Green algae or beneficial bacteria?

[Auqaman]

Hi,

I’m getting a lot of green algae on my rocks. I’m not sure if it’s the beginning signs of green hair algae, or it’s just bacteria forming on the rocks. It’s almost as if the rocks are painted green. There’s no hairs coming off it.
If it does look like the beginning signs of an algae bloom I’d most likely put a refugium in my sump.
It started forming when my nitrate bottomed out. So it leads me to believe this green stuff is eating it.
Thanks for the help!

 

[Flux Capacitor]

Looks like normal progression for a new tank. How old is the tank? Most of your rock will turn that color, then it will start to turn white again. Over time it will all disappear, and coralline will take over. You don’t need to do anything but keep you current maintenance schedule.

Have you introduced any coralline to the tank, maybe some snails that have it on their shells? That will start the process of seeding the tank.

 

[Auqaman]

It’s still a pretty new tank, about 3-4 months. So every new thing that happens I get worried. I’ve never heard of coralline until now. Heading to the fish store soon so I’ll have to check it out.
Thanks for the help

 

[Alex808]

Hi,

I’m getting a lot of green algae on my rocks. I’m not sure if it’s the beginning signs of green hair algae, or it’s just bacteria forming on the rocks. It’s almost as if the rocks are painted green. There’s no hairs coming off it.
If it does look like the beginning signs of an algae bloom I’d most likely put a refugium in my sump.
It started forming when my nitrate bottomed out. So it leads me to believe this green stuff is eating it.
Thanks for the help!

Don’t molest it at this point. The tank will go through phases as algae’s compete. If you can find some Small live rock from someone else tank that has a lot of coralline on it. Throw it in and leave it.

My tank is almost 6 months old and I’ve left it alone on purpose Lately. I even stopped cleaning the glass as often. Although it’s kind of ugly right now, the less I put hands inside and mess with the tank, the better it looks. As you can see, the coraline is blowing up and the only green left is on the sand bed.

 

[Flux Capacitor]

It’s still a pretty new tank, about 3-4 months. So every new thing that happens I get worried. I’ve never heard of coralline until now. Heading to the fish store soon so I’ll have to check it out.
Thanks for the help

No need to hurry out, just when you start adding snails look for ones with purple/pink on their shells.

 

[Auqaman]

That’s great. Just stop at the store for a zoa and they gave me a snail shell that has coralline on it. The seed is planted!!

 

[Alex808]

I also use Kent Coralline solution. It’s just a concentrated calcium. I put literally a few drops every few days. Im a big believer that less is more so the occasion dose keeps calcium high enough for the coralline to never stagnate

 

[excellensephotos]

Don’t molest it at this point. The tank will go through phases as algae’s compete. If you can find some Small live rock from someone else tank that has a lot of coralline on it. Throw it in and leave it.

My tank is almost 6 months old and I’ve left it alone on purpose Lately. I even stopped cleaning the glass as often. Although it’s kind of ugly right now, the less I put hands inside and mess with the tank, the better it looks. As you can see, the coraline is blowing up and the only green left is on the sand bed.

Looks really good to me