AACK! Algae bloom ?

[Drummer]

Good lord, I came home from work today and found all four walls of my tank covered with a green tint. Even the base rock has the same thing on it. The purple live rock, really really looks purple, but the green on the rest has me a bit concerned. I have read that newer tanks can sometimes go through an algae bloom, but I still have to ask.

I have been running 2 - 250 watt - 12K MH with 2 40watt super actinics on this 75 gal. tank for about 14 to 16 hrs. a day. Am I running the MH's too long?

I just bought 10 more snails and am going to do a water change tonite or tomorrow. Any other advice would be GREATLY appreciated !

Thanks !!

 

[Montanarocknreefer]

I would cut back on the MH's to 10hrs a day!

 

[NaH2O]

Hey Drummer! How long has your tank been running? Definately could just be a product of new tank syndrome. I would cut the MH lighting as Johnny said. How many snails total and of what variety do you have? Can you also list what your tank parameters are?

 

[Drummer]

The tank cycled about 5 weeks ago. As far as snail count goes..I now have 13 snails. 4 marguerita<sp>, 6 big astrea and 3 that I can't remember the name of them. I just got the 4 marg's and the 6 astrea on monday, and boy are they going to town on the walls of the tank. Tank parameters will have to come later since I'm at work. The last water test (last week) everything looked good.

I really think it's the lights running too long and maybe a slight bit of overfeeding.

I'll try limiting the light and doing a water change and maybe even get some more snails. 13 is probably not enough for a 75 gal. tank ??

Thanks !

 

[Drummer]

DOH, I forgot to mention the livestock in the tank.

2 Lyretail Anthias
2 Bangaii Cardinals
1 Flame Angel
3 Peppermint Shrimp (that are doing nothing about the 3 or 4 small Aiptasias)
2 Cleaner Shrimp
6 hermits
And something I saw running across the LR this morning....

I just had the actinics on and was watching the tank, when all of
a sudden I saw what looked to me like a small thin beetle dash across a rock and disappear into a small crevice. It then came out about 3 minutes later and dashed to another small hole. It's not swimming, it's really running on the rock. It's so fast there's no way I can get a photo. I would guess that it's about 5/16" long and moves like lightning. Any guesses(yea I know...a photo would help....but there's no way to get one) LOL !

 

[cdeakle]

I have been running 2 - 250 watt - 12K MH

This wouldn't be the infamous Sunburst bulb would it?

I ran those bulbs twice in my tank and had nothing but algae hell: cyano, dinos, hair, etc. Also the sunbursts are notorious for burning out early. My first bulb lasted 3 months and the second one lasted close to 6 months.

When I upgraded to XM's my algae problems slowly but surely went away....just my 2 cents....

 

[NaH2O]

LOL, the beetle running across your live rock is most likely a pod. They are good for your tank, and you probably have quite a few. Here is a link for you:

Bitty Bugs: Copepods in the Reef Aquarium

Peppermint Shrimp are sometimes hit or miss in regards to aiptasia control. I've been reading a lot about "Joe's Juice" working well. You may want to give it a try.

The variety of snails I like are, nassarius (for sand substrate), trochus, tiger trochus, nerite, cerith, and astrea.

Also, are you currently running a skimmer?

 

[Drummer]

cdeakle....
As a matter of fact they both are that Sunburst bulb you mentioned. No good eh? Hmmmm....well, I guess I better look at getting some other bulbs then. When I bought the light system, they came with it and I didn't know any better. Go with XM 10Ks ?
Thanks for the heads up!




NaH2O....

I'm running a Remora hot skimmer and it's doing very well.
If that was a pod I saw this morning....then that was a pod on steroids. LOL
I'll really try to look out for that little guy and maybe get a shot of him.

The Joe's juice just got here today and I also see on that rock with the aiptasia that there is what looks like 3 rose anenome ?
Can someone id these for me?

 

[The Aussies]

Hey there
I have only posted once about my magnif. anemone which it appears needs more light and food but after trying to got more info on light, I got to here so can you help on the following:-
(Bear on mind us Aussies have other brands, measurements etc but I will do my best!)
We have a 60 gallon 3ft tank with 2 x 30Watt Actinics and 1 x 150W MH. Actinics were running for 14 hours a day and MH for 4hrs a day but as we are having an algae prob, were told to cut back actinics to 11 hours. Does my lighting time sound ok? We have some of that bad dark red algae appearing along with greeny-yellowish coverage on walls, base and rocks. I know my magnificent needs more light but don't know how this affects the algae etc. We run RO water and phos is all but zero. We have yellow tang, sailfin, pixie hawk, royal gramma, 2 x clowns, anthias, 3 x stars, plus corals I can't name incl. mushrooms, star polyps, fans, tree, bubble coral, daisy fingers, sponge, elegance.
We also have two skimmers.
I am also afraid to put a base down as it will just help the algae.
We have been running this tank for 5 months and it is our first. The only thing we've had die is a leather coral!?!?! Are we on the right track....our supplier friend is very good help..
Cheers

 

[iamjosh]

Drummer - Wanna see algee hell come see my tank, Its been going nuts lately, First Brown, then red, now a combo of all and black something.. I need to get a lot more cleaner crews, Dunno some of my snails aren't doing too hot.

Changed the lights tonight, hope that helps. Guess I should check water params before bed..

-j

 

[Al G.]

I believe those are majanos(sp?). Like aiptasia, they are a pest anenome. Joe's Juice should work on those.

 

[NaH2O]

The Aussies, Welcome to Reef Frontiers!! How is your feeding regime? Also, what kind of flow do you have in your tank? Just because the phosphate test is reading zero, doesn't mean that you don't have them present....they could be getting used up. How are your tank parameters? What do you have in the form of a clean up crew?

Drummer, I'll agree with Al G. on the anemone majano. Here is a link to Hitchhiker FAQ - Live Rock pages Maybe your critter on 'roids will be listed here.

 

[Drummer]

All the photos I've found on Majano, they are green. Could these be small RBT ? (I hope, I hope)

 

[kevinpo]

Hi Bill,
The anemone you posted is a majano for sure. They can multiply quickly in high food conditions. A little feeding with calcium hydroxide (pickling lime) usually does the trick.

The critter you saw was prbably an Isopod. Most found in the aquarium are harmless scavengers. Yours is likely an Aegid. Some are rather nasty but are only rarely encountered in home aquaria. Here is a link to a good article.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/rs/index.htm

Regards,
Kevin

 

[Drummer]

Death to the critters and swiftly it will come. No majano nor aiptasia shall live within the boundaries of my tank !

Thanks to all for all the help !!

 

[fishermann]

Kevin i have one of the aiptasia which showed up a couple weeks ago. Have never had one in years, can this guy be fed with pickling lime and how do you feed it?, with a syringe? and how much? and is it deluted with water or fed full strength? John

 

[cdeakle]

Go with XM 10Ks ?

Yes! I would suggest the XM 20,000k's though. Thats what I upgraded to and couldn't be happier. My corals have opened up larger then ever before and my algae problems are not really problems anymore for the most part