What is going on with my tank!!!????

Hello all, so I'm not new to saltwater, or fishkeeping in general, but Completely new to reefkeeping!! Here is the story of my tank and whats going on. Its a 46g Bow - Lighting - 4x96w Current Orbit PC fixture w/moonlights - standard bulbs 2 dual daylight and 2 dual actinic (About 7mo on bulbs) - Aqua C Remora skimmer w/mj1200 and the pre-filter box. I started the tank about 5mo ago - Started with a few damsels and just some basic sand/crushed coral. Tank cycled - brown algae, green algae and then it was all gone. About 2 months ago I added about 30lbs of base rock (All washed well in freshwater before adding) and all was still fine. I don't really have alot of money (who does right now?) So I purchased the Orbit fixture used and the skimmer used. The lights started another algae bloom, but then that went away as normal. THEN - someone gave me about 30lbs of live rock to start adding all the copepods/coraline algae, etc. HOWEVER, as I'm new I didn't realise this rock had some not so good stuff on it too!!! I f/w dipped the rock just to kill any flatworms as he had them in his tank and told me about them. However, now I have been fighting some GHA (Although it's turning brown and dying now slowly) and the aiptasia anemones (I know I spelled that wrong) - I currently have a Lawnmower blenny - 3 damsels and a pink urchin. There were some pulsing Xenia on the rock and they are doing well as well as a Kenya tree that is doing ok (I think?) with some mystery polyps which are doing well also. My questions are this - my tank is now daily overrun with this lime green algae on all glass (Like a film Algae) and my water is even a greenish tint!!! Attached are some pics of the tank and I'm just not sure why all this algae again!! Did adding the LR start another cycle? Also if someone might be able to ID the mystery polyp? I lightly feed 1 or maybe twice a day and lights are on for 10hrs per day. I stopped using my HOB filter as I was told that isn't good to use on a reef tank - so only filtration is the LR and the skimmer. Any help will be nice - also thinking about some different aquascaping if anyone has any suggestions. Sorry for writing a book, just wanted to give all info I could.

Nitrates/Nitrites 0ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
PH 8.4

I currently don't have a test for phosphates so I'm not sure where they are at? I used tap water at first but have since switched to RO/DI water as I didn't realize how important that was!! Any help is appreciated. Thanks!!!!

P.S. Powerheads are two Koralia 3's

 

Should be enough flow. The bulbs could probably be replaced. PM Tangster for some actinic white and super actinic UVL PC bulbs, world of difference that makes. Also you should run some carbon and phosphate remover media.

 

How lng has the ro/di been in use?

 

Oh wow! That looks like the water in some of the docks around here that aren't that healthy to begin with, looks like either an algae bloom or a bacteria bloom, no idea for sure though. Your polyps appear to be Aptasia(very bad!) and the Kenya Tree is a good score, but you need to rid the aptasia's as quickly as you can.

 

Hey! Welcome to 3reef! I ddin't see you post anything about a clean up crew, other than an urchin. snails, crabs, cuke, shrimp anything like that in your tank? Talk to John at reefcleaners on here in the sponsor section. He'll get it straightened out. cut your lighting back until the algae goes away, 8 hours a day and cut back feeding to once every other day a pinch. add that hob filter back on and add some filter media and carbon! good luck and let us know how it goes!

also, I see a few button polyps along with the aiptasia. search aiptasia and you'll find all kinds of info on it

 

Only been using the RO/DI for about 1 week now - did a 25% water change when I added it. Still some tap floating around in there. I am actually looking at changing to the Actinic/Super Actinic bulbs, but I'm just totally lost on what to do with this tank. If I need to pull the livestock I can. I would rather the fish survive. They all look healthy and the water smells fine, but I wouldn't want to live in there right now!! Yeah, my CUC is pretty lacking right now. I did get a peppermint shrimp a bit ago, but haven't seen him anywhere?? I don't think damsels eat peppermint shrimp? I just have an urchin and a handful of blue legs. What should be the next purchase? CUC or some better lighting? Or something completely different?

 

ya not having a good clean up crew and using tap water for so long may have had a little to do with what you see.

 

ooooo i bet it is the tap water. do you measure phosphates? it is a fertilizer for that junk.

 

Hi, give it time. For now, since what I see looks pretty intrusive, do a 25% water change with the RO/DI water weekly for 4 weeks to displace the existing water. At this time also I would add some more rock as that is your main filtration and you do not have enough now to do an adequate job. I say add rock (pretty rock, Coraline encrusted) now because it will aid in the cycling process. I read the tank has been up for 5 mos. or so but my 55 gal. took a full 8 mos. total to fully "cycle out" (my term) and become stable. Another reason for more rock is you aren't using a sump or HOB filter or canister. When you add rock add live bacteria at double the marine dose and add some after each water change to build a substantial colony. If possible add a Phosphate reactor and use Pura Phoslock as a media. Taking care of this now while the tank is young is your best bet on having what you desire for the future.

 

If I read her first post right, she has no filtration except the live rock and protein skimmer. I'm surprised no one has suggested a sump/refuge. Isn't this the BEST filtration for a reef? Just wondering if it possible to not have any form of filtration other than the before mentioned. Everyday I learn SO much from this forum..