leaped then looked

[Tnjohn]

hello everyone!! i got a 28gal nano cube cf and suddenly found myself lost in the wonderful world of salt water aquarium learning curve. here is my story. tank has been up for 2weeks had light on a 12 hr cycle( realized that was wrong- i guess:/ ) brown things started to growing on the sand (normal so i'm told) and poof- the attack of green algae! ugh! so lights out, snails and hermit crabs in.i am trying to not get discourage but how do i tackle the algae without chemicals ( oh yeah the green stuff is fern like, about a 1 inch long flowing in the current) once again hello and excited about saltwater.

 

[Bige]

Dont get discouraged yet. Did the tank cycle? What are water parameters? Things grow when nutrients are available. Turn lights down. You dont need 12 hours. More like 8. The brown is probably diatoms. The green could be lots of things. But what do you have? Just live rock? If its hair algae, dont stress. Your just beginning.

 

[Tnjohn]

thanks for the advice and encouragement. here is more info on my set up. the tank:28 gal nano cube cf-quad(wave maker option set at 2 minutes). used live sand, 50/50 live rock base rock., heater of course and a oceanic bio cube protein skimmer. occupant so far are 10 hermit crabs and 1 snails.

tanks initial set up was 04feb '11.

feb 8 water test pH-7.8, ammonia 0.50 ppm, nitrate 0, nitrite 0.50 ppm, phos 0, alk yellow at 20gtts, sal 1.021

feb 14 water test pH7.6, hi p 7.8, nitrates and nitrites 0, alk 11 gtts, Ca 440 ppm, phos 0, sal 1.023. buffered tank to get pH up.

i have turned off the light to see if the green algae would die of and i think it is working, or the cleaners are getting fat. the water is sl cloudy but i am thinking it maybe doing some cycling? i am trying to keep hands off for a while, thought i was over think ( a bad thing for a newbie to do!!)

what is your theory on how you set up your rocks? any extreme don't i should be aware of? planning on getting water testing kit, any suggestions? what is your thoughts on putting a light in plants in the filter area? the black foam in the filter works but needs cleaned frequently or should i worry about getting the tank regulated first? thanks again have a good day