Looking for a little help....

[unclecott]

Hi all,
I am a newbie and looking for some help.
I started a 55 g tank setup right after Christmas. I added about 20 lbs of live rock and went through the cycling process. About a month later I added (2) percula clownfish and about another 50 lbs of live rock. I started with just a Fluval 305 filter system and about a month ago after I started noticing excessive green algea I added a Seaclone 100 protein skimmer hoping that might help. I have been testing the water regulary and everything is within acceptable parameters. Recent results are Nitrate-0ppm, Nitrite-0ppm, Amonia-0ppm, PH-8.2, Phosphate-0ppm, and Carbonate Hardness 161ppm. Specific gravity is maintained around 1.022. About 2 weeks ago I purchased a 55 g reef cleaner package from SWF.com. After 2 weeks I had lost about 18 turbo snails, 6 hermits, and 3 blue-leg hermits. The peppermint shrimp, coral-banded shrimp, and others seem to be doing fine. I followed the acclimation procedures outlined on the site. It's been about 3 weeks. I'm still seem to be having green algea problems. I'm assuming this is unusal, but it seems I have to clean the tank at least every 3-4 days just so I can see through the glass. During the cleaning process, I usually stir up all the alga and do a partial water change - about 20% to help remove some of the large clumps. I also brush off the live rock to remove the algea growing on the rocks. Am I doing something wrong? The live rock included in the 50lb package had a relatively large amount of Coralline algea already on it. After adding the rock I also started adding some purple-up every once in while. The coraline intially seemed to be expanding, but now seems to be declining and being taken over by the green algea. I should also add that I installed a new light fixture about 2 months ago that has (2) 10k T-5 lamps and (2) T-5 Actinic lamps. The Actinic lamps run from about 9:00 AM till about 10:00 PM and the 10K lamps run from about 1:00 PM till about 9:00 PM. Is this too long?. Any recomendations?
Thanks in advance, Scott

 

[bennyhill]

Look up and try to find out what kind of green algea it might be ,some if they bust will spread like wildfire. Cut back on the Actinic lamps run from about 12am to 10pm Actinic1hr befor and 1hr after 10k
Do you have any pics. There is reef safe green algea remover out there . And was the extra 50lbs of live rock cured did it all go into the tank at once...
Im deff. not a pro just some thought from some of the thred's i seen on here . smarter people are on here that will help you more then me,, IF YOU ASK IT THEY WILL COME...

 

[fogger]

Lights are on too long, I have mine on for only 7 hours a day.

 

[unclecott]

Hi, Thanks for the input.
The 50 lbs of live rock were aquired from a fellow hobbyist that had to dissassemble his tank. They were removed from his tank and placed in my tank within 3-4 hours. The rock was kept damp at all times with wet towels. There was no sign of any green algea growth when I aquired the rock. It was mostly covered with Coralline algea. I assumed it was fully cured. I'll try and attach some pictures tomorrow. The algea is a green slime type. I assume it is the hair algea that everyone has been talking about. It waves like hair in the water and then turns to a green glob when it's removed. There appears to be a light green film forming on the glass panes. The collection cup in the protein skimmer can contain up to an inch or so of dark green liquid within a week after cleaning it.
Thanks.
Scott

 

[mkb623]

Sounds more like cyano to me. I may have the spelling wrong. Is there any way you can post a pic?
High nitrates typically seem to go hand and hand with cyano. Also I would stop the coral up. Other thing I would put the 10K on the same schedule as the actinics. If not even more so. That's just me though. Oh and do you have any power heads? Increased flow helps too. Frequent water changes. Blah blah blah. There is no overnight cure unfortunately I know this because I too battled it.
Also what kind of scimmer do you have? You should be getting more skimmate than one cup a week.

 

[horsin1963]

For starters I would turn the 10K's way back, think of them as the sun at the peak time of the day in the south.. the time when the sun is the hottest. I wouldnt run them right now for that long untill you get the algae problem corrected. You have im assuming alot more and better light on your tank than the person who you received the rock from. Purple up is nice stuff but check calcuim levels in you tank dont want to over dose They should be between 380 and 420 ppm dont check calcuim right after adding the purple up, and carboate hardness the ch should be 2-2.5 meg/l or higher. High disolved phosphate levels inhibit coraline growth and the nusance algae love it. if you have a problem with the phosphates there is products that help lower it... hope this helps.... Brian

 

[veni vidi vici]

Whats the temp of your tank ,and are you using tap water? Nuisance algae in a newly set up tank seems to be normal ,but you lost an awful lot of inverts.Something seem strange.Also coraline algae does come in green at least it sometimes starts off that way.Is it smooth or hairy?

 

[teresaq]

what type of water are you using?
cut back on your lights-do you have corals??
How much flow do you have-how many power heads?
T

 

[unclecott]

Hi,
Thanks for all your responses. I attached a link below for the pictures. I'll cut the lighting way back and see if that has any affect. I am using tapwater (town supply) with a conditioner added during the water changes. I am planning on getting an under the sink RO system, but just haven't done it yet. I do not have any other power heads or wavemakers. The only current flow comes from the output of the Fluval 305 and the overflow from the skimmer. I am eventually planning on setting up a refugium to make the tank a little easier on maintenance. I suppose I should consider adding some other powerheads for circulation in the tank. I do not have any corals, but eventually would like to get some. I obviously would like to get the tank under control before I add anything else. I also need to do some permanent aquascaping first. When I started the tank, the fish store I purchased the initial live rock from, recommended the crushed coral base. I've seen a lot of other posts recommending a sand base. Should I consider changing this? From the reef package I purchased (55-100g), I can only locate the following (1 Coral banded shrimp, 3 peppermint shrimp, 2-3 emerald green crabs, about 10 turbo snails, about 10 Scarlet Hermit crabs, and about 10 Blueleg hermit crabs, and 2 Cleaner clams.) The 2 other peppermint shrimp, and some crabs and snails may be hiding. I also have (2) Percula clownfish that I have had almost 2 months. Are there any other "cleaners" I should consider placing in the tank. I sent back the items that perished from the reef package so I am assuming I will get some credit from SWF.com. Has anybody else lost items like this from SWF? Is it common? What is an expected cleaning schedule once the tank is under control? Will I always have nuisance algea growing? Link below is for the pictures of the tank. I brushed the green algea off the the large center stone with the coraline algea and cleaned the front glass to take the pictures. Sorry for the long winded message and thanks again for any input.
http://picasaweb.google.com/unclecott/Fishtank

 

[veni vidi vici]

Originally Posted by unclecott
http:///forum/post/2499037
Hi,
Thanks for all your responses. I attached a link below for the pictures. I'll cut the lighting way back and see if that has any affect. I am using tapwater (town supply) with a conditioner added during the water changes. I am planning on getting an under the sink RO system, but just haven't done it yet. I do not have any other power heads or wavemakers. The only current flow comes from the output of the Fluval 305 and the overflow from the skimmer. I am eventually planning on setting up a refugium to make the tank a little easier on maintenance. I suppose I should consider adding some other powerheads for circulation in the tank. I do not have any corals, but eventually would like to get some. I obviously would like to get the tank under control before I add anything else. I also need to do some permanent aquascaping first. When I started the tank, the fish store I purchased the initial live rock from, recommended the crushed coral base. I've seen a lot of other posts recommending a sand base. Should I consider changing this? From the reef package I purchased (55-100g), I can only locate the following (1 Coral banded shrimp, 3 peppermint shrimp, 2-3 emerald green crabs, about 10 turbo snails, about 10 Scarlet Hermit crabs, and about 10 Blueleg hermit crabs, and 2 Cleaner clams.) The 2 other peppermint shrimp, and some crabs and snails may be hiding. I also have (2) Percula clownfish that I have had almost 2 months. Are there any other "cleaners" I should consider placing in the tank. I sent back the items that perished from the reef package so I am assuming I will get some credit from SWF.com. Has anybody else lost items like this from SWF? Is it common? What is an expected cleaning schedule once the tank is under control? Will I always have nuisance algea growing? Link below is for the pictures of the tank. I brushed the green algea off the the large center stone with the coraline algea and cleaned the front glass to take the pictures. Sorry for the long winded message and thanks again for any input.
http://picasaweb.google.com/unclecott/Fishtank
I would say that the tap water is your biggest concern.

 

[steve24]

IMHO
yes, from the pics that is the "dreaded" green hair algae...
1) stop using tap water
2) shorten the time lights are on
3) slowly raise SG to around 1.025 - 1.026
4) replace the CC with sand or LS
5) i would add two power heads ...

 

[oh hai]

Originally Posted by steve24
http:///forum/post/2499067
IMHO
yes, from the pics that is the "dreaded" green hair algae...
1) stop using tap water
2) shorten the time lights are on
3) slowly raise SG to around 1.025 - 1.026
4) replace the CC with sand or LS
5) i would add two power heads ...
I agree, R/O water would be your best bet!
Power heads will create some circulation to help reduce the algea as well
the addition of live sand will help the cycling process speed up as well.