Beginner in need of help!

[saltysailor]

Hi All,

I got my tank in February and it is going ok. I really like keeping the corals and I have a clownfish, a tail spot blenny, and a cleaner shrimp. I have been dealing with a lot of algae the whole time I have had the tank. I have been actively trying to do everything one can do to limit growth. I have lights on 6.5 hours a day. Turned them down to 25% (a360we kessil 7” above water), have higher current, got a protein skimmer, got a media reactor. My levels are now pretty good but they have been good for about a month now and I am still having to manually remove the algae. It has started to slow down so I have been feeling good about that. One odd thing is I added hermit crabs and they died, people said they most likely starved to death, then I added last week snails while my levels were good and they have mostly died as well. I am going to get my water tested. I really want to find a mentor who can help me achieve my goals of having an incredible reef tank with big corals. I have never had corals grow only survive or die. If anyone has the time to mentor me I would be willing to pay.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Welcome to your new home for saltwater reef aquarium resources and fun! Welcome to the family! :D

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Welcome to the Reef!

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Hi All,

I got my tank in February and it is going ok. I really like keeping the corals and I have a clownfish, a tail spot blenny, and a cleaner shrimp. I have been dealing with a lot of algae the whole time I have had the tank. I have been actively trying to do everything one can do to limit growth. I have lights on 6.5 hours a day. Turned them down to 25% (a360we kessil 7” above water), have higher current, got a protein skimmer, got a media reactor. My levels are now pretty good but they have been good for about a month now and I am still having to manually remove the algae. It has started to slow down so I have been feeling good about that. One odd thing is I added hermit crabs and they died, people said they most likely starved to death, then I added last week snails while my levels were good and they have mostly died as well. I am going to get my water tested. I really want to find a mentor who can help me achieve my goals of having an incredible reef tank with big corals. I have never had corals grow only survive or die. If anyone has the time to mentor me I would be willing to pay.

Have you watched 52 weeks of reefing on YouTube? It's a BRS series

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Also what is your source water?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi All,

I got my tank in February and it is going ok. I really like keeping the corals and I have a clownfish, a tail spot blenny, and a cleaner shrimp. I have been dealing with a lot of algae the whole time I have had the tank. I have been actively trying to do everything one can do to limit growth. I have lights on 6.5 hours a day. Turned them down to 25% (a360we kessil 7” above water), have higher current, got a protein skimmer, got a media reactor. My levels are now pretty good but they have been good for about a month now and I am still having to manually remove the algae. It has started to slow down so I have been feeling good about that. One odd thing is I added hermit crabs and they died, people said they most likely starved to death, then I added last week snails while my levels were good and they have mostly died as well. I am going to get my water tested. I really want to find a mentor who can help me achieve my goals of having an incredible reef tank with big corals. I have never had corals grow only survive or die. If anyone has the time to mentor me I would be willing to pay.

Is this tank at or near a window or received sunlight during the day?
Others would be elevated phosphate and even overfeeding. if you are using tap water from faucet for mixing salt or top-off from evaporation, this too would be a cause. Once cause is identified, go in and pull off as much as you can by hand and scrub the rest with a firm toothbrush and some 3% hydrogen peroxide in a container of tank water.
Return rock to tank, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

 

[Brisk]

Welcome!

 

[saltysailor]

Also what is your source water?

Source water was the LFS but I just got an rodi unit to make it myself

 

[saltysailor]

Is this tank at or near a window or received sunlight during the day?
Others would be elevated phosphate and even overfeeding. if you are using tap water from faucet for mixing salt or top-off from evaporation, this too would be a cause. Once cause is identified, go in and pull off as much as you can by hand and scrub the rest with a firm toothbrush and some 3% hydrogen peroxide in a container of tank water.
Return rock to tank, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

It is near window but does not receive any direct light. I don’t get any direct light in my apartment at all. I am using tongs and feeding mysis shrimp but I just got some pellet food to add as well. Running all blue right now to decrease algae growth.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It is near window but does not receive any direct light. I don’t get any direct light in my apartment at all. I am using tongs and feeding mysis shrimp but I just got some pellet food to add as well. Running all blue right now to decrease algae growth.

Algae will thrive under blue and likely the sunlight you get (not the light im concerned with) but the UV entering room from sunlight which is often the trigger

 

[Gman83]

Welcome!

 

[saltysailor]

Algae will thrive under blue and likely the sunlight you get (not the light im concerned with) but the UV entering room from sunlight which is often the trigger

It is relatively low

 

[zheka757]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[theunderwaterarchives]

 

[kevgib67]

Welcome, glad you are here!

 

[Waters]

Welcome :) :) !!

 

[gnarlydudecory]

Welcome!

 

[1112-425XL]

 

[Reef Wizard]