Is this red hair algae?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

kfig7

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 18, 2010
Messages
47
Its a terrible picture taken on my phone but I hope someone can make out what it looks like. It is basically a redish brown hair like algae I guess. The tank is 5 1/2 weeks old. Unfortunately the algae or whatever it is came with the live rock. Stupid me should have cleaned it off before putting it in tank. Right now I have:

2 False Percula Clowns
5 Cerith Snails
7 Nassarius Snails
2 Fighting Conch
1 Emerald crab

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10ppm
Phosphate - zero but this means nothing as the algae is probably utilizing it.


Also have diatoms but that is to be expected with a new tank. I added phosphate remover in sump last night. Is there anything else I should do?
 

Attachments

  • IMAG0009.jpg
    IMAG0009.jpg
    60.2 KB · Views: 96
Last edited:
Better pic would help. It possibllooks like red turf algae. Follow Mike's advice and the 10 steps outlined.
 
1. I'm using RO water 0 TDS

2. I do water changes once a week.

3. I have not tried to manually remove it

4. I had lights on 10 hrs a day but recently went to 8. Using 108 watts 10000k/actinic

5. Think cuc is fine for bioload

6. I feed once a day and definitely dont overfeed. I probably should feed more

7. I do rinse my frozen food but with tap water :(

8. dont have a refugium

9. I dont use additives

10. I do have a skimmer but theres doesnt seem to be much skimmate.

Is it common for newly started saltwater aquariums to have algae issues?
 
Is it common for newly started saltwater aquariums to have algae issues?

Very much so. Because of parameters swings and excessive nutrients in the tank because the end result of the cycle is nitrates, yes nuisance algea will run rampant. And even though you only are at 10 on the nitrates it is much higher then that because your algea is pulling it out as fuel.
 
No corals in there so cut the lights back down to 2 -4 hours /day to see if that helps in the short run. You are probably jsut seeing waht we all see in the first year. It just needs to run its course.
 
Back
Top Bottom