Too much algae? Pics

SanDiegoreefer · 10/10/2006, 09:18 PM

The live rock is cycled and has been in the tank for 4 weeks. The sand has been in for 10 days. A week ago I added 10 small hermit crabs and 7 snails. Since then I've noticed some of the stuff growing on the live rock disappearing and turning a white color. Are the crabs eating it?

3 days ago I added some soft corals. I'm leaving the 10,000k on 9 hours and the actinic on 11hrs now.

Also, in the last couple days I'm noticing the algae growing on the sand. What's the best way to get that in check? The snails I have seem to be concentrating on the glass.

abugs1985 · 10/10/2006, 09:21 PM

Sounds like you have a pretty new setup so your tank is most likely just cycling, the algae should go away fairly soon. Do you have any pics? Also...check your ammonia level in the tank, the white stuff on the rocks might be die off.

drummereef · 10/10/2006, 09:21 PM

I'd let the tank go through all of it's cycling first. I wouldn't worry about the algae blooms too much as they are normal as the tank matures. Has the tank cycled completely? Are your ammonia and nitrites 0?

abugs1985 · 10/10/2006, 09:23 PM

also...try getting that lighting down by a couple hours for now...for example have your actinics go on at 9 in the morning, the the day lights on at 10 am and leave them on until 3 pm and the actinics until 4 pm. Obviously thats just an example so you can set the times according to your sched. so you can view your tank when you're home. But I've always found that if i slowly build up the time the lighting is on in a new setup the algae growth is much less!

andyrew · 10/10/2006, 09:26 PM

I think you probably jsut need to wait a little longer... by a little maybe a few weeks its hard to say. That said your photoperiod is a little longer than I think most people would have, cut it back by an hour or so for each and I think youll get some results.

SanDiegoreefer · 10/10/2006, 09:45 PM

Sorry, I'm having trouble posting pics. Will try later.

I'm leaving the lights on longer now for the soft corals I just added. I thought they needed lots of light. Is that wrong?

Gotta

revenge53142 · 10/10/2006, 11:04 PM

i had alge problem till i figured out to use ro water

SanDiegoreefer · 10/10/2006, 11:24 PM

I'm gonna try posting pics again.

The tank is cycled. I've heard that 9-12 hours with the lights is normal. Is that incorrect? I thought I was going on the low side.

I am using RO/DI water.

IamAReefer · 10/11/2006, 12:40 AM

Couple of things that have worked for me...
You can leave all lighting off for a few days to stunt the
algae growth. The soft corals will be fine without it.
Also, once you get going, a "sifter" fish such as a Diamond Goby is
great for removing junk from the sand. As a by product of them
looking for goodies in the sand, they stop any algae "carpet"
from forming over the bottom.

Trigeek · 10/11/2006, 05:11 AM

Have you added any sand from an existing sand bed? This would help to add critters (pods, worms, small stars) that feed off of this algae and help you sand bed become functional. Cerith and nassarius snails will help with this. Time is the main thing.

mzeinstr · 10/11/2006, 05:16 AM

i have my actinics on for 14 hours (5 AM to 7 PM), my 400W MH come on at 11:30 and are off at 5:30. i was told that MH lighting for over 6 hours was unnatural, as the sun is only at its peak for 4-6 hours per day.

marti

MichaelMichelson · 10/11/2006, 09:35 AM

That algae is just fine in a new tank. As for the lighting, yes, the sun is only at it's peak for around 5 hours, but the corals actually need white light for longer than that. If propagating corals, the best way is to keep the white light (MH) on for around 8 hours, (10,000K compact) on for around 10 hours. Keep the actinic on for around 13 hours. That's the lighting schedule that I keep all of my saltwater tank at home and at the LFS I work at. Sucess for over 2 years.

Shagsbeard · 10/11/2006, 10:09 AM

A little physics, for those who've never been underwater for 24 hours....

The refraction of sunlight into sea water makes it so the sun is pretty much overhead as soon as it rises to these critters. They're used to the light coming straight down for most of the day. To see this effect, go to the bottom of a swimming pool and look up at the surface. You'll notice that everything around the pool is in a circle over you... not all the way to the edges of the pool. With the index of refraction, and Snell's law, you can find the actual angle at which the rising or setting sun would appear to a fish on a reef.

ChunksInClemson · 10/11/2006, 01:49 PM

good point!

SanDiegoreefer · 10/11/2006, 05:30 PM

Thanks for the responses.

Very interesting opinions. I like the Goby suggestion. That makes sense to me.

Also glad no one posted anything that I'm obviously doing wrong with the tank.

10/10/2006, 09:18 PM	#1
SanDiegoreefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 94	Too much algae? Pics The live rock is cycled and has been in the tank for 4 weeks. The sand has been in for 10 days. A week ago I added 10 small hermit crabs and 7 snails. Since then I've noticed some of the stuff growing on the live rock disappearing and turning a white color. Are the crabs eating it? 3 days ago I added some soft corals. I'm leaving the 10,000k on 9 hours and the actinic on 11hrs now. Also, in the last couple days I'm noticing the algae growing on the sand. What's the best way to get that in check? The snails I have seem to be concentrating on the glass.

10/10/2006, 09:21 PM	#3
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	I'd let the tank go through all of it's cycling first. I wouldn't worry about the algae blooms too much as they are normal as the tank matures. Has the tank cycled completely? Are your ammonia and nitrites 0? __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

10/10/2006, 11:04 PM	#7
revenge53142 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kenosha,WI Posts: 317	i had alge problem till i figured out to use ro water __________________ You do not happen to have six fingers on your right hand? Current Tank Info: 20H nano

10/11/2006, 12:40 AM	#9
IamAReefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Carlsbad, CA Posts: 6	Couple of things that have worked for me... You can leave all lighting off for a few days to stunt the algae growth. The soft corals will be fine without it. Also, once you get going, a "sifter" fish such as a Diamond Goby is great for removing junk from the sand. As a by product of them looking for goodies in the sand, they stop any algae "carpet" from forming over the bottom. __________________ JK Current Tank Info: 37g. Via Aqua

10/11/2006, 05:16 AM	#11
mzeinstr Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: allegan, michigan Posts: 458	i have my actinics on for 14 hours (5 AM to 7 PM), my 400W MH come on at 11:30 and are off at 5:30. i was told that MH lighting for over 6 hours was unnatural, as the sun is only at its peak for 4-6 hours per day. marti __________________ i'd like to be, under the sea, in an octopus's garden........ Current Tank Info: 70 G, reef set up, 25 G sump with a 3 G refugium

10/10/2006, 09:21 PM	#2
abugs1985 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 193	Sounds like you have a pretty new setup so your tank is most likely just cycling, the algae should go away fairly soon. Do you have any pics? Also...check your ammonia level in the tank, the white stuff on the rocks might be die off.

10/10/2006, 09:23 PM	#4
abugs1985 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 193	also...try getting that lighting down by a couple hours for now...for example have your actinics go on at 9 in the morning, the the day lights on at 10 am and leave them on until 3 pm and the actinics until 4 pm. Obviously thats just an example so you can set the times according to your sched. so you can view your tank when you're home. But I've always found that if i slowly build up the time the lighting is on in a new setup the algae growth is much less!

10/10/2006, 09:26 PM	#5
andyrew Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: vancouver, canada Posts: 143	I think you probably jsut need to wait a little longer... by a little maybe a few weeks its hard to say. That said your photoperiod is a little longer than I think most people would have, cut it back by an hour or so for each and I think youll get some results.

10/10/2006, 09:45 PM	#6
SanDiegoreefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 94	Sorry, I'm having trouble posting pics. Will try later. I'm leaving the lights on longer now for the soft corals I just added. I thought they needed lots of light. Is that wrong? Gotta

10/10/2006, 11:24 PM	#8
SanDiegoreefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 94	I'm gonna try posting pics again. The tank is cycled. I've heard that 9-12 hours with the lights is normal. Is that incorrect? I thought I was going on the low side. I am using RO/DI water.

10/11/2006, 05:11 AM	#10
Trigeek Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Broward County, FL Posts: 638	Have you added any sand from an existing sand bed? This would help to add critters (pods, worms, small stars) that feed off of this algae and help you sand bed become functional. Cerith and nassarius snails will help with this. Time is the main thing.

10/11/2006, 09:35 AM	#12
MichaelMichelson Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Grand Forks, North Dakota Posts: 73	That algae is just fine in a new tank. As for the lighting, yes, the sun is only at it's peak for around 5 hours, but the corals actually need white light for longer than that. If propagating corals, the best way is to keep the white light (MH) on for around 8 hours, (10,000K compact) on for around 10 hours. Keep the actinic on for around 13 hours. That's the lighting schedule that I keep all of my saltwater tank at home and at the LFS I work at. Sucess for over 2 years. __________________ Michael Michelson Current Tank Info: 55g salt FOWLR, 260 w compact fluorescent, 37g sump/refugium

10/11/2006, 10:09 AM	#13
Shagsbeard Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Morro Bay, CA Posts: 2,143	A little physics, for those who've never been underwater for 24 hours.... The refraction of sunlight into sea water makes it so the sun is pretty much overhead as soon as it rises to these critters. They're used to the light coming straight down for most of the day. To see this effect, go to the bottom of a swimming pool and look up at the surface. You'll notice that everything around the pool is in a circle over you... not all the way to the edges of the pool. With the index of refraction, and Snell's law, you can find the actual angle at which the rising or setting sun would appear to a fish on a reef.

10/11/2006, 01:49 PM	#14
ChunksInClemson Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Anderson, SC Posts: 824	good point! __________________ Me to my brother-"Dude, you don't need to spend 75 dollars on a shirt! My brother to me-"Man, you just spent 100 dollars on some rocks" Me and him- "Laughs" Current Tank Info: 29g, a pair of true percs so far. Tank is newer!

10/11/2006, 05:30 PM	#15
SanDiegoreefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 94	Thanks for the responses. Very interesting opinions. I like the Goby suggestion. That makes sense to me. Also glad no one posted anything that I'm obviously doing wrong with the tank.