HELP! Green Coraline or Micro-Algae

jpitts4304 · 12/15/2017, 07:04 PM

Hi RC! Jeff here. New to the hobby - 10 months now. I have a 125 gallon tank and all parameters are normal. I check them all, and I do mean all, once a week using Red Sea kits. I have this wonderful green film growing on my rocks that gets brighter and brighter each week. Is this green coraline or simply micro-algae? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

top shelf · 12/15/2017, 07:25 PM

Not coralline algae just green algae.

jpitts4304 · 12/15/2017, 07:48 PM

awesome - what I figured. So reduce nitrates and phosphates/ feeding/ lighting

top shelf · 12/15/2017, 08:00 PM

On the bright side coralline isn't too far behind. What are your current no3 and po4 levels? It doesn't appear to be out of control yet so a good place to start would be to reduce those to levels. A good place to aim is .03 for po4 and under 5 for no3. You can do that by feeding less, trying to remove more built up detrious. What equipment do you have? Are you running a skimmer? Do you have a sump? How long has tank been running? Little more info is needed to give further advice.

jpitts4304 · 12/15/2017, 08:17 PM

Phosphates at .08 to .12 ppm; Nitrates are 10 to 20 ppm.Figuring this is high and trying to come down off the urge to feed as much. I do run a protein skimmer and have been for about 7 months of the 10 month life. No sump for this tank as I was new to the hobby and trying to figure it out.

top shelf · 12/15/2017, 08:26 PM

Being as it's just a light film growing on the rocks and not taking over your tank I wouldn't try anything to drastic yet. Reduce feeding, turkey baster of your rocks and try to stir up as much detrious as you can and remove with wc, without having a sump if you have a hob filter you could add some chemipure elite.

jpitts4304 · 12/15/2017, 08:32 PM

Thanks Top-Shelf ..I will give it a shot.The Skimmer is a Reef Octo Classic 2000 HOB

top shelf · 12/15/2017, 08:39 PM

You could also try adding more snails as well, I prefer trochus as they can right themselves if they fall over and won't bulldoze your tank like the bigger turbos will.

jpitts4304 · 12/15/2017, 08:40 PM

Great

12/15/2017, 07:25 PM	#2
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,022	Not coralline algae just green algae. __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

12/15/2017, 08:00 PM	#4
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,022	On the bright side coralline isn't too far behind. What are your current no3 and po4 levels? It doesn't appear to be out of control yet so a good place to start would be to reduce those to levels. A good place to aim is .03 for po4 and under 5 for no3. You can do that by feeding less, trying to remove more built up detrious. What equipment do you have? Are you running a skimmer? Do you have a sump? How long has tank been running? Little more info is needed to give further advice. __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

12/15/2017, 08:26 PM	#6
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,022	Being as it's just a light film growing on the rocks and not taking over your tank I wouldn't try anything to drastic yet. Reduce feeding, turkey baster of your rocks and try to stir up as much detrious as you can and remove with wc, without having a sump if you have a hob filter you could add some chemipure elite. __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

12/15/2017, 08:39 PM	#8
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,022	You could also try adding more snails as well, I prefer trochus as they can right themselves if they fall over and won't bulldoze your tank like the bigger turbos will. __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

12/15/2017, 07:48 PM	#3
jpitts4304 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Posts: 22	awesome - what I figured. So reduce nitrates and phosphates/ feeding/ lighting

12/15/2017, 08:17 PM	#5
jpitts4304 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Posts: 22	Phosphates at .08 to .12 ppm; Nitrates are 10 to 20 ppm.Figuring this is high and trying to come down off the urge to feed as much. I do run a protein skimmer and have been for about 7 months of the 10 month life. No sump for this tank as I was new to the hobby and trying to figure it out.

12/15/2017, 08:32 PM	#7
jpitts4304 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Posts: 22	Thanks Top-Shelf ..I will give it a shot.The Skimmer is a Reef Octo Classic 2000 HOB

12/15/2017, 08:40 PM	#9
jpitts4304 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Posts: 22	Great