From Diatom bloom to this? Help

[aaa1234]

This is what has recently showed up in my tank. Prior to all the rusty/brown coloration from some diatoms. What youre looking at is a green color starting to form everywhere. Some of it looks like grass almost and some of it is just blotchy. I can see the grass like pieces in my flow just flailing about. Anyone know what i need to do in this stage of my tank? It was just started about 1.5 to 2 weeks ago. Thanks

p.s. I have, what look like tiny ricordias growing also. They have only continued to get a little bigger with more tentacle bubble things on them. And i found two more growing this morning! Does this mean my tank is doing good or what? Ive had them in there from day 1 from the old sump i got with this tank.

 

[DetectiveTofu]

Looks like green hair algae to me; and it is a naturally occurring event in newly established tanks. If you don't have a clean up crew already, you may want to look into getting one. Also, I am a strong advocate of a water change never hurts =)

 

[aaa1234]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10232907#post10232907 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rhythmicfire
Looks like green hair algae to me; and it is a naturally occurring event in newly established tanks. If you don't have a clean up crew already, you may want to look into getting one. Also, I am a strong advocate of a water change never hurts =)

What are your suggestions on my cleaning crew? And ive been told that i should put any livestock in here, but no body has told me for how long i shouldnt. The tank is a 30 gal. And does it matter what part of the tank i get my water from when i do a water change? I have 3 gals of mixed water ready im just hesitant on which would be the most effective way of changing it.

 

[drummereef]

Is your tank new? If so, this is completely normal for newly cycled tanks to go through a diatom and hair algae bloom. Just let the tank do its thing and it will go away on its own. If you aren't already, continue to use RO/DI water for water changes and top off.

 

[DetectiveTofu]

I forgot to also ask what your water parameters are; ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? In my own experience I had had luck with Astraeas snails, and red legged hermits. I hear emeralds are good at eating hair algae (as to whether they are reef safe may be another story)

 

[aaa1234]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10232956#post10232956 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
Is your tank new? If so, this is completely normal for newly cycled tanks to go through a diatom and hair algae bloom. Just let the tank do its thing and it will go away on its own. If you aren't already, continue to use RO/DI water for water changes and top off.

I have RO water in there. Not sure if its DI though. I havent done one water change. Can you suggest a good schedule of it? I was thinking 3 gals a week. Thats 10% of it. Thanks. Drummer...any suggestions on CC?

 

[aaa1234]

Update:

Update:

Not really, i just did a 3 gal water change though lol

 

[aaa1234]

Bump

Bump

Anyone have a good suggestion on a cleaner crew for a 30 gal long? My diatoms have started to sprout green hair algae and i was told that a cc was going to be needed soon. Anyone?

 

[cplklegg]

I have 6 ceriths and 10 nassarius in a 20H and they are happy laying eggs all the time.

 

[demonsp]

More flow will help. Is this in a corner or all over ? Also with new setup you dont want full light. Few hours a day at first and adding time weekly. Cleanup crew will help along with omnivore fish like coral beuty or tang.

How new is this setup and do you have any stock ?

 

[jimicasper]

def green hair algae, pick up a tang!

 

[drummereef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10232995#post10232995 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cabbage0709
I have RO water in there. Not sure if its DI though. I havent done one water change. Can you suggest a good schedule of it? I was thinking 3 gals a week. Thats 10% of it. Thanks. Drummer...any suggestions on CC?

Good deal. I'd investigate if you have a DI stage on your RO unit. If not, you can add one on. Click the link below. I prefer nasssarius, cerith, astrea, and turbo snails for my cleanup crews. 10-15% weekly water changes with RO/DI is preferred.

http://www.thefilterguys.biz/di_systems.htm

 

[aaa1234]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10237745#post10237745 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
Good deal. I'd investigate if you have a DI stage on your RO unit. If not, you can add one on. Click the link below. I prefer nasssarius, cerith, astrea, and turbo snails for my cleanup crews. 10-15% weekly water changes with RO/DI is preferred.

http://www.thefilterguys.biz/di_systems.htm

Thanks drummer and everyone else. Now that i think of it. About half of the water or more is RO/DI. The first 15gal or so was from a family member's house that is just RO. The rest was from Meijer at their 50cent filling station thingy. But yeah my tank is only 1.5 to 2 weeks old. Is it normal for stuff to appear this quick? Also this isnt just in one corner of my tank. Ill put picks up on my gallery so everyone can see all of my pics. Thanks for feedback.

 

[aaa1234]

How new is this setup and do you have any stock ?

The setup is about 1.5 to 2 weeks old. Although i bought it with sand and everything in it off of someone else. But i also do not have any stock in there besides the (What i think are) ricordia mushrooms that are growing on some rubble i found in the guy's sump. They have been in there from day 1 and are still living and growing slowly. This morning they were spread out to almost the size of a nickle but closed almost 10 mins after turning my light on.

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

Likely they are majano which would be goo to identify for sure now before they scurge or tank; post a good picture if you can.

 

[ZLTFUL]

And ignore the peanut gallery suggesting you get a Tang.
A 30 gallon tank that is only a couple of weeks old is far and away a dead Tang waiting to happen. 1. too small by far and 2. not nearly established enough.

As far as cleanup crew, just get an assortment of snails(cerith, astria, nasarrius, etc) and maybe a few crimson hermits. I have a fighting conch to stir the sand around for me and between the crew, they do a great job of keeping the algae at bay. I also have a couple of emeralds wiping out my bubble algae. But then that was because I got rock that already had it on it and didn't notice until my pump pickup started getting some bubbles on the screen.

Patience is a virtue in this hobby. I rushed with my first setup and ended up losing all of the livestock in my tank except a couple of red legged hermits. I know it's hard to resist the urge to get it done quick, but it's also hard to flush a cute little Maroon Clownfish named Squirrel that you had come to love.

 

[salty55]

i agree with zltfuz. a 30 gallon is way too small for any kind of tang. i wouldn't put anything in the tank until it fully cycles. snails and other inverts are extremely sensitive to high nitrates. you will just find yourself with a tank full of dead critters in a day or two. just cut way back on your'e lighting. especially if you have t-5's or metal halides, do weekly waterchanges, and if necassary actually take the rock out that has the hair aglae on it and scrub it in new saltwater to keep the hair algae at a minimum. after you have no ammonia or nitrites and nitritates are as low as possible, preferibly under 20 ppm, then add a cleanup crew. if you are wanting a fish that eats hair algae some people have had good luck with a lawnmower blenny. i had one that would eat. but, that was just my luck. just try not to let the hair algae get a good hold in your'e tank. it's one of the hardest things to get rid of in my oppinion.

 

[fatdaddy]

My tang would rather starve then eat hair algae. Besides, it's iffy if a Tang would survive in that nutrient soup at the moment. Don't go there.

Clean up crew usually implies hermits, turbo snails, & narcissus snails, etc. After your ammonia and nitrates go to zero, you can also try a fighting conch. Go easy on the hermits. They tend to become pain later as some learn how to slay snails for food, fun, and shells.

I let my 100g lay fallow for six months after a move, and now I just have a mated pair of tomatoes and their anemone. Slow, but sure wins the day.

 

[xian]

Others have suggested it but you are going to want some of the agressive grazing snails. My top three suggestions are Astreas Turbos and Trochus. I've also had good luck with nerite and cerith snails. I stock my snail population high. You could put 20 snails in that tank and I think you'd see a difference.

FWIW Nassarius snails are carnivorous scavengers. They eat lots of food that settles into the sand but no algae.

 

[fatdaddy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10238952#post10238952 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xian
FWIW Nassarius snails are carnivorous scavengers. They eat lots of food that settles into the sand but no algae.

Thanks for the correction.