75G Reef Build

[Dad & Matt]

Thanks. I'll post pics after they're in the tank.

 

[abrahamavelar]

that will be cool to see

 

[Dad & Matt]

Is This Hair Algae??

Is this hair algae? It's growing in my tank - not too much yet. Should I pull it out? Or get something to eat it?

 

[Dad & Matt]

Some pics of the new additions and one of the crabs .

 

[abrahamavelar]

i dont think its hair algae but that algae for sure, i like your tank alot

 

[austinsdad]

You got any snails? What kind if so?

I'd also use a tank dedicated (firm) tooth brush and loosen it and siphon it out at the next water change. Might need 2 sets of hands for that.

Now, we gotta figure out whay there's green hair algae growth, assuming that's what it is. What's the water readings on the nitrates and phosphates? What's the lighting schedule and does that tank get any considerable sunlight?

I'm sure we have an article at this site on the topic too.

 

[Dad & Matt]

There's a bunch of snails - about 25 nassarius and 10 or more nerites. The nerites hang out in my overflow during the day and come out at night. Nitrates were 20-40 on Sat before I did a water change. I'll test them again later today. I don't have a phosphate test kit (yet) but will be getting one I guess. I just added some chelurpa (sp?) to the sump yesterday. That will help with the nitrates, right?

Tank gets no sunlight. Blue lights are on from 12 am - 10 pm; white lights are on from 1 pm - 9 pm. Moon lights are on all night. The tank's only been up for a month or so and really just finished cycling. I figured that's why the algae was growing. One of the emerald crabs ate one plant by himself in about 5 minutes but he's been ignoring them lately.

 

[austinsdad]

I've heard turbo snails do a good job on algae, but they are huge and will push over smaller rocks.

That nitrate level at 40 is a problem. I'm not educated enuf to know if it feeds the hair algae, but it is too high. What are you feeding and how much? That or too many fish (or a combination of both) can add nitrates. Or insufficient mechanical filtration (skimmer). How often you doing water changes?

I'm not even sure it's hair algae. Looks too formed to me. Got a distinct center and everything. May be just a another macro algae growing. Still, the nitrates gotta get better.

 

[Dad & Matt]

I'm trying to stay away from turbo snails - don't want a rock avalanche. I'm working on the nitrates. Hopefully the water change and the chelurpa will help. And from the hair algae pics I've seen I'm not convinced that's what it is. Maybe I'll post the pics in the Identification forum.

My tank is just finishing it's cycle so that's probably contributing to the nitrates. Only livestock are some crabs, some snails that I've had for a couple weeks and 5 PJ cardinals and a feather duster that I added yesterday.

I have filter pads under my return pump and skimmer pump in the sump to reduce vibrating sound. I guess they harbor nitrates, too. I'll take them out today.

 

[austinsdad]

Just rinse the pads with every water change.

 

[Dad & Matt]

Yea, meant to do that Sat night when I did the water change and forgot. Also forgot to rinse out the filter sponges on my pumps. Guess I need to make a checklist. My plan is to do water changes every 2 weeks. I may need to go every week until the nitrates go down.

 

[Dad & Matt]

Some more questions: A friend gave me a small yellow coral (some type of sun coral), a red mushroom, a green mushroom, and some zoanthids. Any advice on where to place them in the tank (high, low, lots of water flow, little water flow, etc)? I have the yellow coral about mid-level in a low flow area. The zonathids are also mid-level one in a low-flow area and one in a high-flow area. The mushrooms are both low in the tank in a medium flow area. Not sure I'm ready for these yet, but I got them yesterday and they seem to be doing okay. I also got a baby brittle starfish that hitched a ride with the coral. I'll post pics if I can.

 

[abrahamavelar]

the mushrooms and zoanthids are going to move until they find a play they like and do you have a picture of the yellow coral????

 

[austinsdad]

Remind me what kinda lights you have. And if those new corals are acclimated and OK for a couple of days, they should be alright with the lighting. Just don't put any of them in very low to dead flow areas. All of them like some movement to clean themselves and get food from the water. I put my zoas up high under MH lighting and they did well. Move them up over time if you want. Mushrooms are VERY hardy and can take almost anything IMO.

 

[abrahamavelar]

+1 mine they moved until they found a place where they like

 

[thominil]

the mushrooms and zoanthids are going to move until they find a play they like and do you have a picture of the yellow coral????

Coral can't move. The shrooms may detach and get blow around in the current until they reattach somewhere else, but other than that it can't move so they will need to be moved by us to the locations that are best. Anemones do move around to a spot of their liking though.

With the sun coral, if that actually is sun coral, it will need to be target fed. They also need to be placed in shady areas with high flow. HTH.

 

[abrahamavelar]

well the ones i got were not attached to anything

 

[Dad & Matt]

Remind me what kinda lights you have. And if those new corals are acclimated and OK for a couple of days, they should be alright with the lighting. Just don't put any of them in very low to dead flow areas. All of them like some movement to clean themselves and get food from the water. I put my zoas up high under MH lighting and they did well. Move them up over time if you want. Mushrooms are VERY hardy and can take almost anything IMO.

I have a 48" Nova Extreme fixture with 2 10K daylights, 2 acitinics, and moon lights. The corals don't look so good - just a little yellow on the end - but everything else seems to be doing fine.

Did a water test tonight: Ammonia & Nitrite = 0, Nitrate = 20, ph = 8.4, SG = 1.022, temp = 80.4. I'm not so sure about the SG reading: I'm using one of the plastice Instant Ocean hydrometers. I think bubbles get stuck on the float and screw up the readings. I probably should get a refractometer.

 

[Dad & Matt]

With the sun coral, if that actually is sun coral, it will need to be target fed. They also need to be placed in shady areas with high flow. HTH.

Thanks Thom. I moved the coral under an overhang with good flow. We'll see how it does. Kind of hard to get a pic but I'll try. What should I feed it?

 

[thominil]

A mix of frozen foods like enriched mysis and brine. Someone else can chime in as I'm not exactly sure on that.