Algae problem

[Pinkfish]

Hi all,

I seem to have a problem with algae growth in my tank, a brown coloured algae has grown all over the rocks and substrate.
What can I do to get rid of this.

Have done a water test and all parameters are fine, Phos is low, nitrates 0.1 ph8.3,

Coraline algae is not growing due to this brown algae.
Also one off my clowns died today, my branching hammer head coral seems to be getting smaller as is my candy cane coral.

Have a carnation coral which is extreamly difficult to keep but thats doing fine.

I dont have any critters in my tank at the moment, been trying to get some from james but seems like he doesnt like money (LOL).

Tanks been running for circa 4 weeks now
Have a pair or mated firefish, 1x Yellow Tang, 1x Sailfin Tang 1x Regal Tang
Mated Pair of Pyjama Cardinals, 1x Clown Fish (1died today), 4x Chromis, 2x Yellowhead Jawfish, 1x Scooter Blenny

Any advice guys ????

[Blue]

how longs your tank been running for please.

[Blue]

I only ask as the algae you describe sounds like diatom, this usually occurs in new tanks and will go with time as long as the nitrate and phosphate is low.

[Kev]

Hi Pinkfish

You indicate that your tank has been runnung for 4 weeks. It is a very young system, and in my experience and opinion not unusual for such a young tank.

One thing that springs to mind is you have added a lot of fish in such a young nutrient laden system. Feeding these guys in this young system will al contribute to the algal problem? I always think it is prudent to go slow at first, and I would only add fish very slowly.

I further think that the hammerhead coral would probably have benefited from a more mature system.

How much flow do you have in the tank relative to the volume of water?

Please could you actually post your water parameters?

Kev

[Blue]

I thought it was a spelling mistake Kev, that's why I wanted to know again.
It is a heck of a lot of stock for such a short period, I'm surprised anything is alive if 4 weeks is the total time.

[SteveS]

Any advice guys ????

hi pinkfish, my only advice would be to slow down a tad, that way you can monitor your new additions over a period of time.

as with the others, your brown algae will be diatoms and its just part of the cycle every new tank goes through...it will pass. even though your tank parameters may be on the button it takes around a year for a tank to become established.

you do seem to have stocked the tank rather quickly, so we need to find a solution to what may become a costly problem eg, your scooter blenny needs lots of pods and an established tank to survive, your regal may not like the tank parameters bouncing all over and be struck down with white spot.

do you have a fishy pal who could house the fish for you till things settle down, or your lfs have a holding tank? or maybe return the fish and get a credit note?

saying that you may have a 1000g tank and your livestock is litrally a drop in the ocean! post up some details so we can help

hth
steve

p.s speed it up with the clean up crew tho :D

[Dal]

I thought it was a spelling mistake Kev, that's why I wanted to know again.
It is a heck of a lot of stock for such a short period, I'm surprised anything is alive if 4 weeks is the total time.


I was thinking the same thing thats alot of fish/coral :eek:

[SteveS]

yes it may be alot, but the fact is, is they are still alive, is a credit to pinkfish, so lets go help this guy out (pinkfish:confused: ) and wait for more info

jmo
steve

[Tangman]

Hi Pinkfish just like to say what others have said, you have stocked to quickly the rate is 1 fish per month with a new tank and only if your paramaters are ok. So lets see some stats and we can then all give you some help and advice and get you on the right road to success. HTH. Eric

[Kev]

Good point Steve, absolutley agree, and thats what a forum like this is for. Its pretty crap when things are not going right, and we all need a bit of support now and then.

Kev

[Reefer]

If he could get hold of some 'mature' water for his tank would that help? Also isnt there any additives out there such as cycle he could add to help mature the system quicker?
As for catching the fish he'll never catch the blenny so thats a sort itself out problem, plus the stress on the fish trying to catch them all could bring them down couldnt it?

Be careful not to stress your fish mate tangs are suseptable to whitespot which obviously is deadly and virtually untreatable in a system like yours.

Pinkfish you must get some clean up crew asap, like tomorrow, it can only help your system cope better. Dont worry about the coralline algae thats the least of your worries.

If any of the professional experts have any better advice, feel free to chip in.
Also if anyone doesnt agree with me speak up its only my opinion and we need to help our forum pal get the best advice we can.

[Tangman]

Hi. If Pinkfish gets whitepot on his fish the last thing he wants to do is remove his corals and add copper as this is not a good way to go, the best thing to do is prevent a problem before it occurs. I would suggest he feeds his fish with garlic and vitemins added to strengthen there imune system, and keep up with good quality water changes IE 10 per cent every 2 weeks and keep his hands out of the tank and let the fish settle. Doing this will reduce the stress which causes whitespot and other parasitic ailments. HTH. Eric

[SteveS]

im no professional but will chip in anyway :D

i dont think adding mature water or additives will help, the tank needs to cycle naturally imo. you cant speed up nature....copper treatments will hinder you in the future too, as you wont be able to keep inverts like cleaner shrimps etc

lets just see what pinkfish replie and act on facts
jmo
steve

[Reefer]

Yes a natural cycle is the ideal but this doesnt sound like the ideal.

As for not speeding up nature, I agree, but a tank aint really nature in the purest sense is it? Its more of a controlled environment isnt it, so in theory yes you should be able to speed it up?

I hear garlic works and i have used it on new additions to my tank to get them feeding.

[Reefer]

Have a pair or mated firefish, 1x Yellow Tang, 1x Sailfin Tang 1x Regal Tang
Mated Pair of Pyjama Cardinals, 1x Clown Fish (1died today), 4x Chromis, 2x Yellowhead Jawfish, 1x Scooter Blenny

p.s. If he does get whitespot with a stocklist like the above unless he wants them to die copper is the only solution. I know another former reef keeper who had a lot of fish got w/spot and had to do this, hes fish only now and thats that.

Whitespot is a common problem in new systems that get overstocked so I beleive we should be discussing the options now, fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

[Macca]

Pinkfish and all other memebrs that want clean up crew - I have been really busy and I am very sorry If I have not supplied details to you.

If You want to purchase anything please contact me and I will sort out! I have an overstock of critters just asking to be sold at really good prices. I said at the start and I will stand by all loyal members of this forum with really good discounts on critters. Please PM me you wish list and I will send prices. If I have not replied in the past it is because I get lots of emails and end up deleting some by mistake to make space. I have my brother working for me know that will help relieve the work load.

James

[Kev]

Hi Reefer

I agree with Steve. We just need to steady on, nothing rash, and wait for Pinfish to come back with more data. Making radical change with limited fact can have wayward results. Copper, definitley not:)

Kev

[Reefer]

OK not copper, i didnt use it when my tank got whitespot, just used garlic, the result, all the fish died.

[SteveS]

hi reefer, sorry to hear about your previous losses...

you are indeed quite right that copper treatment can cure whitespot but imo treating a reef tank with copper is not an option, but not everyone has the space, money etc to set up a quarantine tank, i certainly dont...its just a case of dealing with your own individual tank.

every thing we put in our tank is an action, for every action causes a reaction thats why i wouldnt speed up nature with additives, this is just my opinion.

reefer, please dont take this the wrong way, as i dont know the facts, im only commenting on what you have written, but garlic crashes ph in a tank if over dosed....action=reaction.

cmon pinkfish give us an update
steve

[tonyponty]

mmmm i get this brown powdery stuff some on glass but most of it floats on surface of water but it goes after a week and then comes back a couple of months later tank bee running 10 months nitrate ok but have got nothing to test phosphates with at moment i just scoop it out with a net lol