like to have the lights on at the minimum setting until I go to bed, so they don't actually turn off entirely until 11pm. I really would prefer not to have the lights off when I'm home since its such a nice view in the room. Would having two smaller cycles be a better option? i.e. morning cycle up and down, mid day and afternoon off entirely, then evening cycle up and down.
Have my first LPS coming in this week, so need to account for them in respect to lighting as well. As always, any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks,
Russell
My tank is now about two months post cycle (40G AOI) and have been experiencing a diatom bloom for the past two weeks (I read this is normal for a new tank). I have have live sand, RealReef rock, skimmer running, carbon running in mini reactor, bag of Rowaphos in sump just before returns, good flow with Gyre XF130. Feed fish once a day, alternating different frozen foods. Feed corals (soft) a couple times a week with Reefroids. Put in a fighting conch a couple days ago and he's gone to town on the diatoms in the sand, almost cleared up now. My questions are...
-I am now seeing a green film algae all over the rocks. Is this the beginning of hair algae? Is this usual for a new tank? Any good natural suggestions to deal with this? Would a lawnmower or starry blenny be a good idea? Would love to get a Hector's goby but not sure it would be very effective.
-The tank is in my great room which has high vaulted ceilings with very large floor to ceiling windows on one wall. No direct sunlight hits the tank because of the direction the windows face but there is still quite a bit of natural light in the room. Could this be attributing to the issue? Unfortunately its too late to move the tank and the wife doesn't want it anywhere else. Should I be closing the blinds when I leave for the day?
-I have Kessil A160WE over the tank and really like to have the lights on a lot for aesthetic purposes when I'm home. I wake up about 7am and get home around 6pm. The lights turn on at 8 and ramp up for 3 hours, then 6 hours at medium/high, then 3 hours ramping down...at this point, I like to have the lights on at the minimum setting until I go to bed, so they don't actually turn off entirely until 11pm. I really would prefer not to have the lights off when I'm home since its such a nice view in the room. Would having two smaller cycles be a better option? i.e. morning cycle up and down, mid day and afternoon off entirely, then evening cycle up and down.
Have my first LPS coming in this week, so need to account for them in respect to lighting as well. As always, any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks,
Russell
