Somethings Missing..

[FrioActual]

About 5 months ago I set up my first tank ever and chose saltwater. It’s a Innovative Marine 20 gallon AIO. I feel like something is missing and don’t know an exact time line on how fast a tank of this size matures. I will step by step walk you guys through what I’m curious about, stocking, filter, etc...

First off it’s filled with about 25lbs of live rock and 20lbs of sand. The live rock has “chicken pox” on it which has spread to the glass, I’ve read somewhere that this is the beginning of macro algae. If true any timeline on that?

Second, my water just has so many tiny particles floating in it that just recently popped up a month ago could these be copepods out of control? I run a triple chamber with coarse sponge, 2 filter floss pads, and chemipure blue. 211gph return pump and a 256gph circulation pump. Also feed zooplankton twice weekly. Any better filter media setups?

Third, my stocking is as follows
1 true percula clown
1 blue damselfish
1 lawnmower blenny
5 red leg hermits
3 scarlet leg hermits
3 trochus snails
1 nassarius
1 peppermint shrimp
1 stomatella
2 zoa frags
1 torch
1 GSP colony
1 pipe organ frag
1 trumpet
Is there any room for more that will be comparable or at all?

 

[hds4216]

The chickenpox you refer to could be many things. If it's red/pink/purplely it's probably the beginning of coralline algae, if it's a different color it could be GHA or dinos or something. As for stocking, you're probably full on fish, but there's a lot more corals you could add if you have room.

 

[lkc]

Chicken pox = Spirorbid worms. Found in a healthy tank but a pain.

 

[lkc]

Take them off the back wall and glass with a razor blade.