So many algae!

carbondave · Oct 17, 2023

I got some live rock from TBS and put one piece of it in my DT with the rest in the sump. The rock was sitting in the dark for abt 2 months, but since I've turned on the lights about a month ago the algae has been off to the races! As you can see there are many types growing here, and I would love to get some help identifying what I have and how to keep it under control. I think there's green hair algae, red bubble algae, and some sort of decorative red algae. It's also hard to make out in the pictures, but there's a green algae with a relatively thick stem and what looks like a lily pad or a cup on the end. Lastly, not at all discernable in pictures, but there's a small algae(?) growing now in many places in the tank that kind of looks like branching hydroids but has a greenish tint, which I don't think would be true for hydroids.

Based on comments from the forum I have been slow to ramp up my CUC so as not to starve them out. So far I have an urchin that spends all its time on this rock, 3 nerites, 5ish nassarius, 15ish dwarf ceriths, and 5 hermits. This week I should get a 25 gallon package from reefcleaners (my tank is 75 gallons) plus 3 trochus, 10 dwarf trochus, 3 bumble bee snails, an emerald crab, and some additional pods. I also have a sump with a clump of chaeto in it.

Lights are 6 T5s run 11 hours per day with 30 min sunrise and sunset (so 10 hours max output). Salinity is 35 ppt (Hanna), NO3 reads 2-5 (Red Sea), PO4 at 0.03 (Hanna).

Any help on IDs or suggestions for control are welcomed!

Lavey29 · Oct 17, 2023

Is this a new tank set up with no corals yet? If so why do you even have lights on?

carbondave · Oct 17, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Is this a new tank set up with no corals yet? If so why do you even have lights on?

It is a new set up. As I mentioned I had lights out for a couple of months while it cycled and I QT'd a couple of clowns. I have added the clowns, a mushroom, 2 zoas, an acan, a trachy, and a hammer, so definitely need some light for those.

w8lifts · Oct 17, 2023

Just flip the rocks over, easy. Did it all the time until my tank matured.

Reeflix · Oct 17, 2023

why are you getting bumblebee snails? pictures of the hydroid like creatures? your tank is new so most likely just going to more algae... you can always do manual removal

carbondave · Oct 17, 2023

Reeflix said:
why are you getting bumblebee snails? pictures of the hydroid like creatures? your tank is new so most likely just going to more algae... you can always do manual removal

I've found a couple of vermetid snails from one of my frags that I super glued but trying to get ahead of it. Also have a bunch of benthic ctenophores that I'm hoping they might help with.

carbondave · Oct 17, 2023

w8lifts said:
Just flip the rocks over, easy. Did it all the time until my tank matured.

That's an interesting approach I hadn't thought about. Fortunately that rock isn't glued down so could give that a try.

Lavey29 · Oct 17, 2023

carbondave said:
It is a new set up. As I mentioned I had lights out for a couple of months while it cycled and I QT'd a couple of clowns. I have added the clowns, a mushroom, 2 zoas, an acan, a trachy, and a hammer, so definitely need some light for those.

Ok, well even though you have Bern patient and were smart to add real live ocean rock you are still going to have ugly phases but they should be manageable because you jump started your biome with the live rock. Weekly water changes. Focus on good parameters. Get a diverse cleaner crew. Manual removal weekly to. You are on a good path.