Newbie - Help What is this green moss stuff? Pics included - Only put in bottles of Coraline about 6 months back.

[Ryan777]

Hi All,

I have been a bit of a chicken picking out fish or corals(nothing in yet), but the tank has been up and running for about 8 months without lights. Can you tell me what the green moss stuff is? I put in 4 bottles of the coralline algae mix. It does work apparently, I ignored the thousand of instructions they had listed on keeping the parameters perfect. I was using Tropic Marine Pro salts, but I switched over to instant ocean today because that stuff is pricey.

So what is the green moss stuff and should I be worried?

 

[UMALUM]

Hi All,

I have been a bit of a chicken picking out fish or corals(nothing in yet), but the tank has been up and running for about 8 months without lights. Can you tell me what the green moss stuff is? I put in 4 bottles of the coralline algae mix. It does work apparently, I ignored the thousand of instructions they had listed on keeping the parameters perfect. I was using Tropic Marine Pro salts, but I switched over to instant ocean today because that stuff is pricey.

So what is the green moss stuff and should I be worried?

Not sure exactly what kind of filamentous it is at this early stage but I would say nows a good time to start your cuc.

 

[Tavero]

Hi All,

I have been a bit of a chicken picking out fish or corals(nothing in yet), but the tank has been up and running for about 8 months without lights. Can you tell me what the green moss stuff is? I put in 4 bottles of the coralline algae mix. It does work apparently, I ignored the thousand of instructions they had listed on keeping the parameters perfect. I was using Tropic Marine Pro salts, but I switched over to instant ocean today because that stuff is pricey.

So what is the green moss stuff and should I be worried?

8 months cycling phase? You must have the patience of a saint.
The pics are blurry but I can see some cyano and Coraline algae on them.

 

[Ryan777]

Not sure exactly what kind of filamentous it is at this early stage but I would say nows a good time to start your cuc.

So clean up crew before fish and corals?

 

[Ryan777]

8 months cycling phase? You must have the patience of a saint.
The pics are blurry but I can see some cyano and Coraline algae on them.

Can a clean up crew deal with cyano or should I but a product this early in the tank?

 

[Lemons]

Its algae! (Get used to seeing it LOL)

 

[UMALUM]

So clean up crew before fish and corals?

Yes sir, you shouldn't over due it but definitely get some snails asap.

 

[UMALUM]

Can a clean up crew deal with cyano or should I but a product this early in the tank?

Don't dose anything, if those little spots are cyano which I doubt it's nothing to be concerned about. Try and blow it off with a turkey baster and see if it releases. If it doesn't its not cyano. As for the fuzz you can tag it with a razor blade.

 

[Tavero]

Can a clean up crew deal with cyano or should I but a product this early in the tank?

Like @UMALUM said try to blow it off. If it releases it's cyano. I disagree with his opinion that it's nothing to be concerned of, though. You have a tank full of free real estate. The first bacteria that gets a foothold will take over. I also disagree with putting in CUC. They will just starve in this barren tank.

You can start dosing microbacter 7 but it's also important to feed the bacteria. Put fish and coral into your tank. If you are still unsure about your setting, you can put temporary Molly fish and Kenia trees inside. If you don't like them you can still remove them later, but it's important to finally finish cycling you tank. Also don't be surprised if hair algae takes over if you're finally switching on your lights.

 

[jda]

Dinos are likely to move in faster than anything else once you get lights on there. It is not because of some chemical imbalance or something that you have to try and fix... it is because their moving crews are faster than the crews of other things and they get their first. THis is the downside that nobody wants to tell you about when you buy dry/dead rock. If you want to do something, get a pack of real live rock from Florida somewhere and let the stuff that is on it spread out and hope that some of that stuff moves buys the vacant lots before the dinos or hair algae all do.

Most CUC members are not going to be able to live on dinos and cyano. They at least need film algae to survive.

 

[Ryan777]

Thanks, I will pick up a pair of clowns to start off and some corals.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

So clean up crew before fish and corals?

Cuc once there is food for them

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Can a clean up crew deal with cyano or should I but a product this early in the tank?

No products. The algae cycle needs to take place...

 

[UMALUM]

Thanks, I will pick up a pair of clowns to start off and some corals.

Dude your tank is no where close to adding corals. Not gonna waiste any time calling him out but poor advice giving up top. Also clowns be a little expensive these days are you sure you want to risk them? You can accomplish what's needed with some crabs and snails. Once again if your tank is growing algae it's time to get something to eat it.

 

[Tavero]

Dude your tank is no where close to adding corals. Not gonna waiste any time calling him out but poor advice giving up top. Also clowns be a little expensive these days are you sure you want to risk them? You can accomplish what's needed with some crabs and snails. Once again if your tank is growing algae it's time to get something to eat it.

How long is he supposed to wait then? 12 months? 15? He won't cycle the tank by leaving it empty and snails will just starve there.
I thought the overall opinion had changed in the last few years that we need to leave a tank empty for months on end. If you observe the builds here on reef2reef, usually the first fish and corals are introduced after 2-3 weeks. If life rock is used, many people put in fish after day one.
If you wait for too long the only thing you accomplish is an outbreak of some nasties.

 

[UMALUM]

How long is he supposed to wait then? 12 months? 15? He won't cycle the tank by leaving it empty and snails will just starve there.
I thought the overall opinion had changed in the last few years that we need to leave a tank empty for months on end. If you observe the builds here on reef2reef, usually the first fish and corals are introduced after 2-3 weeks. If life rock is used, many people put in fish after day one.
If you wait for too long the only thing you accomplish is an outbreak of some nasties.

I don't care how long he waits as it's not my tank. The thread reads green moss not how's the best way to cycle a tank and even if it did your suggestions are well plain garbage to put it nicely. He can cycle his tank with hermits and snails and if a snail dies even better as it will be consumed and then released. Do you have any idea on what a Kenya tree will do to that system when it dies from starvation? And your worried about a couple snails?

 

[Tavero]

I don't care how long he waits as it's not my tank. The thread reads green moss not how's the best way to cycle a tank and even if it did your suggestions are well plain garbage to put it nicely. He can cycle his tank with hermits and snails and if a snail dies even better as it will be consumed and then released. Do you have any idea on what a Kenya tree will do to that system when it dies from starvation? And your worried about a couple snails?

If you don't care then what are you even doing in this thread? Just leave and take your grime somewhere else while you're at it. Your toxicity is unproductive.
This thread may be about algae but if you knew anything about reef tanks, you would know that these problems are never isolated. You would also know that corals don't need algae but light for survival. But hey I get it, that information may be already be over your head.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

If you don't care then what are you even doing in this thread? Just leave and take your grime somewhere else while you're at it. Your toxicity is unproductive.
This thread may be about algae but if you knew anything about reef tanks, you would know that these problems are never isolated. You would also know that corals don't need algae but light for survival. But hey I get it, that information may be already be over your head.

Dude, you're in over your head, not him.

 

[UMALUM]

If you don't care then what are you even doing in this thread? Just leave and take your grime somewhere else while you're at it. Your toxicity is unproductive.
This thread may be about algae but if you knew anything about reef tanks, you would know that these problems are never isolated. You would also know that corals don't need algae but light for survival. But hey I get it, that information may be already be over your head.

My 10 year old is sitting hear horse laughing at you while fragging a tort colony. Good times.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

My 10 year old is sitting hear horse laughing at you while fragging a tort colony. Good times.

Laughing with you, lol