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pegah0atx

Reefing newb
I have my reef tank setup for 2 months. I have started to get some purple color growth on the rocks which I know is good. I also have some green color growing on the rocks is that good or bad?
 
If the purple algae is coralline then that is good , but greens and brown algae are caused by high phosphates or diatoms .Try a phosphate test kit.If the are high it could be caused by your water or a number of other reasons.You can buy a phosphate sponge or remover at most LFS,or on-line . Hope this helps .
 
pega

is it a hard substance like the purple stuff?

There is also a green type calcium based algea very similar to the coraline.

If it is hairy or slimy looking I would do as fishman has suggested and have your water tested for phosphates etc.

Are you using filtered or RO water? If not tap water can often be the root cause so have it tested also.

Brandon
 
Your system has not fully settled in yet at 2 months. you did not say what was in your tank, bio load, lighting, water parameters, circulation, filtration, etc. Provide more information and we will try and help you.
 
I have a bakpak cpr protein skimmer, a powerheard, i have not been to great on water changes 3 total for 2 months but im sticking to once a week here on out to get this tank going. I am using a 2 gallon premixed "nutri seawater", i just did my first water change with that today....i have not had the water tested for a few weeks last time i checked the guy told me everything looked good and there was just a hint of nitrates, i also have a coral that I do not remember what its called but it sits on the sand bed and has tenticles coming out of it, they have not come out in the past few days when I turn the light on, this happened before too and they came back but now it has been 3 days and it looks like it might be dead, my polips are doing well, and i have a clam looking beast with orange tenticles and his lips look like they have electric currents going through them, hes doing well also. Also two turbo snails and like 10 small black snails. I had a heavy onset of brown looking algae for a week. It took care of itself and has disappeared from the rocks and is mostly sitting on my sandbed waiting to be picked up.
 
I would say that the tank is pretty packed for new setup It happens so don't worry.The green could could hair algae or the calcium based stuff Brandon spoke of.your tank is new so you probely will get the green hair algae.They some phosphate remover as fishman stated.They flame scallop or oyster will need target feeding to servive.The coral you spoke is probaly a anenome or some kind LPS type they need occasional spot feeding and med to strong light and good water flow.how much light do you have and how many gallons is your tank.Some pre mixed seawater is high in salt.Some inhabitants my not like a sudden change in salinity.Hope some this helps
 
at this point it is time to let your system settle in. do not add any more bio load for at least 3 months. test your water weekly preferably every three days. keep a log. keep up on water changes of at least 10 percent weekly. freshly mixed salt water can be caustic to inhabitants and needs to be mixed at tank temperature for at least 24 hrs. preferably 48 before adding to system unless you have one of the new liquid concentrates that the manufacturer states can be mixed and added immediately. make sure temperature is the same as the main tank. hope something here helps. enjoy and watch for now keep us posted.
 
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