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fgeer85

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william_payne1

I have API. I do believe I did it properly. I read the directions carefully and did what they said. In your opinion, is the growth bad? Should I try and remove it? Some people say it's normal, some don't. I'm confused. Oh, and I think it looks like green hair algae. I'll post a pic when I get home from work.

 

the algae is fine shortening the time your lights are on will slow the growth, it sounds like you have had a cycle but your numbers are not right, I would suggest testing daily and note your parameters you will see if it is cycled.
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the algae is fine shortening the time your lights are on will slow the growth, it sounds like you have had a cycle but your numbers are not right, I would suggest testing daily and note your parameters you will see if it is cycled.

what should my numbers be?

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I would remove the algae while its in a manageable state. Its also easier imo while the tank is empty of livestock.

 

Were you able to get a pic?

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I would remove the algae while its in a manageable state. Its also easier imo while the tank is empty of livestock.

 

Were you able to get a pic?

I will as soon as I get home. I had to get to work early this morning. How do you suggest I remove it? Just pick it off? or do the toothbrush thing?

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Lets try confirm what algae it is. It could be a dusting of an algae that isn't a pain to control.

 

I wouldn't stress about it. Its a new tank, there are a few types of algae issues you may encounter during settling.

 

Have you filled the tank completely and adjusted the heat? The heat should be around 78-80

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Agree with Clown79 here. Get rid of it now before you have corals and livestock in there which you can put at risk by stirring up the tank.

 

Three methods really:

 

1. Guaranteed removal - Take out the rock and let it turn from live to dry, or see if the LFS will buy the live rock and trade for dry rock instead.

2. Mechanical - Cut back on lighting, do your best to keep a check on phosphates and nitrates. If levels are high, run a media that uses GFO (chemipure blue)

3. Biological - Sea Hare. Wouldn't recommend this method though. Too much risk.

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william_payne1

what should my numbers be?

Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrites 0ppm, Nitrates 40+ppm after that you'll know it cycled once the Nitrates are high like 160+ppm do a 50 % WC then your regular weekly 15/20% WC Nitrates will continue to go down with water changes

Check phosphates as well it may be high in your tank causing unwanted alge growth

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Agree with Clown79 here. Get rid of it now before you have corals and livestock in there which you can put at risk by stirring up the tank.

 

Three methods really:

 

1. Guaranteed removal - Take out the rock and let it turn from live to dry, or see if the LFS will buy the live rock and trade for dry rock instead.

2. Mechanical - Cut back on lighting, do your best to keep a check on phosphates and nitrates. If levels are high, run a media that uses GFO (chemipure blue)

3. Biological - Sea Hare. Wouldn't recommend this method though. Too much risk.

 

If i take out my live rock to dry, does this mess up my cycle?

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william_payne1

If i take out my live rock to dry, does this mess up my cycle?

 

yes, I would not dry it out, if anything put in a tub of saltwater and scrub it with a clean brush, it will keep die off to a minimum and allow you to put it back and continue to cycle.
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It will hinder it, but at this point, you're still at the beginning therefore you don't have too much to forfeit. Up to you

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william_payne1

 

I just did my first water tests..

 

ammonia - 0 ppm

pH - 8.2

nitrite - 0 ppm

nitrate - 0 ppm

 

you may have also missed the whole cycle, it may be cycled and the algae is from that and the low temps... just a thought. also, post pics please, that will help everyone.

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All my pictures from my iPhone are too large for this site. Let me figure out a way to do this

 

Uploading them to photobucket or flickr and posting the IMG link is usually the best bet as it automatically resizes for you

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william_payne1

All my pictures from my iPhone are too large for this site. Let me figure out a way to do this

I found cropping them works, i take mine farther away then crop so i can post it
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<a href="http://s483.photobucket.com/user/fgeer85/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsstfkntr3.jpeg.html"target="_blank"><img src="http://i483.photobucket.com/albums/rr200/fgeer85/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsstfkntr3.jpeg" border="0" alt="Algae photo image_zpsstfkntr3.jpeg"/></a>

http://i483.photobucket.com/albums/rr200/fgeer85/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsstfkntr3.jpeg

 

this one should work!!!

I found cropping them works, i take mine farther away then crop so i can post it

 

 

 

Uploading them to photobucket or flickr and posting the IMG link is usually the best bet as it automatically resizes for you

 

 

http://i483.photobucket.com/albums/rr200/fgeer85/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsstfkntr3.jpeg

 

this should work!!!!

http://i483.photobucket.com/albums/rr200/fgeer85/image_zpsfcgvysvy.jpeg

 

another!!

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im gonna say your tank is cycled. did you use new "live sand" and cured rock?

Live sand for sure. The guy at the store never told me if the rock was cured or not. What do you think about the algae??

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Some cycles are faster than others. If not testing every other day, one can miss the cycle. I almost did, my tank cycled in 2 weeks. Yours may have cycled or maybe not.

 

Start ghost feeding the tank with fish food and keep testing.

 

I think william payne made a great suggestion.

 

Make up a bucket of sw, take a rock out at a time and scrub it down with a toothbrush. This allows you to remove the hair algae out of the tank(it won't spread that way)

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william_payne1

Live sand for sure. The guy at the store never told me if the rock was cured or not. What do you think about the algae?

it will either get worse or go away lol, once you up your temps and flow up and your lighting period shorter give it some time to change it could take a few days, get a clean up crew and keep testing your water.

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image_zpsfcgvysvy.jpeg

 

This is what I meant by the image code. The link is on the right hand side of the page next to the picture, that way the pic shows up here :)

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