New tank. Help

[pituca]

Okay so I am a new to the hobby, as it will soon be painfully obvious. I had a fresh water tank 55 gal in a movie theater I worked at and I loved the tank. I left that job last year and I really missed the tank so I decided to get one for my self, February of this year. So I started to price out tanks and checking every thing online for what was needed, I knew I wanted now a salt-water tank after seeing this site. Late April early May I got a tank for an unbelievable price the tank and stand (metal) was cheaper then most 75gal.

By then I had read two books on the subject and for the next 3 and a half months I started purchasing the equipment. Filter, Skimmer, power heads, lights. Finally late July I was able to get the L.R. I purchased 170 pounds of it. For the next 5 weeks I cured them the I got substrate. My Girlfriend got a P. puffer about 4 weeks ago, and a friend of mine just gave me a Flame angel fish, I actually am not 100% sure they are compatible. :thinking: Anyway the puffer still really small and the angel is still in QT. My problem started with algae about two weeks ago and now I am scared. I am not sure what kind of algae it is and what to do about it in the my book it mentions that algae is good. Any way I ‘ll post pics of the tank. If I can

 

[pituca]

Okay it is saying I can not post a pick because it is too large

. can anyone help

 

[gwh57]

I am sure you will need to resize the photo before you try to post it.

 

[pituca]

trying now thanks for the help I think I am not to good with computers, and cameras, I am using a MGI photosuite 8.0

 

[pituca]

I hope this worked I will post more pics if it has

 

[big]

Looks like a good start........

 

[clown boy]

That's a lot of algae!

 

[pituca]

Yes peoblem with algae here are more pics and P Diddy (G.F. named it)

 

[pituca]

I got some crabs to feast on it and cleaning clam and fighting conch for the sand, I know I am not suppose to mix them with Puffers but after reading some threads last week it seemed like it might be okay puffer is only 3" now.

 

[1journeyman]

What kind of water are you using? Lights? Parameters?

 

[pituca]

I am usind a RO-DI unit for the water the salt is reef crystal the tank is 72/18/24. the light is a Coralife Lunar Aqualights Compact Fluorescent Strip Lights. I am keeping them on for about 8 hours a day. By the way thanbks for the comliments every one. And please don't be worried about ofending me i need all the help I can get.

 

[pituca]

And keeping the blue Led on at night

 

[1journeyman]

Well, doesn't sound like lights are the problem or water.
Test your tank for nitrates and phosphates.
How much water flow do you have?

 

[pituca]

I have been testing the water pretty regularly since this started, the nitrite, and amonia are at 0, the nitrate is about 5.0, the Ph is in the test kit darker then 8.4 but lighter then 8.8, at least that was todays test it actually stays about the same always. I have 4 power heads running in there 2 maxi jet 1200, 1 aqua-clear 70, and one via aqua 1,300. I also got my canister Rena XP3, and Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer for 220. Oh and the salinity is at 1.024. Do you think the fish is in danger he looks happy but some times aI see him swiming on top of the algae

.
Should I get some snails?