Help! 50 Day Old 90 Gallon Covered in Red Brown and Neon Gac

[Vaportrail32]

I have a 90 gallon tank with 2/3 inch sand bed and various dead corals many pieces of which i collected from the beach, (when I lived there)

Anyway I am 40+ with 2 green chromis I lost one about two weeks ago I also have 2 Turbo snails.

I have this NEON green algea I suppose that is not hairy it's just everywhere, sparse on sand but havy on certain rocks. I have a brown algea that likes the sand and only certain Pieces of rack and in the last 4 days a very bright reddish/pink algea has began to form. Salinity is a 1.26 Kh and nitrite/trate are all cool what gives with the algea?

Any help would be greatly appreciated should I post a pic If I did it would probrably require a disclaimer this is UGLY!

 

[dnorton1978]

What type of water are you using in your tank. Are you using tap, ocean, or ro/di?? Also you tank is 50 days old?? Which is a little longer than a month and a half. Your tank will go through a normal cycle, especially that brown algae. I hate that part of the cycle it is very ugly.

I figure that the dead corals you collected from the beach may have something to do with the problem too. Did you clean the rocks, or boil them prior to adding????

What type of lighting do you have.

When you say your levels are cool, what do you mean by cool??

What type of filtration do you have?

Did you sand come from your beach also??


The reason for all of the questions is that it will make it easier for everyone here to give you better advice. Thanks.

 

[Vaportrail32]

Ro/Di (industrial unit @ work) Aragamax x 80lbs Bahmaian oolitic "live wet" x 40 lbs.

Rinsed the corals and rock and let them sit in rubber maid with x2 poweheads for 3 days changing the water 10% each day they (the Corals) have been dead for a LONG Time.

I have 48inch coralife only running 2 bulbs (daylight 10k) and one t13 flouro that has a slightly blueish hue it is also a daylight bulb.

I have a jacked up eheim wet dry that makes bubbles equivelant to 10k airstones when in wet/dry mode so I am running it mechanical with cannister level slightly low so that I can hear a fiant trickle.

PH in range ammonia @ 0.0 0.1 slightly salty

 

[Vaportrail32]

Can Anyone help me?

 

[SnowManSnow]

post a pic for us.. it may help determine your problem.

also, check the TDS in your top off water.

b

 

[trido]

First of all, :welcome:

What is the intended use of the industrial RO/DI? Snowman is correct in asking because if it is heavily used and hasn't been tested lately you might as well be using tap water. Some reefers dont even trust their local fish store for good reason. If the RO/DI is dirty then you are likely adding phosphates and feeding the algea.
Since your tank is only 50 days old, Im assuming your light fixture is new so we can rule out old bulbs. Right?
Are you planning on having a reef or just a fish only? doesnt really matter at this time but curious if your lighting will be adequate.
What kind of circulation are you using? Good flow helps cut down on dead spots allowing detritious to build up which also feeds algea.
Do you have a skimmer? Most reefers nowadays swear by them.
Are you testing for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? After 50 days they should be sitting at Zero. If thats the case get a clean up crew in there. snails will help to keep some types of algea.
The reddish pink slime sounds like cyano. The brown sounds like diatoms. Im at a loss about the neon stuff. the first two are natural parts of the tank settling in so to speak.
The cure. Skim wet, increase flow(more powerheads), cut back on feedings, do more waterchanges with pure water( check the TDS on that water), and keep your fingers crossed. :wink:

 

[Vaportrail32]

The water is clean, a friend (whom I bought my equipment from) uses it for his tank. The unit was intended for use at a bosy shop when washing cars to prevent water spots no additives and will make 90 gls in about 5 minutes.

The lights are old and the spectrum seems to Vary from the compact flouros to the 48 incher although both are "Daylight Bulbs" Since the question was asked I assume the bulbs can have an effect? No actinic.

The reddish pink has now evolved into what i believe to be the common brown algea that I have on certian areas of my sand bed.

The chromis act as though they are starving; charging to me when I approach the tank, I have been feeding x2 a day approx 1/4 cube brine frozen.

I have noticed that the "NEON Green" likes only certain pieces of coral

 

[Vaportrail32]

The water is clean, a friend (whom I bought my equipment from) uses it for his tank. The unit was intended for use at a bosy shop when washing cars to prevent water spots no additives and will make 90 gls in about 5 minutes.

The lights are old and the spectrum seems to Vary from the compact flouros to the 48 incher although both are "Daylight Bulbs" Since the question was asked I assume the bulbs can have an effect? No actinic.

The reddish pink has now evolved into what i believe to be the common brown algea that I have on certian areas of my sand bed.

The chromis act as though they are starving; charging to me when I approach the tank, I have been feeding x2 a day approx 1/4 cube brine frozen.

I have noticed that the "NEON Green" likes only certain pieces of coral

 

[trido]

Dont take my words to the bank, but I believe I have read that bulbs, as they get old, lose their spectrum and can promote algea growth.
By looking at your pics. I'd say that at this point you dont have too much to worry about. the algeas looks to be normal and doesnt seem to be anywhere ear plaque porportions. Its good that you ask, keep on reading and dont be afraid to get thelp when needed.

 

[Vaportrail32]

I appreciate the welcome as well as the reply!

I have discontinued lighting for the last 36 hrs, hopefully this is why the "redddish Pink" has settled down a bit. I cant find any neon algea anywhere? I did see one that is a hairy clump but this seems spotty vs. hairy.

Thanks Agian sorry about the dupe poop pics!

 

[dnorton1978]

To me it looks just like a new tank syndrome. If you follow the above advice from everyone, ie. skim, increase water movement, etc, it will soon clear up. I have seen much worse.. :wink:

 

[SnowManSnow]

yup have some patience.. you've got what looks to be a minor diatom bloom.. it will pass in a few weeks at most.

B

 

[Vaportrail32]

Thanks for the help, I dont have a skimmer (wifey decided to get pregnant during my equipment phase! 9 mths now so you could say no live rock or skimmers are in my immediate future!!!! :roll: )

Should I change water once a week or only within certain water quality paramaters from the test kit?

Also should lights stay night night for now they have been off for 48hrs+ and I do see a difference!

Thanks Again,

S in Ga


"looking at these wet rocks ROCK!" :lol:

 

[SnowManSnow]

with what you have going id do a 5g water change once a week for a month.. some may suggest more. I think you'll be fine.

You may consider checking out ebay for a nice skimmer at a lower price, but if you arent going to have corals for a while I wouldnt really even bother.

as for the lights... i dont see anything alive in there .. so you don't even need lights haha so yea,, you can keep them off.

where in GA are you? I know some great stores i the Cartersville / Atlanta area.

B.

 

[gwoodbridge]

Are you using live rock?

My tank just finished an ugly brown algae phase, and I would blow it off the rock with a turkey baster (bought for tank-use only) and siphon it during water changes. That helped. I only did one water change, and in a week the stuff went away. I still have some on the sand, but my hermits are going to work on that.

Doesn't look like you're in too bad a shape, based on the pics.

 

[Vaportrail32]

I'm 3 hrs south of Atlanta. I added the larger pieces of "Dead Corals" with the intent on using them for base rock, and with any luck get some coraline growth this was at initial setup.

I added approx 10/15 smaller pieces (three weeks later) which I soaked in scalding hot water x2 and the yucky stuff does not like those peices. Could this indicate that I might extract the diatom magnets and boil them then put them back, or just let things roll on. I dont know what this NEON green stuff is?

I wasnt certain how no light might effect the chromis? they may think I moved them to alaska with all of the darkness.

No live rock as of yet, no chance in hell that wifey will let me spend a dollar on the "money shredder" as she so affectionately refers to my dead piece of ocean in the living room :roll: This could ultimatley get ugly so anyone with space for me and a 90 gl project "will work for space on couch" :wink:

Anyway theres a chance that I will be moving to the coast in the near future so I thought of maybe adding a fish or two when everything settles down, I like Hawkfish (flame) and really like sailfin tangs.

Once i get settled into my new place I could cure and add skimmer/rock etc...

Thanks,

Baller on a Burger King Budget!

 

[gwoodbridge]

I STRONGLY recommend getting your rock cycled before adding any fish, and definitely a skimmer! That will save you lots of money in the long-run, saving expensive fishes' lives. Yeah, this hobby is very pricey, but even in my early stages such as I am, I do not regret the patience or the advice of the experienced here on this list--and they all say similar things. Live rock (which will grow coralline algae in a few weeks), live sand, and a protein skimmer seem to be the mantra. (I of course am omitting other filter options, powerheads, etc.)T HEN slowly add fish when your levels are zero. Do each part as you can afford, but skipping steps to get to fish could be bad. Anyone else want to chime in?