new reef/fish 50g tank

Stephen Plank

Stephen Plank

New Member
I have just started this tank up not to long ago and currently have a Fluval aqua clear filter system for a 70g tank and a marineland reef capable LED light system 10,00k white, 460nm blue LEDs 1670lumens. Some live sand not to deep anywhere n more to one side of the tank. A few pieces of base/live rock as well as a air bubbler scuba guy covered with that purplish red colored algea.(my snails seem to be devouring this algea, is this good or bad for a reef/fish tank) I have 2 false percula clownfish 1male/1female, 1sixline wrasse, 1pinstripe wrasse, 3 peppermint shrimp, 1clam, 30-40 hermit crabs different variety and just over 20 snails, and one piece of unidentified frag coral. Most was purchased in an essential reef package from this site. I am currently experiencing alot of algea build up on my side walls of my tank but from other posts ot looks like this could be due to the fact that im using tap water and eill be switching to a RO unit or getting it from walmart. I'm up for any tips, suggestions and comments
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
What kind of snails? The r/o water will help w your algae issue. Also a power head or 2 may help as well, to keep detritus from settling
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Hi, Welcome to the site!

Anything fake, like the décor you have in there, will not look good for long. I use a mixture of fake décor and live rock as well. The problem comes once the algae builds up...the décor looks like blobs because you can't tell what it should be by the shape. I opted for a ships wheel and anchor...those shapes don't look like blobs once they are covered over...oh and all plastic will get the pretty purple coraline algae on it over time, the power heads will become invisible. Algae is a natural thing, and every healthy tank has it, that's what the CUC is for, and they do a pretty good job. A mag float (looks and works like an eraser) to clean it off of glass. Unless your tank is used as a room divider, you should get a background, it will make the tank look much better.

I agree, as Jay suggested, you absolutely need power heads, the wave is the life of the ocean, and your saltwater tank.
 
1guydude

1guydude

Well-Known Member
Ur tank is still new and diatoms are the brown algae ur experiencing. It's from silicates in the water...
Ur on the water. Now flow and filtration. Get a cpl powerheads. Get a HOB skimmer.
Looks good. More rock and less fish tank deco. Lol
Hths
Keep at it
D
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
I always have a variety...Nassarius, Nerite, Cerith and turbo, I have a cold water tank, and the margarita snails are great. A serpent star and shrimp, are another key CUC critter to keep. Nassarius snails don't feed on algae, they feed on wasted food and are meat eaters. People insist astrea snails fall over and can't upright themselves, they sit and watch the snails turning them upright if it happens. So I avoid them altogether...no way am I going to play flip the snails, I have enough to do with my life besides that.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Ha ha ha snail flipping is a pain. Nerite snails, ive heard of them but never seen them. Do they go by diff names?
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Stephen Plank said:
But s

But should they be eating all of my purplish colored algea? I mean my scuba guy was covered n now he is clean! I thought this algea was essential for coral growth...
Click to expand...
The snails eat algae but not coralline...to have healthy coralline you need to keep your calcium levels between 400 and 500, otherwise it begins to die off, and turn white. Coraline is not essential to coral growth, but for hard corals calcium is...so the two kind of go hand in hand...if calcium is at right levels, both the hard corals and coralline will grow.

Purplish color algae is often Cyanobacteria, which isn't really an algae. Coraline is very hard and crusty, urchins may eat it down, but not any kind of snails. The only purplish red "algae" I can think of...Cyanobacteria is a purplish red slime that when fanned by your hand, will pull up like a carpet. To get rid of it, be careful to not overfeed your fish, do regular water changes, and keep the parameters within range. Good water flow will also help, since it settles where nutrients are high, it's a sign of bad water quality.
 
Stephen Plank

Stephen Plank

New Member
jay0705 said:
What kind of snails? The r/o water will help w your algae issue. Also a power head or 2 may help as well, to keep detritus from settling
Click to expand...
I found a
flower said:
The snails eat algae but not coralline...to have healthy coralline you need to keep your calcium levels between 400 and 500, otherwise it begins to die off, and turn white. Coraline is not essential to coral growth, but for hard corals calcium is...so the two kind of go hand in hand...if calcium is at right levels, both the hard corals and coralline will grow.

Purplish color algae is often Cyanobacteria, which isn't really an algae. Coraline is very hard and crusty, urchins may eat it down, but not any kind of snails. The only purplish red "algae" I can think of...Cyanobacteria is a purplish red slime that when fanned by your hand, will pull up like a carpet. To get rid of it, be careful to not overfeed your fish, do regular water changes, and keep the parameters within range. Good water flow will also help, since it settles where nutrients are high, it's a sign of bad water quality.
Click to expand...
Yea I got the tank, stand, 3 previous fish moved to a holding tank till found proper homes (2 leopard puffers, 1 silver moon fish) and the previous mentioned scuba bubbler guy covered with the purplish yes carpet like stuff haha n I had just left the siba guy in there but the snails have now completely cleaned him off.
 
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