Bright green algae - whats wrong?

Monchompa · 10/12/2014, 09:59 PM

Hey guys, I'm having an algae issue, My tank has been up for 2 months. I started growing bright purple coraline algae on the rocks, but it stopped and now there is lime green algae on everything. My water is not perfect but good enough for coraline. the bright green algae is not slimy, and in a few spots the is red algae that is easy to clean off, but im more concerned about the green stuff at this point.

0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5.0 ppm nitrate. I do not have a test kit for calcium or Alkalinity but i did order one on amazon and it will be here soon. Any info would be great, thanks!

Coelli · 10/12/2014, 10:03 PM

Does it scrub off? Coralline can start out green - my tank is a month old and my rocks are bright lime green, but it's coralline, and starting to turn purple now. If it won't scrub off and the snails can't make a dent, you're golden.

Addit: Here's a pic - that green stuff is all coralline, or at least the precursor to it!

Monchompa · 10/12/2014, 10:17 PM

Cool duder! thanks that makes me feel better about it. It looks very similar to yours does, yeah it doesn't really come off with scrubbing, and my crabs and snails aren't eating it either. I am curious as to why the purple just stopped growing though???

Coelli · 10/12/2014, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monchompa

Cool duder! thanks that makes me feel better about it. It looks very similar to yours does, yeah it doesn't really come off with scrubbing, and my crabs and snails aren't eating it either. I am curious as to why the purple just stopped growing though???

Maybe you had some that was already far enough along to turn purple, and now the rest of the rock is catching up!

Monchompa · 11/10/2014, 03:29 PM

Here an update on the green algae situation. My substrate is now looks brown as well. Getting worried cause I recently lost a palm tree coral. As you can see the algae is everywhere including the glass. Much of it is hard and requires a scrapper to get off the glass. My parameters are low now as well. PH IS 8.0 or lower. Calcium is 380 alk is 3.0/8.5

Monchompa · 11/10/2014, 03:47 PM

And I have quite a bit of hermits and snails but it's just keeps getting worse. I am going to add seachem phosguard today. I'm hoping that will help. Any other advice would be much appreciated.

Wryknow · 11/10/2014, 03:55 PM

Reduce the amount of time your lights are on and run some GFO for phosphates. Nitrates are kind of high so some big water changes would be good as well. Algae is a pretty normal part of the new tank cycle and at 4 weeks your still in the middle of it if you started with dry rock (which it looks like based on your pictures.). I wouldn't be adding any livestock aside from the clean up crew yet myself.

m0nkie · 11/10/2014, 04:14 PM

looks like beginning of coralline algae to me.

you should start testing your Alk and Calc. if it is indeed coralline algae, it will deplete your alkalinity supply dry. That could lead to death of corals..

i remember when my neon green coralline started showing. drained about 1dkh of Alk a day.

other things I noticed:
-your tank looks pretty new, take your time on adding fish/corals.. after your initial cycle, you should run CUC for 1 month before adding first fish.
-the hippo tang is very aggressive. adding it so early might create trouble for peaceful future fish
-looks like diatoms forming on the sandbed. (my conch does a great job eating them)

Monchompa · 11/10/2014, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wryknow

Reduce the amount of time your lights are on and run some GFO for phosphates. Nitrates are kind of high so some big water changes would be good as well. Algae is a pretty normal part of the new tank cycle and at 4 weeks your still in the middle of it if you started with dry rock (which it looks like based on your pictures.). I wouldn't be adding any livestock aside from the clean up crew yet myself.

Thanks for the info guys, My tank is closer to 3 or 4 months old though, not 2 weeks. It has already cycled and I have already been through a diatom bloom. I waited for it cycle before adding livestock and that's funny you say that about the hippo cause he is one of my most docile fish, I hope he stays that way! I think I will take Wryknow's advice and shorten the light time and treat for phosfates.

powderblue1 · 02/16/2019, 12:00 PM

Probably a good idea to check you alk with Hanna checker daily. I think you should shoot for 9 or 10 DKH if that is indeed the start of green to pink and purple coraline. It is hard to believe that is in fact what it is given how new the tank is. No matter how well you clean and rinse, silicates will have to filter out of the system. This can cause diatoms, cyanobacteria and other undesirable grow. You will not be able to avoid the "uglies." It is a part of the process when setting up a tank, and yes the first six months is still within that time-frame regardless of seemingly normal daytime parameters. Your weekly water change schedule should still be at at least 25% at this time and you should be running at least a five-stage RO system for your top-off and mix water. What kind of salt are you using? Do you have a quality ultraviolet sterilizer? I know you know not to over-feed, which can seem like starvation, but is not at all. Do you have any macro-algae in your sump's refugium?

10/12/2014, 09:59 PM	#1
Monchompa Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 100	Bright green algae - whats wrong? Hey guys, I'm having an algae issue, My tank has been up for 2 months. I started growing bright purple coraline algae on the rocks, but it stopped and now there is lime green algae on everything. My water is not perfect but good enough for coraline. the bright green algae is not slimy, and in a few spots the is red algae that is easy to clean off, but im more concerned about the green stuff at this point. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5.0 ppm nitrate. I do not have a test kit for calcium or Alkalinity but i did order one on amazon and it will be here soon. Any info would be great, thanks! __________________ 90 Gallon Reef \| LPS & Softies \| Hobby status: In over my head!

10/12/2014, 10:17 PM	#3
Monchompa Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 100	Cool duder! thanks that makes me feel better about it. It looks very similar to yours does, yeah it doesn't really come off with scrubbing, and my crabs and snails aren't eating it either. I am curious as to why the purple just stopped growing though??? __________________ 90 Gallon Reef \| LPS & Softies \| Hobby status: In over my head!

11/10/2014, 03:29 PM	#5
Monchompa Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 100	Here an update on the green algae situation. My substrate is now looks brown as well. Getting worried cause I recently lost a palm tree coral. As you can see the algae is everywhere including the glass. Much of it is hard and requires a scrapper to get off the glass. My parameters are low now as well. PH IS 8.0 or lower. Calcium is 380 alk is 3.0/8.5 __________________ 90 Gallon Reef \| LPS & Softies \| Hobby status: In over my head!

11/10/2014, 03:47 PM	#6
Monchompa Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 100	And I have quite a bit of hermits and snails but it's just keeps getting worse. I am going to add seachem phosguard today. I'm hoping that will help. Any other advice would be much appreciated. __________________ 90 Gallon Reef \| LPS & Softies \| Hobby status: In over my head!

11/10/2014, 03:55 PM	#7
Wryknow Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,203	Reduce the amount of time your lights are on and run some GFO for phosphates. Nitrates are kind of high so some big water changes would be good as well. Algae is a pretty normal part of the new tank cycle and at 4 weeks your still in the middle of it if you started with dry rock (which it looks like based on your pictures.). I wouldn't be adding any livestock aside from the clean up crew yet myself. __________________ You cannot use reason to change the opinion of a person that did not use reason to form their opinion in the first place. Current Tank Info: 65 G RR, w/ 50 G sump/refugium, DIY LED lighting, AquaMaxx CO-1 skimmer, Tunze 1073.050 return

10/12/2014, 10:03 PM	#2
Coelli Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Tujunga, CA Posts: 1,443	Does it scrub off? Coralline can start out green - my tank is a month old and my rocks are bright lime green, but it's coralline, and starting to turn purple now. If it won't scrub off and the snails can't make a dent, you're golden. Addit: Here's a pic - that green stuff is all coralline, or at least the precursor to it!

11/10/2014, 04:14 PM	#8
m0nkie Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: LA Posts: 6,264	looks like beginning of coralline algae to me. you should start testing your Alk and Calc. if it is indeed coralline algae, it will deplete your alkalinity supply dry. That could lead to death of corals.. i remember when my neon green coralline started showing. drained about 1dkh of Alk a day. other things I noticed: -your tank looks pretty new, take your time on adding fish/corals.. after your initial cycle, you should run CUC for 1 month before adding first fish. -the hippo tang is very aggressive. adding it so early might create trouble for peaceful future fish -looks like diatoms forming on the sandbed. (my conch does a great job eating them) __________________ 560gal in the making

02/16/2019, 12:00 PM	#10
powderblue1 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 83	Probably a good idea to check you alk with Hanna checker daily. I think you should shoot for 9 or 10 DKH if that is indeed the start of green to pink and purple coraline. It is hard to believe that is in fact what it is given how new the tank is. No matter how well you clean and rinse, silicates will have to filter out of the system. This can cause diatoms, cyanobacteria and other undesirable grow. You will not be able to avoid the "uglies." It is a part of the process when setting up a tank, and yes the first six months is still within that time-frame regardless of seemingly normal daytime parameters. Your weekly water change schedule should still be at at least 25% at this time and you should be running at least a five-stage RO system for your top-off and mix water. What kind of salt are you using? Do you have a quality ultraviolet sterilizer? I know you know not to over-feed, which can seem like starvation, but is not at all. Do you have any macro-algae in your sump's refugium?