Green film/ GHA in tank?

[flatreefer]

Hello again,

I'm new to reefing, I just started/ cycled my tank it has been going for 3 weeks now,

I'm wondering if the algea I'm getting is from not being a fully established tank, will it run its course?

Or is there something I should do before this algea completely takes over my tank,

It has plagued me with a green/brownish tinge on the glass, I can see littler strands of turf/GHA (I think)

I have added 5 ninja star snails, and 2 blue legged hermits, tho there not doing all that much

Tank is redsea reefer 170
Skimmer is taking forever to break in so it just constantly overflows in the my filter sock
I had got some old rock for the LFS I bought the tank from
I'm going bare bottom (trying for SPS dominant tank)

Tomorrow I'm buying a glass cleaner so I can get a better picture

It's hard to see it in these photos but tomorrow I'll post better ones

I don't know if this is normal for a new tank and it will run its course? Or if I should take action

 

[Jekyl]

Algae is a normal part of a new tank. It will probably stick around in one form or another for months. Manage your parameters to keep them where they should be. Use a toothbrush, fingers and a gravel vacuum to suck out what you can during water changes

 

[Jekyl]

Bolster your CuC if you haven't already

 

[elorablue]

Just wondering, did you turn your lights on right after putting water in?

 

[flatreefer]

So basically I should let it go

manually remove what I can

And get more CUC?

My nitrate was 5ppm on the API test
And 2.5pmm on the salifert test kit

What should I try to keep it at?

Also I only feed once a day and give 5-10 pellets only

 

[flatreefer]

Just wondering, did you turn your lights on right after putting water in?

No I didn't buy the lights until about 2 weeks after I put water in,

Possibly still a bit early tho?

 

[Jekyl]

Lights aren't needed until coral are added. Best recommendation I have for CuC is reefcleaners.org and get the package for 1/2 your tank size. Probably good idea to get copepods from them too.

 

[tehmadreefer]

Normal part of the tank maturity process. Do NOT start adding chemicals or adjusting your lights. You will just complicate things more. It’s completely normal, water changes and more snails are best to assist.

 

[flatreefer]

So turn off my lights then? I have coraline algea growing but I guess it will grow back,

Reefcleaner.org Ship to Canada?

And I should still do 15-25% weekly water changes?

 

[Jekyl]

So turn off my lights then? I have coraline algea growing but I guess it will grow back,

Reefcleaner.org Ship to Canada?

And I should still do 15-25% weekly water changes?

Did you start with live rock from an established tank? Otherwise it's not coraline. Coraline is the last algae to start growing and it's the slowest growing algae.

 

[Jekyl]

Not sure about the Canadian shipping... even checking them out will give you an idea of what to get. Your parameters will dictate water changes. Usually 10% weekly is about the standard. However watching your parameters will be the judge.

 

[flatreefer]

I got rock from my lfs with coraline algea on it, it all faded away during the 2 weeks of no light but since I got the light going I can see little spots coming back

 

[Jekyl]

I would keep the lights on then.

 

[flatreefer]

Not sure about the Canadian shipping... even checking them out will give you an idea of what to get. Your parameters will dictate water changes. Usually 10% weekly is about the standard. However watching your parameters will be the judge.

Well today I did 10g water change my total system is 45, and its probably less than that with the skimmer and rock, but I thought it would help to battle this hairy BS lol

I can test nitrate now and see what it's at,

 

[flatreefer]

Also I'm dosing microbacter7 I don't know if that makes a difference or not,

 

[Jekyl]

Also I'm dosing microbacter7 I don't know if that makes a difference or not,

If you use established rock there's really no need

 

[flatreefer]

Also running my hydra 32 only half power with no red or green

 

[flatreefer]

If you use established rock there's really no need

Rock was sitting in a bucket with salt water in my house with no heater for a couple days, while I took time to set up everything, I figured it would help but guess I didn't need it after all lol

Thanks for the help,

I'll look in to more CUC tonight

 

[AutumnReefs]

Algae is a normal part of a new tank. It will probably stick around in one form or another for months. Manage your parameters to keep them where they should be. Use a toothbrush, fingers and a gravel vacuum to suck out what you can during water changes

A bare bottom tank with mostly dry rock may take over a year or two to get over an ugly phase.

 

[Jekyl]

A bare bottom tank with mostly dry rock may take over a year or two to get over an ugly phase.

I used dry rock and mine took a year. Not bare bottom tho