lights are causing a discoloration on my live rock please identify

[stevediaz1]

hello my lights are causing a goldish discoloration on my live rock please identify i dont think its algae or anything else because it would be on the rest of the rock where the light doesn't shine i have ecotech radion xr15pro on a rms mount standing 9 inches from water line and i have another 10 inches to my sandbed

innovative marine 30Long fusion nuvo tank 30 gallons
tank cycle started 10/15/15
cycle ended 11/09/15

current water parameters;

temp 78
salinity 1.025
ph 8.2
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20ppm
phophate 10ppm
alk 7.3
ca 325
mg 1160

 

[stevediaz1]

hello my lights are causing a goldish discoloration on my live rock please identify i dont think its algae or anything else because it would be on the rest of the rock where the light doesn't shine i have ecotech radion xr15pro on a rms mount standing 9 inches from water line and i have another 10 inches to my sandbed

innovative marine 30Long fusion nuvo tank 30 gallons
tank cycle started 10/15/15
cycle ended 11/09/15

current water parameters;

temp 78
salinity 1.025
ph 8.2
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20ppm
phophate 10ppm
alk 7.3
ca 325
mg 1160

 

[Bogue Chitto]

Looks like diatoms, your parameters are off a good bit, except for the first three. Nitrate and phosphate are making the algae grow. How long has your tank been set up?

 

[stevediaz1]

Looks like diatoms, your parameters are off a good bit, except for the first three. Nitrate and phosphate are making the algae grow. How long has your tank been set up?

tank cycle started 10/15/15
cycle ended 11/09/15

 

[stevediaz1]

i thought so to but shouldn't it be all over the rest of the rocks?

 

[BrickFishHouse]

Not necessarily.

In my experience, this stage usually passes relatively quickly (but not always).

 

[Mark9]

current water parameters;

temp 78
salinity 1.025
ph 8.2
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20ppm
phophate 10ppm
alk 7.3
ca 325
mg 1160

With the 3 bold numbers being so low on a just cycled 1 month old tank, i'd verify your salinity.
What do you use to check sg, and what salt are you using?
Looks like diatoms on some really nice live rock. Odd none on the sand.
And, that's alot of sand you put in there, more than I would have.
Phosphate of 10 looks really high, like incredibly high. testing error?

 

[MeghanisradxD]

I agree with mark9, are you sure that phosphate test is accurate?
If that was the reading, i would buy a different brand and test just to be sure. Algae loves phosphate and getting that down will most likely be the key to getting the algae in check.

Your tank is still incredibly new. It is going to go through lots of changes over the 6 months to a year. It looks like diatoms to me and probably looks different where the light is, because the light is causing it to grow heavier in those specific areas. I wouldn't add any livestock and keep on your regular maintenance for the next few weeks. It should go away.

 

[Xxero]

hello my lights are causing a goldish discoloration on my live rock please identify i dont think its algae or anything else because it would be on the rest of the rock where the light doesn't shine i have ecotech radion xr15pro on a rms mount standing 9 inches from water line and i have another 10 inches to my sandbed

Did you just recently add these lights?

 

[stevediaz1]

With the 3 bold numbers being so low on a just cycled 1 month old tank, i'd verify your salinity.
What do you use to check sg, and what salt are you using?
Looks like diatoms on some really nice live rock. Odd none on the sand.
And, that's alot of sand you put in there, more than I would have.
Phosphate of 10 looks really high, like incredibly high. testing error?

thanks for answering my salinity usually stays at 1.025 but now its at 1.021 im waiting for water line to drop and top off with more salt water to bring it up i use red sea coral pro i buy it at the store premixed and i also buy ro/di water to top off for phosphate testing i use api test it's really hard to tell the difference in the colors though i try my best to do them as accurately as possible any suggestions on test kits that will do a better job

 

[stevediaz1]

With the 3 bold numbers being so low on a just cycled 1 month old tank, i'd verify your salinity.
What do you use to check sg, and what salt are you using?
Looks like diatoms on some really nice live rock. Odd none on the sand.
And, that's alot of sand you put in there, more than I would have.
Phosphate of 10 looks really high, like incredibly high. testing error?

i'm using red sea refractometer
and using red sea coral pro salt
and using api phosphate test kit are hanna checkers any better?

 

[stevediaz1]

Did you just recently add these lights?

i added the lights since i got the tank but i never turned them on until
the cycle ended i heard that when you cycle an aquarium you should not turn them on until the cycle is done so i followed that instruction so i have these lights on for about 1 1/2 weeks now at 25-35% brightness and led % no higher then 50% some levels are even lower is that good with the height of the tank ?
i know these lights are very strong ( radion pro xr15 ) i would appreciate any suggestions thanks

 

[RocketEngineer]

That is the diatom bloom that is typically seen in a new tank. Doesn't matter what you do, it's going to happen. Totally normal and will eventually fade. I do agree with the others that your water chemistry is slightly off. Do some water changes using RODI mixed with your salt and then test again. Slow changes are best.

Good Luck,

 

[sde1500]

Welcome to the life of a new tank. Your rock is going to turn funky colors and grow all sorts of weird things.