Finally added lights and the uglies are showing up - newbie questions…

[PotatoPig]

So finally took the plunge from FOWLR to adding beginner corals (GSP, Clove and Zoas) and set up with a pair of Noopsyches on my 75 gallon, about a week in the corals all seem happy enough (open all the time when lights are on) but various algae and so on are showing up in both the DT and a separate invert QT tank I let critters hang out in for a few weeks before adding them.

Anyway: In the display tank a lot of the rocks are getting covered in this reddish stuff, with the exception of a couple of spots lit up differently by the “disco ball” of LED that are green. For an absolute beginner, what is this reddish brown stuff?

Nutrients are way high in the DT (40 ish nitrates, 0.5-1ppm phosphate) so embarking on a more rigorous series of water changes, with a ~30% change 2x a week planned for a little while.

Also, in the QT tank a few strands of green, hairy, algae type stuff appeared a couple days ago. Am I correct in assuming this is the infamous green hair algae?

 

[Lavey29]

Just looks like normal evolution as the lights come on. Rocks change colors. Substrate gets diatoms followed by GHA typically. Just get a diverse cleaner crew, weekly water changes and prepare for various ugly phases over the first year. Stability is key.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Way to early to start stressing. Just tank going through the first stage of maturing IMO

 

[Duzzy]

So finally took the plunge from FOWLR to adding beginner corals (GSP, Clove and Zoas) and set up with a pair of Noopsyches on my 75 gallon, about a week in the corals all seem happy enough (open all the time when lights are on) but various algae and so on are showing up in both the DT and a separate invert QT tank I let critters hang out in for a few weeks before adding them.

Anyway: In the display tank a lot of the rocks are getting covered in this reddish stuff, with the exception of a couple of spots lit up differently by the “disco ball” of LED that are green. For an absolute beginner, what is this reddish brown stuff?

Nutrients are way high in the DT (40 ish nitrates, 0.5-1ppm phosphate) so embarking on a more rigorous series of water changes, with a ~30% change 2x a week planned for a little while.

Also, in the QT tank a few strands of green, hairy, algae type stuff appeared a couple days ago. Am I correct in assuming this is the infamous green hair algae?

Clean up crew, algae turf scrubber, refugium lower you light power or time.

 

[PotatoPig]

Oh, I was bracing for this and not too worried about the progression, though the arrivals of these various things is definitely a bit of a wake up for water changes.

Was more curious what these things are - I’m assuming cyano and GHA, but have never seen these things in person before.

In terms of control of this stuff I a refugium with grow light, getting set up with chaeto now, adding another batch of snails (~15) and hermits for control, in addition to some water changes.

 

[Duzzy]

Oh, I was bracing for this and not too worried about the progression, though the arrivals of these various things is definitely a bit of a wake up for water changes.

Was more curious what these things are - I’m assuming cyano and GHA, but have never seen these things in person before.

In terms of control of this stuff I a refugium with grow light, getting set up with chaeto now, adding another batch of snails (~15) and hermits for control, in addition to some water changes.

I’m not sure about water changes because there are no real nutrients to warrant them. I’d get on you tube and look at algae turf scrubber, refugium and algae reactors and the cycle there’s loads of info on there