algae problem with new tank

Discussion in 'Algae' started by John Alston, Oct 20, 2008.

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  1. John Alston

    John Alston Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2008
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    73
    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    please excuse my newness as this is the first time i have posted anywhere, let alone this rather distinguished site. in fact i have only been in this hobby for about a year. not to bore you but rather to give you an idea of my experience and knowledge. i built a fountain in teh summer of 2007 and stocked it with one Koi. when fall came, i had to do something to preserve him so i bought a 10 gal tank and within a few months i had two other Koi and 3 goldfish. i moved them into a 29 gal tank and figured i'd get into salt water so i cycled the 10 gal tank and stocked it with two clown fish. they have been happy and healthy since april 2008. i managed to find a great home for the fresh water guys in a friends backyard pond (about 4 feet deep by 6 feet long, 3 feet wide). so i bought a 65 gal tank with a view movinf the clown fish in and going from there.
    i am 15 days into cycling the 65 gal tank; 32 lb live rock, 55 lbs crushed coral, rapids pro filter/skimmer, 2 coralife actinic t5 bulbs (on for 12 hours a day, no dalight in room), two number one koralia power heads, ammonia and nitrite is zero and has been for about 10 days. nitrate is stalled at between 10 to 20 ppm, ph is about 8 to 8.2, sg 1.021. everything seemed to be going along just fine until, overnight, a fuzzy, hairy mat of green algae appeared primarily on the back glass panel and near the skimmer intake. but there is also sign on the lr too. in a couple of areas on the back glass panel there also appeared a red oval patch of algae, about 1/2 inch tear shaped.
    is this algae a problem or will it resolve itself as the cycles or should i be working to get rid of it? also, there was a round globe attached to one of the rocks that i thought was part of the rock formation (i read about bubble algae but it did not look close to the pics i found online) so i just figured it was part of the rock. well yesterday the globe had turned transparent and was rather flexible in the sense that it seemed to be moving fluidly with the water flow. today it seems to have disappeared.
    i would definitely appreciate any assistance that you folks could provide. i have lots of time to fix any problems now, i don't have a timetable for stocking the tank.
    thanks in advance! .. i've attached a few pics taken tonight
     

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  3. reefman1132

    reefman1132 Skunk Shrimp

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    Thats hair algae. Lower your lights to 10 hours do water changes. Its just part of your cycle once the nitrates go away it should too. What do you plan on putting in your tank?
     
  4. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

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    If you are cycling just turn your main lights completely off. Run actinics only. And what are you using for your water source?
    And welcome to 3reef!!!!!!!
     
  5. John Alston

    John Alston Astrea Snail

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    Location:
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    thanks guys. i will do a water change, do you suggest 10 or 25 %? i have two clownfish that have been together in my 10 gal tank since april '08. i was going to start with them and was thinking of a yellow tang, perhaps a half dozen green chromis. but i do know that the clowns can be rather aggressive, so i'm going slow in deciding what i will eventuially end up with.
    actually i only have the actinics as recommended by my lfs. i used declorinated tap water which seemed to have waorked OK with my 10 gal tank. it has about 5 lbs lr and 15 lbs crushed coral
     
  6. scenario1313

    scenario1313 Tassled File Fish

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    I would get RO water and definitely more live rock. The chromis tang and clowns would be fine. Once cycled of course
     
  7. LCP136

    LCP136 Sailfin Tang

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    Hair algae can become a bad problem if you don't get it under control. Once your tank is stable I would look into an algae/lawnmower blenny just to be safe ,but make sure it is taking prepared food in case you run out of algae. It will probably go away on its own.
     
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  9. John Alston

    John Alston Astrea Snail

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    Location:
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    wouold it work if i used RO for my water changes. i was intending to get more lr, about 30 lbs more but ran out of $. but i was thinking of biting the bullet and getting the rest now so that it all cycles at once.
     
  10. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Don't do a water change. Let your cycle finish first. And you only have actinics on or only actinics?
     
  11. John Alston

    John Alston Astrea Snail

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    you guys are fantastic! would teh lawnmower blenny go ok with the clowns, tang & chromis? i won't be able to stock the blenny until after a 6 week quaratine .. would this delay be ok?
     
  12. John Alston

    John Alston Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2008
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    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    geesh how dense can i get. one bulb is the actinic, the other is a 10,000 K?? should i remove the 10000k bulb.