What is this crap taking over my tank

[reefkeeper78]

Hey all. I'm looking for some help with what else? Nuisance algae. This is a fairly new setup. It's been running for 7 weeks now and lightly stocked. One yellow tailed damsel and 10 or so snails. I've been doing 5 gal water changes every 2 weeks since the cycle completed and the fish went in. I've tested what I can for parameters at this point.

My tank is a Fluval edge M60, 24 gallon tank with an approximate 5 gallon refugium growing chaeto. Refugium is lit 12 hours opposite of the main tank. Main tank has approximately 10 hour light period. Skimmer is producing dark colored waste. Filter floss and carbon pad. Return pump rated at 250 gallons with a circulation pump rated at 450 gallons. Sand bed is 3" deep. Approximately 20lbs BRS dry rock. Water comes from BRS 5 stage RODI unit.

Can someone help me identify what these algae are. From there I can hopefully figure out how to rid my tank of this crap. Something else I noticed is the water is cloudy. It looks oddly like a snow globe. It's been steadily getting more cloudy in the last week. Guessing this is a side effect of the crap taking over my tank now.

Salt, 1.024 SG
Ammonia, 0.0
Nitrite, 0.0
Nitrate, 0.0
PH 8.0
Temp 77°

 

[mcgyvr]

Totally normal green film/hair algae...All a 100%normal phase we call the "ugly stages" which typically are diatoms..then green film/hair algae and sometimes cyanobacteria..
It will go away in time (weeks to a few months)..

The cloudy water is normal too..(Likely just a bacterial bloom)
Just have patience and continue with normal maintenance/water changes..

 

[dkeller_nc]

If you don't like the cloudiness, there's no harm in putting a felt reef sock into your sump. Your water will be crystal clear in an hour. But you'll want to get 2 of them so that you can rinse one out really thoroughly in the sink. Lots of bacterial bodies = nitrates.

 

[nereefpat]

I wouldn't call that taking over. Green algae is good. Something has to grow, and a little hair is better than many of the bad alternatives. The cloudiness is unrelated to the green algae.

Just new tank stuff...don't worry.

 

[reefkeeper78]

Thanks for the feedback. Should this inhibit my stocking of the tank? Not sure if that would make it worse or better.

Looking to add a couple clowns, green gobies and a blood shrimp. Also a few mushrooms and some simpler SPS.

 

[mcgyvr]

Thanks for the feedback. Should this inhibit my stocking of the tank? Not sure if that would make it worse or better.

Looking to add a couple clowns, green gobies and a blood shrimp. Also a few mushrooms and some simpler SPS.

Not really as far as fish/shrimp go.. What you have there is very minor new tank uglies..
While increasing your bioload isn't "helping" the situation its really not going to make it worse on any major scale..

I would not recommend adding SPS corals until the ugly stages are over..
SPS corals (and many others) require stable/consistent water parameters for success.. A new tank is not considered stable nor have you perfected your ability to maintain the tank properly either..

Patience is also the key to this hobby.. No offense but you are not ready for SPS corals most certainly and really nothing beyond very easy/hardy corals.. Shrooms are fine..

 

[reefkeeper78]

So at the risk of sounding ignorant, how does one determine a tank is ready for SPS corals?

 

[Kriegad]

Once you start growing coraline algae, good sign you are ready for SPS. BRS has a video about how WWC uses a 4 month cycle and waits for coralline before they add corals.

 

[jcook54]

Once you start growing coraline algae, good sign you are ready for SPS. BRS has a video about how WWC uses a 4 month cycle and waits for coralline before they add corals.

This is a terrific answer. You'll notice a few pink specs on the rocks and maybe on the glass and see how it grows. There's a lot going on in that tank right now and the growth of coraline algae is a sign that things are looking pretty good.

 

[mcgyvr]

So at the risk of sounding ignorant, how does one determine a tank is ready for SPS corals?

You and the tank are ready when you don't need to ask that question..