Algea ID anyone??

[stoned-reefer83]

I have a 10 gallon tank that has been up and running since mid January of this year. It's been through several ugly stages, but now there's a green algea or something that is covering my rocks and it doesn't scrape off. Can someone help me identify what is going on? The lights are out and my wife is in bed so I can't test water. I did my bi weekly parameter check yesterday but everything was in range like its supposed to be

 

[Spare time]

Looks like diatoms.

 

[stoned-reefer83]

Looks like diatoms.

Green diatoms?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Looks like just the early stages of a new tanks growth to me! How old is the tank? IF new, and no corals or nems yet, leave the lights off for a couple months. That goes a long way towards keeping the ugly phase at bay. I left mine off for the 1st 3.5 months and virtually avoided the uglies all together. That was just about a year ago now.

 

[stoned-reefer83]

Almost 7 months old. I've delt with algea issues from the beginning, bit this one is new to me, it doesn't scrape off of the rocks, it's not slimy or have a film like appearance to it. As far as corals go, I only have a couple zoas in this tank at the moment

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Almost 7 months old. I've delt with algea issues from the beginning, bit this one is new to me, it doesn't scrape off of the rocks, it's not slimy or have a film like appearance to it. As far as corals go, I only have a couple zoas in this tank at the moment

Okay, well with the zoa's, you have to have the lights, but if the algae does not come off, then it is indeed just a part of the tank maturing. Just let it do it's thing. The rocks will change quite a bit over time as they eventually become live rock.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

If I am not.mistaken, color aside, I would want this to happen with white rocks in a new tank. You want life to cover their surfaces to allow for benthic succession. I am not sure there is an escape from the uglies without your rock becoming live.

 

[stoned-reefer83]

Okay, well with the zoa's, you have to have the lights, but if the algae does not come off, then it is indeed just a part of the tank maturing. Just let it do it's thing. The rocks will change quite a bit over time as they eventually become live rock.

Ok, thanks! I just checked Po4 and No3 and both are zero.

 

[stoned-reefer83]

If I am not.mistaken, color aside, I would want this to happen with white rocks in a new tank. You want life to cover their surfaces to allow for benthic succession. I am not sure there is an escape from the uglies without your rock becoming live.

Yeah I'm just ready for things to settle down lol
I'm building a 75 gallon right now and all I can think is "I get to go through this all over again!" This time around though I'm more educated lol

 

[stoned-reefer83]

I do have pods in the tank. I have no clue where they came from

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Ok, thanks! I just checked Po4 and No3 and both are zero.

If you can bring those numbers up just a bit that will help fight algae, but again, the green you have now is a good thing, not a bad thing. You should want those numbers to be around 10 ppm for NO3, and .03 t0 .10 ppm for NO4. How often do you feed your fish?

 

[stoned-reefer83]

If you can bring those numbers up just a bit that will help fight algae, but again, the green you have now is a good thing, not a bad thing. You should want those numbers to be around 10 ppm for NO3, and .03 t0 .10 ppm for NO4. How often do you feed your fish?

I can bring those up. I've been having to feed my inverts lately one maybe twice weekly cause there hasn't been much for the to feed on lately. I have no fish in there, and I recently started target feeding my Zoas once a week

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I can bring those up. I've been having to feed my inverts lately one maybe twice weekly cause there hasn't been much for the to feed on lately. I have no fish in there, and I recently started target feeding my Zoas once a week

Can you get a couple fish? Like clowns or something? That will help the whole process a lot.

 

[stoned-reefer83]

Can you get a couple fish? Like clowns or something? That will help the whole process a lot.

Yes I thought about getting a damsel for it. It's just a 10 gallon so I'm limited. It was my first saltwater tank. I didn't listen when everyone told me it would be harder to maintain than a larger system lol
I'm currently taking my time and building a 75 gallon

 

[stoned-reefer83]

I did have a couple fish in the beginning and I had an ammonia spike and lost it all, it has deterred me from putting any more in there lol

Can you get a couple fish? Like clowns or something? That will help the whole process a lot.

 

[stoned-reefer83]

This is my new endeavor lol

 

[stoned-reefer83]

Can you get a couple fish? Like clowns or something? That will help the whole process a lot.

Any suggestions on specific fish that would be good to keep in a 10 gallon?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Any suggestions on specific fish that would be good to keep in a 10 gallon?

I would get a couple of small clowns! THey are fun fish to watch, and can be transferred over to your 75 when it is ready.

 

[stoned-reefer83]

I would get a couple of small clowns! THey are fun fish to watch, and can be transferred over to your 75 when it is ready.

Awesome I'll have some in there before days end! Lol thank you!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a 10 gallon tank that has been up and running since mid January of this year. It's been through several ugly stages, but now there's a green algea or something that is covering my rocks and it doesn't scrape off. Can someone help me identify what is going on? The lights are out and my wife is in bed so I can't test water. I did my bi weekly parameter check yesterday but everything was in range like its supposed to be

Looks like surface and turf algae. Often associated with bright light. light from a nearby window and elevated phosphates. Scrubbing with a tooth brush and adding pencil urchin, astrea-cerith-nassarius and nerite snails will help clean this up