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bryce.stanger

So I have been running this tank for around 2 weeks now (with fish) four weeks without. 2 weeks after I added the fish I noticed this lighter purple algae (I think it's cyano). It would be great to have an ID on this algae/bacteria (aswell as a few other potential pests). I found it odd as this is a brand new tank though and I am aware of the diatoms on the rock. BTW this is my first fish tank. 

 

The tank is a 10 gallon IM Nano. I run my light 8 hours a day though I have reduced it one hour due to the algae. My salinity is 1.25, 0.25 ppm ammonia, no Nitrites, little to no Nitrates and 7.8 ph. I cycled the tank using live rock for two weeks with no water changes (I know that's not long enough) though I was instructed to do so by my local fish store.  I am also using de-chlorinated tap water and I know I should be using RODI water. I have also done a 20% water change each week. I have stocked the tank with a ocelaris clownfish aswell as a bi-color dottyback and when I stoked the tank I used Seachem new tank stabilization system. I change the filter every week and use Chemipure blue in the filter sock. Also on that note I was wondering how often to replace the Chemipure blue nano packets. No clean up crew yet but it's in the plans. I just forgot to add that I feed the tank once a day a little bit of misis shrimp i think is what it's called. I have a power head in the tank as well lots of flow. 

 

I have also have attached a few other species that I have found in the tank I thought one of them was Aptasia but i am unsure. It would be great If I could have an ID on these species. 

 

Thanks!

I'm trying my best and would appreciate some help with my new tank! and I am new to Nano Reef so I may have set this up incorrectly.

Bryce

 

Image 1. Aptasia maybe?

Image 2. Red hair like algae?

Image 3. flower like thing coming out of a tube

Image 4. Lighter purple algae

Image 5. Again lighter purple algae

 

Aptasia Possibly.jpg

Red stringy algae.jpg

This is a flower kind of thing that comes out of a tube.jpg

Cyano possibly on sandbed.jpg

More cyano on the sand though it is much lighter then the cyano I have seen.jpg

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Image 1 looks like tubeworms or hydroids. Do the top parts retreat into the stalk when you come near? 

2 looks like long algae with some cyano on it, possibly. 

3 is a feather duster worm- harmless filter-feeders. 

4 and 5 are cyano. 

 

What test kit are you using? API can't be trusted to read properly, but if you do actually have ammonia, you need to be doing big, frequent water changes to prevent harm to your fish. Fish-in cycling takes much longer, since you can't let the ammonia build up. However, since you started with live rock that has creatures on it, I suspect you started with a lot of beneficial bacteria. Your tank may actually be cycled. Mine cycled instantly because I used rock that had enough bacteria to handle things right off.

 

You want to have some nitrates and some phosphates, otherwise your corals and your beneficial, non-pest algaes will starve. 

 

The critters are here because they came on your rock. There's probably loads of other stuff there. Finish cycling your tank, add some cleanup crew, and keep your water parameters reasonable, and the algae will most likely sort itself out. Just be patient, and don't add any more fish until the tank has been established for awhile. 

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Thrassian Atoll

Hard to tell.  If your able to turn the blue lights off and just leave the whites on, that would help tremendously with photos.

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bryce.stanger
24 minutes ago, Thrassian Atoll said:

Hard to tell.  If your able to turn the blue lights off and just leave the whites on, that would help tremendously with photos.

Sorry I can't but I'll try to get some better photos

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bryce.stanger
30 minutes ago, Tired said:

Image 1 looks like tubeworms or hydroids. Do the top parts retreat into the stalk when you come near? 

2 looks like long algae with some cyano on it, possibly. 

3 is a feather duster worm- harmless filter-feeders. 

4 and 5 are cyano. 

 

What test kit are you using? API can't be trusted to read properly, but if you do actually have ammonia, you need to be doing big, frequent water changes to prevent harm to your fish. Fish-in cycling takes much longer, since you can't let the ammonia build up. However, since you started with live rock that has creatures on it, I suspect you started with a lot of beneficial bacteria. Your tank may actually be cycled. Mine cycled instantly because I used rock that had enough bacteria to handle things right off.

 

You want to have some nitrates and some phosphates, otherwise your corals and your beneficial, non-pest algaes will starve. 

 

The critters are here because they came on your rock. There's probably loads of other stuff there. Finish cycling your tank, add some cleanup crew, and keep your water parameters reasonable, and the algae will most likely sort itself out. Just be patient, and don't add any more fish until the tank has been established for awhile. 

So I am using the API test kits so I guess i will switch. I have also had a very large diatom bloom lately so I would assume that the tank is getting close to cycling which was when I had the tank just with live rock. At this time the ammonia allready had a big spike but there is still around 0.25 left. Should I cut down on my feeding? Image 1 looks exactly like these. If the image shows. So I do think that they are hydroids and if they are do they need to be removed and how so? and they do not retreat when I come near. 

 

UnknownID2.jpg

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If you have nitrates, it's likely that your tank is actually cycled, and the API gave a false reading. Assuming your fish are babies, keep feeding- they need the food. Just do big water changes to prevent the ammonia (if it's there) getting high. 

 

Hydroids are generally harmless. Some types can multiply fast, some will sting corals, but most of them are no big deal. Leave them alone for now. If they multiply too fast, you can smother them in superglue. They'll often vanish over time anyway. You may see something that looks like a very, very small jellyfish in your tank at some point- it's a hydroid medusa, a baby hydroid that's budded off and is looking for somewhere to land. Also harmless. Will either be sucked up by the filter or turn into another hydroid.

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