Algae advice?

[RonS]

All, what do you think about the attached? The tank is about 4 months old. For the last few weeks I’ve been bringing NO3 levels up because I hit 0 and the tank wasn’t happy. I just got nitrate to measure in the tank (fairly low levels). I’ve had diatoms on the sand.

The last few days I started getting excited because I saw corraline starting to come out on the live rock. However, literally overnight, I woke up to this.

Am I about to have a hair algae problem? I’m thinking I need to take out the rock and scrub it... thoughts?

Thanks!

—Ron

 

[jcook54]

A cycle of diatoms and GHA are pretty common in a new-ish system. In my experience, when I try to increase nitrates, green hair algae (GHA) is the first thing that responds. It'll start growing and take up all the nitrates so my levels still show as being pretty low. I've always viewed taking the rock out and scrubbing it as a last resort but that's just me. Post a pic of what you're talking about but I'd be tempted to let it ride and try to get rid of it over time. Any drastic moves at this point might lead to the system taking longer to smooth out and stabilize. FYI - I'm dealing with the exact same issue in my frag system that I set up in early September. Low nitrates, dosed nitrates, GHA showing up and what I describe is exactly what I'm doing. To combat it I picked up some additional blue legs and a Tomini Tang. Other than that, I'm going to let the tank look ugly until the point that frags start being effected. My goal is for the system to tell me what it needs and drastic measures are effective at getting rid of the exact issue but but not so effective in reaching long term goals.

I'm using my 65g display as my example. That system has been up and running for 10 years and I can usually tell what I need to do by looking at it. Algae coming in a bit quicker than usual? I do a water change. Coral looking a little dull? Hold off on water changes. I compliment my "eye testing" with real testing too but the tank is so stable that I'm rarely surprised by the readings I get. I've had GHA take off in the system but have always been able to get it taken care of before it gets outta hand by water changes. It takes a little longer but it's been a better solution for me long term

 

[Tanster2]

I don't think your photo uploaded. Could you re-upload for us?

 

[RonS]

Yah... forgot the photo!!!

Thanks/Sorry!!!

 

[jcook54]

Ya, it could be the start of a total disaster OR just the natural cycle of the tank maturing. I say the disaster thing in complete and total jest, to me it looks totally normal for rocks that fresh. It may get a little worse but I'd focus on keeping that coralline algae come in. Typically the new tank "uglies" are diatoms and then green algae so this it totally normal. I'd also suggest that some amount of green algae in a system is to be desired. The goal is to keep the GHA in check and not eliminate it entirely. Shoot, I've got a patch that grows in my display that's out of the way and I see it as a nutrient sink that I can remove at every water change.

 

[RonS]

Ok - thanks for talking me off the ledge

Am totally understanding of new-tank uglies, but was just bummed when all of my corraline got covered by this nonsense Just making sure it didn’t look like something out of the ordinary.

It was about to get upgraded to a larger tank today anyway, so I am counting on the massive water change to deal with the nutrients. I was dosing NOPox and got things too low - I’ll keep an eye on everything in the new tank.

Thanks again!!

—Ron

 

[ActiveAngel]

Yah... forgot the photo!!!

Thanks/Sorry!!!

I don’t see any GHA in this photo at first glance. Just looks like normal green film algae; which is one of the first couple algae’s that I see in every new tank.

That said, there is a remote chance it is a Cyanobacteria, but I doubt it. It’s a new tank, so it’s probably a new tank algae.

 

[bzb]

^^ that’s normal green film algae growing on dry rock. Mine had it everywhere, but coralline is starting to take hold over it. I’m only a couple months ahead of you in tank age.

It’s also likely that what you saw before was not coralline.

 

[RonS]

There was a dusting of multi-colored “something” showing up on the rocks over the last few weeks, and I have small areas of coralline in some other areas, so I was optimistic that it was starting to come out on the rock.

Thank you all, again, for talking me off the ledge. I know how these cycles go and that I shouldn't worry, but since my last tank (15 years ago) turned into an algae nightmare I'm being super-paranoid right now.

Thanks again!!

--Ron

 

[ZapataInc]

Im glad you didnt jump off that ledge. :Thumbsupa: