Not sure what hitch hiked on my coral

Mr E · 09/17/2011, 12:05 PM

I bought a frag piece of coral and noticed it had a little I think orangish piece( i am semi color blind) on it. Then 2 days later a second one grew right next to it. started out white but is turning the same color. Should I be worried? Do I need to try and remove it?

kfisc · 09/17/2011, 12:37 PM

A guess is you've got a macro-algae growing; harmless in/of themselves, but a sign of possible nitrates, phosphates (perhaps from overfeeding), flow, and/or lighting problems in your tank. Another guess from seeing the surrounding algae on the rock is you may have a relatively new tank and it's still cycling.

Mr E · 09/17/2011, 12:49 PM

The tank is a little over 6 months now. The aglea on the rocks is just started growing over the past week or so. Ever since i got a diamond and a yellow watchman goby more algea has been growing on the rocks. Don't know if its from them covering everything with the sand all the time. The first piece was on there when i got the coral. Would you recommend that i take the algea off the frag? Anything you can recommend to keep the algea on the rocks under control. I am pretty light with feeding the fish. A small amount of pellets in the morning and one frozen cude at night.

thebkramer · 09/17/2011, 12:54 PM

teeheeeheee

blame the gobies!!!! lol
the same happened to me when I introduced a diamond... I all of a sudden had some algae issues.. and was puzzled.. then some fellow reefers here let me know it was the gobies fault

they kick up sooo much that it tends to add some ammonia/nitrates into the water column and then of course causing algae to grow...
give it a couple weeks and it should subside once they have gotten the worst of it out of their system lol
what size tank?? keep an eye on your phosphates and trates of course.. I really didn't see any in my tank.. but that was probably because the algae was sucking it up.. I even went through a battle of cyano

hopefully you don't go through that....
oh.. also.. keep up on your water changes as that should help

Mr E · 09/17/2011, 01:23 PM

My tank is a 70g. I do a weekly water change of 15-20%. Get my water checked weekly and everything is fine. Running 2 high output t5 could that not be enough and causing problems. Also my water flow is from the HOB Skimmer and my fluval 305 canister.

ReeferBill · 09/17/2011, 01:32 PM

I have 4 power heads in my 46bow for extra flow. It helps keep the algea down and corals clean....

thebkramer · 09/17/2011, 01:34 PM

I also have HOB skimmer and HOB filtration.. I also have 3 powerheads for extra flow.. 2 1400 gph and a 750gph and I still need more flow IMO as I have some dead/low flow areas

Mr E · 09/17/2011, 01:42 PM

My tank is drilled so the fluval is directed out just above the live rock through a split outlet. Any suggestions on what to get to improve the flow? Its a 70 gallon bow front. I Still new to this all so just really trying to figure it out.

thebkramer · 09/17/2011, 01:46 PM

can you post a FTS?
would love to see it

no expert here.. but maybe a Koralia 1400 or one higher since its a 70g? or 2 1400's... one on each side? one pointing towards the surface of water for good surface agitation and one towards the opposite corner of tank...

there is another powerhead that reefers swear by.. sorry.. I can't remember the name.. sure someone will chime in.. but they are better than the Koralias

Mr E · 09/18/2011, 09:46 AM

Here is a view of what i got started. Always love input and suggestions on what i can do to make better.

09/17/2011, 12:54 PM	#4
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	teeheeeheee blame the gobies!!!! lol the same happened to me when I introduced a diamond... I all of a sudden had some algae issues.. and was puzzled.. then some fellow reefers here let me know it was the gobies fault they kick up sooo much that it tends to add some ammonia/nitrates into the water column and then of course causing algae to grow... give it a couple weeks and it should subside once they have gotten the worst of it out of their system lol what size tank?? keep an eye on your phosphates and trates of course.. I really didn't see any in my tank.. but that was probably because the algae was sucking it up.. I even went through a battle of cyano hopefully you don't go through that.... oh.. also.. keep up on your water changes as that should help __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS

09/17/2011, 01:32 PM	#6
ReeferBill Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,906	Algea? I have 4 power heads in my 46bow for extra flow. It helps keep the algea down and corals clean.... __________________ I never realized I had to be a Chemist and a Marine Biologist to maintain a Reef Aquarium!

09/17/2011, 01:34 PM	#7
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	I also have HOB skimmer and HOB filtration.. I also have 3 powerheads for extra flow.. 2 1400 gph and a 750gph and I still need more flow IMO as I have some dead/low flow areas __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS

09/17/2011, 01:46 PM	#9
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	can you post a FTS? would love to see it no expert here.. but maybe a Koralia 1400 or one higher since its a 70g? or 2 1400's... one on each side? one pointing towards the surface of water for good surface agitation and one towards the opposite corner of tank... there is another powerhead that reefers swear by.. sorry.. I can't remember the name.. sure someone will chime in.. but they are better than the Koralias __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS

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09/17/2011, 12:37 PM	#2
kfisc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,020	A guess is you've got a macro-algae growing; harmless in/of themselves, but a sign of possible nitrates, phosphates (perhaps from overfeeding), flow, and/or lighting problems in your tank. Another guess from seeing the surrounding algae on the rock is you may have a relatively new tank and it's still cycling.

09/17/2011, 12:49 PM	#3
Mr E Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 15	The tank is a little over 6 months now. The aglea on the rocks is just started growing over the past week or so. Ever since i got a diamond and a yellow watchman goby more algea has been growing on the rocks. Don't know if its from them covering everything with the sand all the time. The first piece was on there when i got the coral. Would you recommend that i take the algea off the frag? Anything you can recommend to keep the algea on the rocks under control. I am pretty light with feeding the fish. A small amount of pellets in the morning and one frozen cude at night.

09/17/2011, 01:23 PM	#5
Mr E Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 15	My tank is a 70g. I do a weekly water change of 15-20%. Get my water checked weekly and everything is fine. Running 2 high output t5 could that not be enough and causing problems. Also my water flow is from the HOB Skimmer and my fluval 305 canister.

09/17/2011, 01:42 PM	#8
Mr E Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 15	My tank is drilled so the fluval is directed out just above the live rock through a split outlet. Any suggestions on what to get to improve the flow? Its a 70 gallon bow front. I Still new to this all so just really trying to figure it out.