Seeing If I Jumped The Gun

[raiderfan]

I RECENTLY SET UP MY FIRST SALTWATER TANK AFTER HAVING FRESHWATER TANKS ALL MY LIFE. I PURCHASED A 26 GALLON FLAT BACK HEXAGON AQUARIUM FROM MY LOCAL PET STORE AND TOLD HIM I WAS GOING SALT. HE PUTS CRUSHED CORAL BACKING ON HIS SALTWATER TANKS AND I HAD HIM DO THIS TO MINE. HE AGREED TO SELL ME ESTABLISHED CRUSHED CORAL AS THE SUBSTRATE AND ALSO SOLD ME PREMIXED CYCLED WATER. I SET IT UP AND LET IT GO FOR A WEEK WITH 4 DAMSELS IN IT. AFTER THE WEEK WAS UP I BOUGHT A COUPLE OF 1 INCH HORSESHOE CRABS AND ABOUT 7 POUNDS OF LIVE ROCK. I HAD ALREADY PURCHASED A TEST KIT AND ALL TEST HAD COME OUT FINE. A WEEK LATER I BOUGHT A SMALL GREEN WOLF EEL AND A SMALL LION FISH. I REMOVED THE DAMSELS AND PUT IN A TOMATOE CLOWN. THE DAMSELS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF CYCLEING ANOTHER TANK THAT I AM STARTING FROM SCRATCH. MY PROBLEM IS A ORANGE ALGEA THAT HAS STARTED TO GROW ON THE CORAL BACKING ON MY TANK. WHAT SUGESTIONS DO YA'LL HAVE ON THIS REMOVAL. IS THIS A BAD KIND OF ALGEA OR IS THIS TO BE EXPECTED? I TALKED TO MY FISH STORE AND THEY SOLD ME A FEW CLEANER HERMIT CRABS AND A FEW SNAILS. THE HORSESHOE CRABS ARE ALIVE AND COME OUT AT NIGHT BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE GOOD AT CLEANING TANKS OR NOT. GO EASY ON ME AS I AM JUST A BEGINNER HERE AND ALL HELP IS APPRECIATED
THANKS

 

[slick]

What is a crushed coral backing?

 

[new]

by crushed coral backing i assume you are refering to a textured sheet that is applied to the back glass? as for orange algea in my tank the only orange algea i get turns red in a day and is a long dark red strand that personally i like in my tank and allow until it needs a bit of trimming, however i am new as well and someoneelse with more experience may know of other types as well.

 

[wingnut]

Red alge isent alge its bactira = bad probly need a water change and a skimmer would be a good idea unless you whant to make 2 time the water changes i would remove it some how with a net or something add alittle more live rock like 20lbs or more

 

[raiderfan]

THE BACKING I AM TALKING ABOUT IS A PERMENENT FIXTURE. ANY IDEAS HOW TO CLEAN THE ALGEA OFF I TRIED TO SEND A PIC BUT IT SAYS THE FILE IS TOO BIG ANY IDEA HOW TO MAKE IT SMALLER

 

[j21kickster]

I can picture what you are talking about although i've never seen it done. If you have algea problems on it, tru usig a new tooth brush to clean it. If there is too much to do w/ a tooth brush try one on thoes scrub brushes(new). hopefully it is on good enough that it wont scrape it off.

 

[raiderfan]

thanks for the idea but the coral comes off to easily. i think my only hope is to find some kind of snail or something that will crawl up the wall and eat it any suggestions
thanks

 

[javatech]

please turn off the caps lock on line it's like yelling

 

[raiderfan]

sorry about the yelling i caught it late

 

[steamboat1569]

I have seen tanks with gravel and coral backing, glued on with an acrylic adhesive. It is pretty common in the freshwater hobby. I have a 15 gallon in the garage with a backing of gravel.
The only thing is, all that I have seen, this backing is applied to the back on the OUTSIDE of the tank. For the sole purpose not getting algae on it. I think the person that you got this off of has the whole thing backwards.
There is no way you can get all the algae off unless you use algae remover, and that is detrimental to the tank for saltwater, although common to use in freshwater.
Even if you do remove it, it will get other kinds of algae on it again.
I would complain to the person you bought this from, and return it. I see nothing possitive with the backing on the inside of the tank.

 

[broomer5]

raiderfan,
If this is a relatively new tank, and this stuff growing on the crushed coral back wall looks sort of a dusty/rusty golden-brown color - it could just be a diatom bloom.
Common in newly set up tanks. It normally goes away after awhile. Normally.
Is any of this stuff growing anywhere else in the tank, substrate ?
Do you use tapwater ?

 

[sandy]

If you do, indeed have red slime algae, I've found it very effective to "suck up" the algae (removes easily and gently) with a suction hose. I do this while removing water for weekly water changes.
Of course one should look towards the cause of this algae as well. If it is a diatom bloom -- just a normal process and will go away on it's own. From what I read -- sounds like diatom bloom.
If it's red slime -- check water parameters. Are you using tap water or r/o d/i water? Do you have a protein skimmer? Have you tested for phosphates, etc.? How high are your NitrAtes?
Believe it or not, my Queen Conch seems to munch on the red stuff.

 

[quiet storm]

i had that problem i just got 4 turbo snails did the trick