Hi

Hey everyone. Im new at salt water aquariums. I have had mine set up for like 12 or 13 weeks. I did a bad thing when I started mine. I used tap water...bad thing to do...now when I do water changes I use distilled water. My first change with distilled was like 5 or 6 gal. the next change...I do a change every week.....I done like 15gal. for days my tank was clean and clear of any algae, not all, but the most of it. My phosphates were testing like 0.25 and sometimes like 0.5. I done another change...I do every Thurs. night....I only changed like 6gal. maybe.....everything was looking good the water test was all cheking out. I added one 4lb. live rock, and three corals, one fish. My phosphates are now at 1. I have this algae, it looks black, it .will cover rock, the sand, and some of it will lift, it causes my surface water to have a green film on it. I have a eheim canister it is for 80 gal, my tank is 75, I have two power heads, this Wed. Im going to get two koralia 3`s. Is there something I can do for this algae problem? Will all the water movement help with the algae?

 

Hey! Welcome to 3reef!

Yes, water movement, more rock and not feeding a lot will help keep the algae down. post some pics if you can so we can see what you're talking about!

you say you added 1 piece of rock that weighed 4lbs? Only one rock? You need about 80-100 more lbs of rock in there. do you have a clean up crew(snails,crabs,shrimp)? they will also help keep the gunk/algae down.

 

Welcome!

 

I will add a "Welcome " as well...
Everyone his is Soo knowledgeable A HuGe Help

 

welcome to 3 reef

 

Thanks for the info. no I have about 60 lbs of live rock. How much rock(live) should I have in my tank?

 

Thanks for all the big welcome`s

 

welcome to 3Reef!

 

Welcome aboard.
How often do you feed and how much?
Usually 1.5-2 times the gallon = pounds of rock for a normal bioload.
About 125-170ish lbs for a 75
Do you have a clean up crew? Snails ect.
If not I would recommend. reefcleaners.org is good and a 3reef sponsor.

Phosphate are the favorite food for algae. Some algae blooms are the normal part of breaking in a new tank and will go away by themselve. .. usually brown diatoms and some green calcerous on the rocks and glass.
Your phosphates are rather high so I would check how much you're feeding. Remember Flakes are very high in phosphates. Fresh meaty food is better. Also the high phosphates probably still came from your original tap water...just keep diluting it.

 

Im going to change my water in my tank again, on THUR. night. As for feeding I feed once a day. I feed like two different kinds of meats and some frozen vegetable cubes, all my foods are frozen. I do not know anything about making my own foods for my fish. I know it would be better for them. I have 1 yellow tang, 1pygmy angel, 1 algae blennie, 1 bangii,1maroon clown,1yellow tail damsel and 1 anthias. I added the pygmy Angel and when I woke the next morning he has ick, then my anthias has it again, none of the other fish have it? Im not sure why, I did not have any ick before I put the new fish in. I have a few corals as well I want to add a flame angel, can I do this with a pygmy in my tank, All that fish does is hide in the rocks, or he stays close. I think he is very pretty but he just does not come out in the open spent like 30.00 for it and all it does is hide.So will all the water changes help with this algae? I said it was black but maybe it is so green that it looks black, not sure. How do I post a photo on here?