Problem or just new tank syndrome

[Richard Newman]

Hi All, just wondering if what I have is a normal part of an early tank or something else.
Tank is an IM Fusion 40, and was setup on 3/2 using 20lb live sand and 25lb live rock, and piece of raw salmon (it's what we had...I put the rest on the smoker). No real big ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate spikes. At week 3 all levels went to 0 and have been that way. Calcium hovers between 420-510, carbonate hardness has been dropping, but is currently at 104 (Sat 4/27) and phosphates are at 0. CUC are 4 turbos, 6 blue legged hermits, and an urchin. Fish are 2 clowns and 1 yellow watcher goby. Corals are 1 green star polyp and 1 zoa polyp. Everything is doing well and growing....including the algae (see pics).

The CUC do eat, and they must be well fed, but just aren't keeping up. Is this just a normal part of the tank cycle or do I need additional filtration? I am currently using 2 filter socks in chambers 1, and Red Sea activated carbon in one of the chamber 2s. ~15 water changes are done every other week.

We have also seen a baby snail and a baby starfish, but they haven't been seen in a while. And apparently we have pineapple sponges and a sea fan (maybe).

The fish get fed once a day, and I am alternating between frozen PE mysis and pellets. Are there other parms I should be testing?

Thanks much!
Rich

 

[reacclimating 2 the hobby]

Live rock or dry rock? It looks like dry from the pictures. I'd get a second phosphate test done, definitely some present. Did you run your light during cycle?

 

[Retro Reefer]

For the most part that’s just new tank uglies.. slowly push your CUC count up, I have 60+ mixed CUC members in my 40

 

[lapin]

Calcium hovers between 420-510, carbonate hardness has been dropping, but is currently at 104 (Sat 4/27) and phosphates are at 0.
The CUC do eat, and they must be well fed, but just aren't keeping up. Is this just a normal part of the tank cycle or do I need additional filtration? I am currently using 2 filter socks in chambers 1, and Red Sea activated carbon in one of the chamber 2s. ~15 water changes are done every other week.
Are there other parms I should be testing?

Your tank is new. The first things that grow are algae and bacteria. Kinda like bare dirt, the first things to grow will not be trees, but short grasses. Looks very normal to me. I dont think you need to do anything except pull out or trim back some of the longer algae. Clean up crews will eat it when its short but not so much when its long. if that does not not keep it down to a reasonable level then ad a few more snails.

 

[Richard Newman]

Thanks everyone! That's what I was hoping.
Both the sand and rocks were wet and live. No lights for the first week as I didn't have them yet.
I'll look to add some more snails. Occasionally one of the four will take to cleaning most of a single rock in a night... The urchin (Cousin It) did a great job to start, but now mostly grazes in the back. Def a fun hobby and hours of entertainment!