Need help-new to forum and saltwater

queenangel77

queenangel77

Reefing newb
I have a 72 bow salt. Been set up for about 4-5 weeks. I am starting to get a brown color on the live sand, i think diatons. Also starting to get a red algae, a little stringy on 1 of the live rocks, and a few blotchy spots on the sand also. What can i do to stop this?I read to turn my light off but im afraid i will kill the small group of polyps, and mushrooms that are in there. My tank consists of live sand,50-60pds of live rock, protien skimmer,2powerheads,heater,salinity 1.023, all water levels are where they should be. 1 double bar rabbitfish, 2 mated pair false clowns, 1 gobe, 4 snails (unsure of what kind.) I dont over feed. I have a regular strip light on the tank now with an ocean sun 10k bulb. I have a t5 but am not going to put it on until the problem clears up because i dont want it to grow. I am new to salt water and any help would be appreciated. Also.. I did use RO water to fill the tank. Thanks in advance.
 
just let it run its course it will come no matter what lights you have and it will pass just keep the water good and it will pass. some alages come along with bad lighting also.
 
Hi and welcome! Like others have said, algae in the beginning is inevitable. If you want to keep your corals alive, you definitely need to put on the T5s. The lights you have right now won't be sufficient to sustain them.

You can make the algae less painful by using only RODI water (not tapwater) and doing regular water changes of 10 to 20% once a week, or every other week. You can also buy a cheapo little HOB filter and run phosphate removal media in it to help with the algae. Google "mexican turbo snail" and "nassarius snail". If those are not the types of snail you have, then get a few mexican turbos to help with the algae, and a handful of nassarius to help with the sand.
 
Sound exactly like diatoms. They are not harmful, but they are ugly. I can't say how long it will take, but your diatom outbreaks will get less frequent as the tank matures.
 
I agree with the above posts on the diatoms and algae.But I wont hurt your corals to go 3 or 4 days with the lights completely off.
You also need to slow down on stocking.A rabbitfish,2 clowns and goby in 4 to 5 week old system,is pushing it.Hows your ammonia,nitrite,and nitrate levels? Fine dont tell us much,because everybodies levels are fine,depending on who you ask.
 
My levels are.... nitrite-0 nitrate-20 ALK-240 PH-8.1 Salinity 1.023. It has actually been about 6 weeks, and i watch my levels religiously to make sure nothing is going wrong. I know I do need to slow down though. Just anxious.
 
Theres not a member of this site that cant relate when it comes to stocking a new tank:D
Since your getting cyano,just turn your lights off for 3 or 4 days.It wont bother the corals,but it'll sure kill off cyano bacteria.You might want to up your water changes a bit also,and run some form of phosphate remover.
You ARE use RO/DI water right?
 
I was reffering to "yote". Under all his posts it says live life at full draw. He bow hunts, and so do I. Pse is a brand of Bow. Nothing to do with fish. sorry for the confusion
 

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