New to saltwater

[robreefer91]

I have a 20 gallon with a pair of clowns and some coral. I have a torch, gsp, and an unknow coral that came as a bonus when I ordered the torch. I also have a rock flower anemone. I cycled my tank with a sponge filter but realized I needed more flow for the coral. I had an underwater power head filter I put in for the flow but someone said I don’t need the sponge filter so I took it out. I’m scared that I may have messed up by taking out the filter and fake decor because now I have brown or red algae on sand and heater. My gsp won’t open now and I’m worried I messed it up. My salt is at 1.023 my ph was at 7.8 struggling to get to 8. Ammonia 0 nitrites spiked and nitrates at 20. Temp is 78 I also have an emerald crab and three blue legged hermits

 

[LiLinka]

The brown/ red algea is most likely cyano or Dino’s. Common causes for these bacterial issues are imbalance in nitrates and phosphates. I’m curious to know what your phosphates are testing at. As far as the cyano it can be treated with a product like chemiclean or manually siphoned out. As far as the Dino’s you can turn your light off for 4 days and it should be all gone. I would correct the chemistry first then treat algea issues. As far as filtration you can use a filter sock or sponge. Hope this helps!

 

[dstockwell]

How old is this system?

BTW Welcome to the Reef

 

[robreefer91]

The brown/ red algea is most likely cyano or Dino’s. Common causes for these bacterial issues are imbalance in nitrates and phosphates. I’m curious to know what your phosphates are testing at. As far as the cyano it can be treated with a product like chemiclean or manually siphoned out. As far as the Dino’s you can turn your light off for 4 days and it should be all gone. I would correct the chemistry first then treat algea issues. As far as filtration you can use a filter sock or sponge. Hope this helps!

I wish you could see it in the video. I don’t have a phosphate test I didn’t even know I needed that. I had asked the people at lfs and they said to cycle the tank and test(I thought I did that as I am not new to freshwater). I have the freshwater master test kit and saltwater cards but they only told me about the usual ammonia ph and nitrite/nitrates to test for. Are there any other things I need ? I also have a refractometer.

 

[robreefer91]

How old is this system?

BTW Welcome to the Reef

Thank you. It is about two months old. My light is an old freshwater light I’m waiting for my reef light to come. Should be here by sat. Saltwater is so much harder than I expected. I cycled the tank for a month with live rock from the fish store. Then added the clowns. After two weeks I added coral and anemone.

 

[Stephen8169301]

Thank you. It is about two months old. My light is an old freshwater light I’m waiting for my reef light to come. Should be here by sat. Saltwater is so much harder than I expected. I cycled the tank for a month with live rock from the fish store. Then added the clowns. After two weeks I added coral and anemone.

It seems much harder at first but once you get a few months in it because sooooo much easier because your less stressed when you get your light take it very slow with brightness start at a low setting and only increase to about 25% then next day 50% and so on a little early for the bta but it’s okay just keep a very close eye on him send a full tank shot under white lighting so people here can better help you with your tank

 

[dstockwell]

Nems really need a stable system like 6 months, even more is better,

 

[robreefer91]

Nems really need a stable system like 6 months, even more is better,

Shoot! I should only come to forms to get info! The fish stores always have wrong info. Is there anything I can do. I try to keep things as stable as I can from this point. I dose with prime when I have spikes

 

[dstockwell]

Do you have test kits, need those for sure

 

[robreefer91]

Do you have test kits, need those for sure

I have the freshwater master test kit. I reached out to api and they confirmed I can use those tests for saltwater I just downloaded the color card for saltwater.

 

[LiLinka]

Phosphate I recommend Hanna checker. It’s very accurate and simple to use. You don’t need calcium and magnesium yet, but I would definitely get an alkalinity test kit. calcium test kit, and magnesium test kit are needed but main ones right now would be alkalinity. Phosphate, nitrate, salt. Salifert, Hanna, aqua forest, and Red Sea all make great saltwater test kits.

 

[robreefer91]

Phosphate I recommend Hanna checker. It’s very accurate and simple to use. You don’t need calcium and magnesium yet, but I would definitely get an alkalinity test kit. calcium test kit, and magnesium test kit are needed but main ones right now would be alkalinity. Phosphate, nitrate, salt. Salifert, Hanna, aqua forest, and Red Sea all make great saltwater test kits.

Okay so I have the salinity test which is the refractometer, right? I have ammonia, nitrate, andNitrite test along with ph. Testing the pH is the alkalinity? So I just need a phosphate test?

 

[Stephen8169301]

Okay so I have the salinity test which is the refractometer, right? I have ammonia, nitrate, andNitrite test along with ph. Testing the pH is the alkalinity? So I just need a phosphate test?

No ph and alk are different you will need a alk test kit