Newbie - Help What is this green moss stuff? Pics included - Only put in bottles of Coraline about 6 months back.

[Tavero]

Dude, you're in over your head, not him.

Have you even read what he wrote?
"and if a snail dies even better"
I don't even consider taking him seriously anymore.

My 10 year old is sitting hear horse laughing at you while fragging a tort colony. Good times.

Sure, and my toddler was saying how stupid you are while writing a biological sciences paper

 

[Ryan777]

I cycled the tank and tracked the spike and removed excess nitrates with water changes months ago. It’s been ready for at least 6 months.

 

[dannyd_]

Over the couple months did you see a spike in ammonia, then nitrites, and now do you have some readable nitrates? If you saw this then your tank is on paper cycled, I'm just suprised you don't have more algae in an 8 month old tank. Have you had lights on this whole time?

 

[Ryan777]

Over the couple months did you see a spike in ammonia, then nitrites, and now do you have some readable nitrates? If you saw this then your tank is on paper cycled, I'm just suprised you don't have more algae in an 8 month old tank. Have you had lights on this whole time?

I used Dr Tim’s. He has a PhD in biology and if you haven’t watched his presentation on cycling your tank here it is below. He dispels bad info and actually teaches the biologics of it all.
I followed his method using ammonia and tracked the cycle daily. It works! I have kept my lights off the entire time for the following 6 months after cycling just because I wasn’t rushing. I did add some bottles of coraline which actually worked. I am happy to answer any other questions.

Cycling took less than 14 days? If you track it, it happens quickly.

 

[JayM]

Dude your tank is no where close to adding corals. Not gonna waiste any time calling him out but poor advice giving up top. Also clowns be a little expensive these days are you sure you want to risk them? You can accomplish what's needed with some crabs and snails. Once again if your tank is growing algae it's time to get something to eat it.

I added a half dozen softies, LPS and mushrooms about 6 weeks after I started my tank and they’re all thriving. The first two fish I added were clowns - two days after the tank was wet. They are also healthy and thriving.

 

[Ryan777]

I added a half dozen softies, LPS and mushrooms about 6 weeks after I started my tank and they’re all thriving. The first two fish I added were clowns - two days after the tank was wet. They are also healthy and thriving.

Did you order online or use a local fish store? Also if you got them from the store, do they just bag everything? Can you do a mass dipping for the corals? Did you qt the clowns and for how long? Hope you don’t mind me asking.

 

[UMALUM]

I added a half dozen softies, LPS and mushrooms about 6 weeks after I started my tank and they’re all thriving. The first two fish I added were clowns - two days after the tank was wet. They are also healthy and thriving.

So you cycled with clowns and added some relatively easy coral after six weeks. So what? I mean im glad it all worked out for you and everything is healthy. Not exactly sure how this applies to me?

 

[UMALUM]

Have you even read what he wrote?
"and if a snail dies even better"
I don't even consider taking him seriously anymore.


Sure, and my toddler was saying how stupid you are while writing a biological sciences paper

Social conditioning and self loathing often go hand and hand. I wish you well in your journey.

 

[JayM]

Did you order online or use a local fish store? Also if you got them from the store, do they just bag everything? Can you do a mass dipping for the corals? Did you qt the clowns and for how long? Hope you don’t mind me asking.

LFS, yes. They bag them up and I acclimate them to temp and introduce into the DT. I personally don’t quarantine, but I also don’t recommend against it. Many people are successful either way.

I typically only buy 1 or 2 corals at a time, and dip them together.

So you cycled with clowns and added some relatively easy coral after six weeks. So what? I mean im glad it all worked out for you and everything is healthy. Not exactly sure how this applies to me?

It applies to you because you told the op that his tank isn’t ready for corals. I simply pointed out that that isn’t necessarily true. No need to be snarky about it.

 

[PotatoPig]

The various colored splotches are algae of some sort. The amount that will grow for now will very limited until you turn your lights on unless it’s getting light from a window. This goes for coralline algae too, maybe some spores will still be in there.

I assume you have salt levels right and have the tank heated? Have you been adding any sort of feed to this system?

If so, first you need to add some actual life to this tank. I’d suggest starting out slow with a FOWLR - for this you don’t even need to turn the lights on, your fish will be OK with just room lighting, though will look much better under the reef lights. Try some clowns (the basic Nemo ones, they’re cheap, easy and less aggressive than many other varieties) and add other fish as you decide what to do with the tank.

Have you read up the quarantine proton thread on here?

Also start to add snails and hermits (if you want them) that’ll for now live off excess food, detritus and whatever low levels of algae grows.

Once you turn the lights on algae of some sort, some of it coralie, some not, will grow on every piece of rock with light hitting it. This is OK. At this point you’ll need to add a lot more snails and other clean up crew (hermits, emerald crabs, etc) - this is a 120 gallon tank? If so once you have it stocked with fish and lights on expect to have around a 50-100 snails and other inverts in your clean up crew. Maybe more even. These critters will keep your problem algae down.

 

[UMALUM]

LFS, yes. They bag them up and I acclimate them to temp and introduce into the DT. I personally don’t quarantine, but I also don’t recommend against it. Many people are successful either way.

I typically only buy 1 or 2 corals at a time, and dip them together.

It applies to you because you told the op that his tank isn’t ready for corals. I simply pointed out that that isn’t necessarily true. No need to be snarky about it.

And I stand by it, would you put coral in a bucket of freshly made saltwater? Not trying to be rude but there's a process. After he manages to keep some fish alive for a while " just like you did" and his tests look good he should be safe for some novice coral.

 

[JayM]

And I stand by it, would you put coral in a bucket of freshly made saltwater? Not trying to be rude but there's a process. After he manages to keep some fish alive for a while " just like you did" and his tests look good he should be safe for some novice coral.

No. But to be fair, an 8 month old tank with algae growth isn’t the same as a freshly made bucket of saltwater.

I’m not saying he is ready, just that we don’t know if he isn’t. Especially not knowing what his water parameters look like.

 

[UMALUM]

No. But to be fair, an 8 month old tank with algae growth isn’t the same as a freshly made bucket of saltwater.

I’m not saying he is ready, just that we don’t know if he isn’t. Especially not knowing what his water parameters look like.

Unfortunately the tank isn't 8 months old it's just been sitting there for 8 months. In reality the tank isn't a minute older than the day he filled it. The algae growth really represents nothing more than putting a limestone rock in a glass of tap water. Eventually its gonna turn green, how quickly and what form depends on what's in the water. Hey I was just trying to save dude a couple bucks not put on a clinic. Glad your tank is thriving and doing well. Happy reefing!

 

[ChefCab]

Hi All,

I have been a bit of a chicken picking out fish or corals(nothing in yet), but the tank has been up and running for about 8 months without lights. Can you tell me what the green moss stuff is? I put in 4 bottles of the coralline algae mix. It does work apparently, I ignored the thousand of instructions they had listed on keeping the parameters perfect. I was using Tropic Marine Pro salts, but I switched over to instant ocean today because that stuff is pricey.

So what is the green moss stuff and should I be worried?

Turn the lights on and get ready for the ride! It took a while for my coralline algae to take hold but it's worth it. I started with a shorter light cycle. 10 months in, I'm doing ok.. minus ich, velvet, diatoms, etc... Part of the experience.

 

[Reef By Steele]

I think among the bickering there is some really good info for you here. I would
Like to add a bit of advice.

Yes I sell these products, but whether you get them from me or somewhere else, now is a great time to establish copepods in your tank. They are a tremendous CUC and because of their small size they can eliminate algae down to the roots. You don’t have to worry about them dying and possibly fouling your tank, and as for feeding them, dosing phytoplankton daily will help them to colonize your tank.

Our phytoplankton has 10 separate species blended together. Three of them are diatoms (not the kind that will cover your tank in brown dust) and since they are live they will consume the silicate present in the tank and help you minimize or eliminate a diatom outbreak. Properly done they can eliminate the ugly phase which may happen now that you are going to run your lights. I have more info on my website www.reefbysteele.com.

If you want to purchase from us, use coupon code R2RLOVEPODS for a 10% discount on your order. Free shipping over $25, FREE 2 DAY over $50.

Best of luck and welcome to the world of reefing.

 

[Ryan777]

The various colored splotches are algae of some sort. The amount that will grow for now will very limited until you turn your lights on unless it’s getting light from a window. This goes for coralline algae too, maybe some spores will still be in there.

I assume you have salt levels right and have the tank heated? Have you been adding any sort of feed to this system?

If so, first you need to add some actual life to this tank. I’d suggest starting out slow with a FOWLR - for this you don’t even need to turn the lights on, your fish will be OK with just room lighting, though will look much better under the reef lights. Try some clowns (the basic Nemo ones, they’re cheap, easy and less aggressive than many other varieties) and add other fish as you decide what to do with the tank.

Have you read up the quarantine proton thread on here?

Also start to add snails and hermits (if you want them) that’ll for now live off excess food, detritus and whatever low levels of algae grows.

Once you turn the lights on algae of some sort, some of it coralie, some not, will grow on every piece of rock with light hitting it. This is OK. At this point you’ll need to add a lot more snails and other clean up crew (hermits, emerald crabs, etc) - this is a 120 gallon tank? If so once you have it stocked with fish and lights on expect to have around a 50-100 snails and other inverts in your clean up crew. Maybe more even. These critters will keep your problem algae down.

Don’t snails crawl all over the place, into the sump and other areas? That sounds like a lot of snails… I am not opposed to them, but I have heard people talk about too many snails, and snails taking over a tank. Do they breed?

 

[Ryan777]

Thanks all, I subscribe to the belief that I cycled the tank well. That I have kept the temperature and salinity stable. I have been using tropic marine pro from Germany and if you want water parameters I will be happy to post. Let me know what you are curious about. other than that, if if we all lost interest in this thread we can close it.

I will most likely pick up some coral frags and a couple of clowns. The copepods sound like a good idea.

 

[PotatoPig]

Don’t snails crawl all over the place, into the sump and other areas? That sounds like a lot of snails… I am not opposed to them, but I have heard people talk about too many snails, and snails taking over a tank. Do they breed?

That’s maybe more a problem in freshwater tanks. Many varieties of snail in tropical marine tanks are rather hard to raise from spawning. If you want to breed them you’ll often need a dedicated effort including harvesting the eggs before they get eaten and then running a separate and custom setup tank to raise them.

As far as “clean up crew” goes they’re very effective at removing most forms of nuisance algae, and the ones that live on/in the sandbed will keep it turning over and looking good.

You might be able to do without them, but you’ll be doing a LOT of manual removal of algae, probably to a level that’s detrimental to the tank as a whole.

Snails and other invertebrates like hermits also tend to bring in beneficial bacteria, coralline algae, and a (mostly) desirable microfauna of pods and other critters that make up part of the ecosystem you’re trying to create in the tank. Just make sure you screen them for pests, and do an invert QT if you’re quarantining fish.

 

[twentyleagues]

Coraline needs high light to grow so putting in bottles x-months ago probably was a waste of money. Hopefully there are still viable spores. Ive read the thread so ive seen that the tank was cycled. With out life for that period of time I am unsure of how much of a bacteria population still exists. Id take it slow as others have stated and test your parameters regularly. I know people will say you dont need more bacteria but im a little old school so I'd get a bottle of something ( I use microbacter products with good results) just in case. @Dinkins Aquatic Gardens has a great point. I believe he is correct and he even says you dont have to buy his products but from all accounts he looks to have quality and customer service so if you go that route why not. Phyto and pods are way under rated. Small cuc wouldnt hurt as long as they have something to eat even if its just left overs or in some cases nori. I still cant believe you havent put anything in the tank yet....blows my mind. ( not in a bad way)

 

[Ryan777]

Coraline needs high light to grow so putting in bottles x-months ago probably was a waste of money. Hopefully there are still viable spores. Ive read the thread so ive seen that the tank was cycled. With out life for that period of time I am unsure of how much of a bacteria population still exists. Id take it slow as others have stated and test your parameters regularly. I know people will say you dont need more bacteria but im a little old school so I'd get a bottle of something ( I use microbacter products with good results) just in case. @Dinkins Aquatic Gardens has a great point. I believe he is correct and he even says you dont have to buy his products but from all accounts he looks to have quality and customer service so if you go that route why not. Phyto and pods are way under rated. Small cuc wouldnt hurt as long as they have something to eat even if its just left overs or in some cases nori. I still cant believe you havent put anything in the tank yet....blows my mind. ( not in a bad way)

Blows my wife’s mind too… just as a bit of a laugh, look at my filter roll! Yeah…. So I am going to change that before I put in fish and corals lol!