When does algae become a problem?
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Crabs McJones
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I wouldn't be to concerned. In the upcomming months you're going to see algaes come and go, and your white rock is going to start turning all kinds of interesting colors as the tank matures.This is my first saltwater tank. I have a 32 gallon biocube with 40 pounds of live sand, 25 pounds of reef saver dry rock that has been running for 4 weeks. It cycled in 9 days. Current live stock is a fire fish, a small watchman goby and one small hermit crab. I have noticed a small amount of green algae on the rocks that is progressively growing. It is flapping in the current a little bit, but I have not been overly concerned. Should I be? Should I try to nip it in the bud now? I think it is just the natural progression of the tank, and it probably consumes some nitrates. Advice is welcome. Thanks!
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jabberwock
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Thanks, I thought so. You guys are fast! I also noticed a few splotches of coralline algae on my hermit's shell. Maybe that will spread with time.
Crabs McJones
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It'll find its way into your system, if not from your crab shell from frag plugs
To your question I wouldn’t stress too much on the algae you have right now but start researching on what type of algae you have and why that’s the key. It will take over if you let it. Some things to look at are
What’s your maintenance routine ? Are you doing water changes and how often and how big. Are you blowing off your rocks before you change it. Are you cleaning your back chambers
What do you feed and how much
What are your parameters? Specificity nitrates and phosphates.
And bump up your cuc if you tank needs it’s . I find trochus snails do a good job and don’t knock stuff over as bad as turbos..
Anyways happy reefing!
What’s your maintenance routine ? Are you doing water changes and how often and how big. Are you blowing off your rocks before you change it. Are you cleaning your back chambers
What do you feed and how much
What are your parameters? Specificity nitrates and phosphates.
And bump up your cuc if you tank needs it’s . I find trochus snails do a good job and don’t knock stuff over as bad as turbos..
Anyways happy reefing!
LuizW13
Well-Known Member
To add to the comment above..
One thing i noticed is that pretty everywhere, the recommendations are the same, cycle the tank, get CUC and a couple of fish. In my opinion, the CUC should be put last (if your system is like mine). 8/9 months in and my tank is still too clean for CUC, just this week two trochus snails died, from what i think was starvation- and now i have a bit of a light bacteria bloom. Now, I have maybe 4 tiny hermit crabs and that's it.
One thing i noticed is that pretty everywhere, the recommendations are the same, cycle the tank, get CUC and a couple of fish. In my opinion, the CUC should be put last (if your system is like mine). 8/9 months in and my tank is still too clean for CUC, just this week two trochus snails died, from what i think was starvation- and now i have a bit of a light bacteria bloom. Now, I have maybe 4 tiny hermit crabs and that's it.
None of the coralline on my hermits or snails transferred to my rocks
Hopefully you'll get lucky!
Scratch off the coraline with something while in the tank. It will spread faster.
Trochus rock. They're one of my favs. They're way better than astreas.
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jabberwock
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Yes, the single hermit is my only cuc at this point. I plan to add a royal gramma and a pair of clowns eventually. Then 3 or 4 nessarius snails and then maybe some turbo snails. Maybe a brittle star? I won't complete the stocking plan until the end of the year. Then some easy corals.
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jabberwock
2500 Club Member
I gotta go scrape my hermit crab! Hehe!
If you get a good piece you can place it on the rock somewhere with low flow. It will often but not always start a patch there. If you had more you could crumble it all over.
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jabberwock
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Gonna wait till he swaps shells. Don't want to hurt him. Patience seems prudent.
4FordFamily
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Yup I agree that your cycling tank (for the next few months or even longer) will go through several blooms of different algae. Unfortunately it’s the normal progression. Avoid knee-jerk reactions and just keep on chugging. Keep nutrients down and try to keep it stable by not making any large changes.
Good luck!
Good luck!
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jabberwock
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Water tests all came out great today. Did water changes in my fresh water tanks to try and get the reef tank on an alternating weekend...
And... I am pretty sure this is coralline algae on my rocks!
And... I am pretty sure this is coralline algae on my rocks!
CindyKz
Valuable Member
Hard to say from your pictures but it definitely could be coralline.
+1 to the advice above "avoid knee - jerk reactions". Your tank may progress through several "ugly" phases - in my limited experience it is just to best sigh and wait it out (as you are wisely doing now).
Best of luck with your biocube
+1 to the advice above "avoid knee - jerk reactions". Your tank may progress through several "ugly" phases - in my limited experience it is just to best sigh and wait it out (as you are wisely doing now).
Best of luck with your biocube
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jabberwock
2500 Club Member
I got yellow algae, I got orange algae, I got brown algae, I got light green dark green and emerald green algae. Nitrates are < 10. All other parameters are good. I think my tank has hit puberty.
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jabberwock
2500 Club Member
And my hermit crab is a jerk...
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