Bright Green Algae-neon

[Susan Edwards]

Have this covering all my rocks and some on sand bed. I tried blowing it off with baster and nothing. Tried scraping it with tip of baster, nothing. Tank numbers are all within normal ranges. No test kit for phos. yet but I've got a bag of chemi clean and purigen and 2 carbon in media rack. Tank started dec 15, cycled, had diatom bloom which went away, a bit of cyano that went away. Dry rock/live sand with biospira added and a prawn at beg. of cycle. rms max c250 (66 gal), weekly water changes. 3 so far. Standard tank aio with wavemaker and ato added.

 

[lou dog420]

New tank uglys, stick with your schedule, it will pass.

 

[Snookin]

I had the same thing happen with my BRS Pukani in my first few months on my newest tank. It's slow an steady in this game. That bright green algae may show up in areas close to light source or in direct light and die off. It'll go away. Don't overreact and start blowing and scraping at it like you did. Just watch it grow and die off and the next lifeforms with show up.

Also, it would look nice if you took that piece of rock on the left and stood it straight up instead of on the side. Cut off the right side in and stand it up like a little island. But, that's just my opinion.

 

[Snookin]

Also, you may have added corals too soon. Most people will comment and disagree with me but most haven't had successful tanks for more than 1-2 year on this forum. Slow and steady. If you are worried about anything you shouldn't be adding new things. I know it's hard not to keep buying new stuff but slow and steady.

 

[Susan Edwards]

@Snookin I have to laugh about your comment about my pukani rock. My husband also keeps saying it's upside down. I put it like that for a couple reasons: One is the flow as the eye travels from it to the main--it sort of just sweeps upward like an arrow, the nice "gorge" between the two and mostly because of the nice big holes and crevices on the top which will be perfect for planting corals into.

I made the mistake of putting my gbta on top and it sank into that nice crevice and stayed for almost 10 days, sinking deep at night and staying just visable daytime. Yesterday he came out and is now on the back side of the pukani.

We'll see how much green there is when the lights come on!

 

[Adsy541]

I have the same thing been like this for a few weeks now looks worse with no Light

 

[Susan Edwards]

sometimes coraline algae is green. My rocks always turned green first, then went to purple.

 

[Adsy541]

sometimes coraline algae is green. My rocks always turned green first, then went to purple.

Would you say that it looks okay or would it be from my light or something looks like its only the tops of the rock ?

 

[Susan Edwards]

if everything is within normal ranges, I don't think I'd worry. Just keep an eye on it. If it gets fuzzy or "tuffy" then it is not coraline. I'd check the darker stuff--see if it rubs off with a toothbrush. I don't remember mine being that dark, but hard to tell. Check your parameters and watch

 

[Adsy541]

Nah it doesn't really ribb off not back to the whote rock anyway that's for sure

 

[NJM]

I have read that the bright green is a sign of a health newer tank and is one of the last steps in the cycling process, also that it should be soon followed by the much coveted coralline algae! Mine is currently in the same stage and I do see a dusting of purple coming underneath it. Good luck!

 

[NJM]

Have this covering all my rocks and some on sand bed. I tried blowing it off with baster and nothing. Tried scraping it with tip of baster, nothing. Tank numbers are all within normal ranges. No test kit for phos. yet but I've got a bag of chemi clean and purigen and 2 carbon in media rack. Tank started dec 15, cycled, had diatom bloom which went away, a bit of cyano that went away. Dry rock/live sand with biospira added and a prawn at beg. of cycle. rms max c250 (66 gal), weekly water changes. 3 so far. Standard tank aio with wavemaker and ato added.

 

[NJM]

I read this on ARC reef that also sells a liquid form of purple and pink (separate) coralline algae spore. It made me feel great about my 4 month tank. Hope it makes you feel good too!
Green coralline algae is usually something that is misidentifed by a newcomer into the aquaria hobby. Many times the hobbyist will purchase a new saltwater aquarium, set up his brand new reef tank and after 3 or 4 weeks go by will start to see diatoms on their new reef rock. Diatoms appear as a brown filamentous coating. These diatoms will be on the rock, on the glass, and will look like sprinkled cinnamon on the sand. After 1-2 months these diatoms will now die off without silicates present in the water column in which to feed off. After diatoms now will come different types of green algae. One green algae that does not need to be introduced is called. Remember, any coralline algae must be introduced to the tank, it will not grow on its own, this included green coralline algae. This type of green looking algae can appear almost neon in color. It is fast growing, and can coat your rocks in a matter of a week. This is usually the time where you may want to freak out, but don’t. This green algae is actually a precursor to coralline algae. It can be even taken as a sign that your tank is well on it’s way to being a healthy, mature, and fully cycled reef tank. This alga will 100% of the time, be replaced by actual coralline algae in time. People often confuse this alga for green coralline algae, it is not though. Green coralline algae is very slow glowing. It will never propagate over an entire reef tank like your common species of coralline. People often give misadvise, stating that if you have to scrape it, or if it can’t be removed with your finger then it must be green coralline algae. This is not at all accurate. This green algae will not turn to coralline algae either, it will be replaced and grown over by coralline, this will only happen though once your tanks water quality is up to par. If your water parameters fluctuate, your nitrates are high, or your flow is low then it can take up to 1 year to be replaced. Normally if everything looks good then the average timeframe will be 2-4 months for this phase of your tanks cycle. This is the last phase befor your aquarium officially graduated to a “mature tank”. It should be viewed as a confirmation that your tank is on the home stretch. Do not panic, do not acid wash all your rock and reef work. Be patient and enjoy this finaly stage properly. Green coralline algae does exist though but these species are extremely slow growing, they often only grow in small circles and will never spread over an entire tank. Keep an eye out for our next article, it is an in-depth look at Green Coralline Algae vs Purple Coralline Algae.

 

[Heather Kastory]

Susan what ended up happening with the neon green you had..I just noticed my tank has started it too.

 

[melhomer]

Have this covering all my rocks and some on sand bed. I tried blowing it off with baster and nothing. Tried scraping it with tip of baster, nothing. Tank numbers are all within normal ranges. No test kit for phos. yet but I've got a bag of chemi clean and purigen and 2 carbon in media rack. Tank started dec 15, cycled, had diatom bloom which went away, a bit of cyano that went away. Dry rock/live sand with biospira added and a prawn at beg. of cycle. rms max c250 (66 gal), weekly water changes. 3 so far. Standard tank aio with wavemaker and ato added.

My new tank is exactly the same after a week.

 

[Susan Edwards]

My new tank is exactly the same after a week.

Sorry, didn't see this. This was my older tank lol's. Turned into coraline or was the start of coraline. The tank was an upgrade so had coraline from the rocks and corals of the older tank.