Lime green algae/phosphate - Help please

[NYCREEF101]

Hello everyone,
this is my first post here on Reef Central.
I am currently running a 125G saltwater tank, i will be going to reef shortly.
however i currently have 75 pounds of dry rock from Marco in my tank & 180pounds of carib-sea aragonite sand.

i used all tap water to fill it which i treated with seachem prime & phosphate remover before adding it obviously. i do not have a RO/DI system.
I live in NY our ph is pretty good no nirate/nirites in the water however there is a dash of phosphate..

The tanks been up and running for almost 5 months now... i haven't had any issues other than phosphate.. its currently under 0.025/0.25 so the API test kit claims & my local fish stores...

My current filter is a tom-rapids rp3 pro with the protein skimmer.. i also have a 13w UV sterilizer inline... & two small wave makers 500gph each..

I'm currently seeing a lot of this VERY HARD lime green algae on my rocks & it also attacks the back wall of my tank... i scape the back wall off with a razor once a week for about 3 weeks now it seems to only go on the back wall... however it is on the rocks... but it doesn't touch the sand? all my fish are perfectly fine... i currently have two yellow tangs, two clowns,1 6 line wrassle, 1 green mandarin, 1 dart fish, 6 mushrooms, and roughly a clean up crew of 20... i have never seen algae like this before it also has a pungent smell which i have never had in any of my tanks... wondering if this is a type of Coraline ?

CAL: 400/410
Nirate: 0
Nirite: 0
Ammonia: 0
DH/KH: 9/10
Phosphate: 0.25/00.25
Temp: 78/80F
Lighting: 6 hours / 2 actinic, 1 ati purple plus, ati 1 blue plus
Airstone: 1
PH: 8.0
Salt: 1.024/1.025


any info would be great from everyone/anyone who can assist
photos are attached
thank you

[Stackemdeep]

Do a quick google search on "green coralline algae images" and take a close look at those pictures. If this is what you are seeing, then be happy, you are seeing the beginning of a coralline algae explosion and this only happens in tanks where the reefer is doing something(s) right. I suspect you will soon see purple everywhere as well. Good Luck!

ps: "scraping" it off the glass will actually be spreading it like scattering grass seed in the wind.

pss: Welcome to Reef Central

[NYCREEF101]

Stackemdeep,
Thank you!

Is it normal for it to have such an odd smell? the green algae smells terrible.. kinda like low tide almost.. i have another protein skimmer coming this week hopefully that will suck out more nasty stuff.. i also ordered phosguard which should be here any day now as well... the images look exactly like what i have in my tank.. hopefully it will all turn purple or mix like a Christmas tree hah.. i do have some purple on the rocks just not a whole lot its very spotty

[Stackemdeep]

You are welcome! Odd smells can come from many things actually. However your tank as a whole should not have a bad smell. I've come to enjoy the smell when I am cutting acropora frags, while others do not. Your phosphate number should come down but don't get caught up chasing numbers at this point. I suggest being consistent with water changes and patient. Read all the articles listed in the water chemistry sticky. That coralline will start sucking up your magnesium. We keep water first, fish and corals second.

[Salty Cracker]

After eight months my live rock has turned a dark green with a little purple is that coraline? Even some of my snails. And today I noticed a ton on copapods on the glass. I take it im doing something right?

[Stackemdeep]

Coralline can have many different looks and colors. Here is a picture that shows many in one area.