Algae issues in a 'sterile' tank

synaclef · 01/02/2022, 07:59 AM

Hello everyone.I am having some algae issues in a 7 month old tank and would appreciate your opinion on this.I am seeing small patches of green hair algae on the rocks.
I started the tank 7 months ago using only dead rock.
Parameters are
Ca 420
Alk 8
Mg 1400
No3 5
Po4 0.04

The only life source introduced so far other than fishes are a couple small pieces of live rock(really small)for introducing corralline and a soft coral.Pest introduction was a huge concern.
I took my time on this tank and did not get more corals so I can do blackouts until the tank establishes.

Coming back in the hobby after 10 years I see a lot of debates on how different strains of bacterial populations can play a key role in keeping algae at bay in new tanks.Could it be that I have not introduced enough life into the tank? I have never faced similar algae issues for so long in previous tanks.

Please let me know if you need more information on the tank.

Timfish · 01/02/2022, 08:12 AM

Reef systems are pretty complex ecosystems but to oversimplify it the equilibrium will promote algae or it will promote corals and corals are competing with algae for nutrients. SPonges play a huge role also and along with micrbial stuff htat can't be stuck in a bottle and are the reasons I always use a fair amount of quality maricultured liverock in setting up a system, roughly 1/3 lb to 1/2 lb per gallon. (FWIW most of the pests I've gotten have come from other aquarists, not maricultured live rock and the pest that's killed the most corals and fish are BTAs.) Here's some videos you may find informtaive:

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R2BMEfQGjU

Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7hsp0dENEA

Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont
https://youtu.be/DWItFGRQJL4

BActeria and Sponges
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oLDclO7UcM

Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)
https://youtu.be/dGIPveFJ_0Q

Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching
https://youtu.be/oadKezUYkJE

Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"
https://youtu.be/ZRIKW-9d2xI

deaclauderdale · 01/02/2022, 09:11 AM

Tagging along so I can comeback and watch the videos.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01/02/2022, 07:59 AM	#1
synaclef Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2021 Posts: 2	Algae issues in a 'sterile' tank Hello everyone.I am having some algae issues in a 7 month old tank and would appreciate your opinion on this.I am seeing small patches of green hair algae on the rocks. I started the tank 7 months ago using only dead rock. Parameters are Ca 420 Alk 8 Mg 1400 No3 5 Po4 0.04 The only life source introduced so far other than fishes are a couple small pieces of live rock(really small)for introducing corralline and a soft coral.Pest introduction was a huge concern. I took my time on this tank and did not get more corals so I can do blackouts until the tank establishes. Coming back in the hobby after 10 years I see a lot of debates on how different strains of bacterial populations can play a key role in keeping algae at bay in new tanks.Could it be that I have not introduced enough life into the tank? I have never faced similar algae issues for so long in previous tanks. Please let me know if you need more information on the tank.

01/02/2022, 08:12 AM	#2
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	Reef systems are pretty complex ecosystems but to oversimplify it the equilibrium will promote algae or it will promote corals and corals are competing with algae for nutrients. SPonges play a huge role also and along with micrbial stuff htat can't be stuck in a bottle and are the reasons I always use a fair amount of quality maricultured liverock in setting up a system, roughly 1/3 lb to 1/2 lb per gallon. (FWIW most of the pests I've gotten have come from other aquarists, not maricultured live rock and the pest that's killed the most corals and fish are BTAs.) Here's some videos you may find informtaive: "Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R2BMEfQGjU Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7hsp0dENEA Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont https://youtu.be/DWItFGRQJL4 BActeria and Sponges https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oLDclO7UcM Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end) https://youtu.be/dGIPveFJ_0Q Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching https://youtu.be/oadKezUYkJE Richard Ross What's up with phosphate" https://youtu.be/ZRIKW-9d2xI __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

01/02/2022, 09:11 AM	#3
deaclauderdale Lover of Fishies Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pasadena, CA Posts: 613	Tagging along so I can comeback and watch the videos. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ 70 Gal Cadlights (2) Radion G2's Bubble Magnus Curve5 Apex brain trust! Current Tank Info: Cadlights 70 reef tank, 2 Gen 2 Radions, BM Curve7 Skimmer