Red stuff growing...

[futh29]

My tanks about a month old now and it seems as if overnight these red spots just started growing. They're not only growing on my live sand but also on my dry rock and battleship decoration! I have a feeling its because I've been trying to get my blenny and clowns to start eating some nori and algae wafers and they just end up sitting there not getting touched. Also, every friday I have been adding instant ocean reef accelerator to try and speed up my dry rock seeding! I'm wondering what these are, how to get rid of them/are they bad for the tank, and what caused them!

p.s.: I tested my water with one of those strip tests and it looks as if my nitrites are about 1 to 2 and my nitrates are around 20-40, these things are impossible to read!

 

[JumperAlex]

How much flow do you have in your tank?

 

[futh29]

150 gph from my bio-wheel and several airstones

 

[JumperAlex]

His large is the tank?

 

[futh29]

20 gallons, the back wall is covered with live/dry rock

 

[JumperAlex]

I'm no expert but I have found that the more flow you have the better. In my 36g I have 2 500gph power heads and the return from my fluval 306 canister filter and a fluval hob filter. On my 90g I have a 1,500gph a 1,250gph and a 1,150gph power as well as the return from my sump. Before I goet as much flow as I have now I had a bit of a problem with little bits of red growth but it has gotten better now.

 

[futh29]

I had a powerhead but I ended up returning it because it seemed like all of my fish hated it, but i could be completely wrong!

 

[JumperAlex]

Just remember that the ocean has a ton of current and that is what we are trying to mimic in our tanks.