Insane algae outbreak.. new tank

JDigital · #1 06-04-2008, 04:10 AM

So I picked up some live rock about 5 days ago.

Things had been looking good, but last night I noticed a small amount of long stringy algae, not quite green, but not red... sorta brownish/green... today I get home and find this!

It has come out of NO where... The rock is about 50/50 Fiji and Tonga..

Ammonia is about 0 (0.1-0.3) Nitrite is 0, Salinity 1.024, Instant Ocean Salt, Tap water (good quality, no signs of this algae in my roommates tank who is using the same water), 1800+gph flow rate. No dosing of anything. not sure on pH or Ca right now..

EDIT: It actually looks worse in person than it does in the photos.

This is the rock a day after adding it.... Super clean, no problems.

Myka · #2 06-04-2008, 04:52 AM

This is normal. Your new tank will go through stages of algaes. I would recommend you turn your lights off on the tank until the cycle is complete. It will help with the algae a bit. Once your ammonia and nitrite both read ZERO for at least a few days running then you can add 4-5 Astrea snails (my preference) to clean up the mess.

bv_reefer · #3 06-04-2008, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

This is normal. Your new tank will go through stages of algaes. I would recommend you turn your lights off on the tank until the cycle is complete. It will help with the algae a bit. Once your ammonia and nitrite both read ZERO for at least a few days running then you can add 4-5 Astrea snails (my preference) to clean up the mess.

agreed, every tank goes thru the diatom/algae phase, what varies is how long it stays, just keep up with regular water changes and limit you're photoperiod to low hours. i got the diatoms around the first month, then a few months all was clean and well and i got green hair algae for about a month or so, that disappeared eventually. by the way i see you put the attachments on the koralias, i'd take them off IMO. they kill you're flow, and my diatoms ended up exploding even faster as soon as i put them on. at this point it'll help quite a bit to get a decent protein skimmer in terms of easing water changes, but won't eliminate the diatoms in any way.

banditpowdercoat · #4 06-04-2008, 07:31 AM

Yup, lights off will help that. if you want, only have them on like 3 hrs a day, if you are like me and have to view when cycling

JDigital · #5 06-04-2008, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bv_reefer

agreed, every tank goes thru the diatom/algae phase, what varies is how long it stays, just keep up with regular water changes and limit you're photoperiod to low hours. i got the diatoms around the first month, then a few months all was clean and well and i got green hair algae for about a month or so, that disappeared eventually. by the way i see you put the attachments on the koralias, i'd take them off IMO. they kill you're flow, and my diatoms ended up exploding even faster as soon as i put them on. at this point it'll help quite a bit to get a decent protein skimmer in terms of easing water changes, but won't eliminate the diatoms in any way.

Yea, I added the attachments to my Koralia's becuz without them my sand gets blown around the tank.. The attachments help reduce how much sand gets moved... i tried multiple spots/angles to eliminate it without the attachments and just can not find the right combo.

Protein Skimmer is on the list here shortly.