Newbie Algae ISSUE!

[Vaportrail31]

Hello,

Ten days ago I set up my 90 gallon aquarium, using Eheim 2227 wet-dry, with 2 power heads.

I bought the aquarium from a friend and there are white remnants of coralline algea on the tank BOTTOM. He suggested that I leave the dead coralline and run my 10,000k flouro 4 hrs a day to promote growth. I also have an Coralife 4x compact 2x10k and 2x actinic that has not been on.

Well as my friend promised growth I have but it's GREEN! I have discontinued all lights and had planned on adding live sand this week. Should i cover the coralline with sand? The algea is very light, it's green in color and kinda sorta fuzzy. The algea would probrably not cover a postcard if it was isolated to one spot so I dont think I have an epedimic YET!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

"My head hurts from watching water churn!"

Vapor

 

[Anonymous]

You tank will go through many algae levels when cycling. This is one of them. You have about another 3-4 weeks of different kinds of algae growth. Wait til you get the brown algae.....you'll freak out but that's normal too.

Why didn't you put the sand in to begin with?

 

[Vaportrail31]

My friend that sold me the tank is fond of the Berlin glass bottom method.
I decided after much consideration that I prefer the look/filtration benifits of sand, so i thought i would add approx 130lbs 80lbs aragamax and 30 or so oooolite dry.

 

[Anonymous]

How deep is your sandbed going to be?

 

[Vaportrail31]

I'm shooting for 2-3 inches of sand i've heard of as much as 4-5 inches and others that say 1 to 1 and 3/4 is fine????

Any creative ideas on adding to full tank?

 

[Anonymous]

So you'r jam packed with rock already? I would say take the rock out and fill with sand, then put rock back in.

My sand bed is about 4". That's cool. Make sure you test you water often though. Sometimes DSB (deep sand bed) can hold nitrates.

 

[Vaportrail31]

I appreciate your replies:

I have not ordered rock as of yet I was trying to decide about the LSB. Now that i know I want to go that route I thought that I should add sand, allow it to settle (all pumps/filters off I assume) and then add 100 lbs of rock over the next month (2 paychecks)

Thx,

 

[Vaportrail31]

Do you think it's okay to add sand over existing remnants of coralline on tank bottom. it is white with the previously mentioned algea?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes. You can add over coralline. Actually you are lucky and will have a head start on growth.

ps....I had to buy my LR in stages too.

 

[Anonymous]

I would suggest getting a skimmer. Is that wet dry under the tank with bioballs? If so I would suggest ditching the bioballs.

 

[Vaportrail31]

I will be acquiring a skimmer soon. I rushed into the filter deal; had I to to it over again I would get get a sump. It is an eheim 2227 wet dry which uses their Eufenstraben (crazy mis-pelled) no bio balls.

 

[Vaportrail31]

Just posted yesterday ABOVE about green algea covering existing dead coralline. I found a very small patch of new pink frowth last night :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Sweet!

Like Mark said, get a skimmer. It will save you alot of heartache later.

 

[Vaportrail31]

Any suggestions on skimmer type/manfacturer can't afford Deltec...

 

[Vaportrail31]

Any suggestions on skimmer type/manfacturer can't afford Deltec...

 

[Anonymous]

In sump or Hang on?

 

[Vaportrail31]

I have a cannister wet/dry eheim model 2227. (not so confident about it)

No sump so I will need a hang on. I plan on adding one more powerhead also.

 

[Anonymous]

Go with AquaC Remora. They are the best when it comes to HOB skimmers.

 

[SnowManSnow]

I have an aquaC remora and love it.

been running it for 3 years now.

best HOT skimmer out there IMHO.

B

 

[Vaportrail31]

CVP thanks so much for the prompt replies, snowman I appreciate your input also.

My tank has been running 11 days today, water only! (wanted to see if the eheim could handle the bio-load of city water )

I have decided to go with a DSB 2-3 inches and live rock which I planned on adding in 3 stages

1.) Sand tomorrow
2.) 50-60lbs Fiji LR in One week (after sand settles)
3.) another 50-60lbs of rock in 2 weeks.

My question is how important is the skimmer now vs. after cycle a month from now when I intro fish?

Also should I discontinue all powerheads and filtration while the sand is all stirred up?

Thanks Again you all rock!