Red Algae formation

[Sailfin26]

HI there,

I am in the process of setting up my tank a 70 gallon salt water reef. I just added the live aragonite sand. I also just added my rock into the tank and it was dead. It has been there for a week now and I looked into the tank last night I saw the red blooms on the rock and starting on the glass. This was a problem I had when I set up the tank the last time. I am going to test my levels tonight but can anyone help with any advice on what this might be. Could it be nitrates/ammonia? I am also going to do a water change tonite?


Marc

[Billybeau1]

Could be new tank syndrome. It may disappear by itself. I'd give it a little longer before taking action. :)

[Sailfin26]

these are my levels:

I just did my tests everything but ammonia cause i got to go to work:

ph: between 8.1-8.2
alkalinity: 4.0 . i dropped in 8 drops before it turned colors and divided by 2
nitrate: seemed to be 0. the chart went to down to pink and it was black
nitrite: same thing it was black colored so i would say it was 0.

I know i did not get to ammonia but why would i be getting the red algae or diatoms or cyanobacteria?

[HighlandReefer]

You most likely will have high levels of nitrate, phosphate & possibly ammonia. Your goal will be to install needed export mechanisms for the nitrate & phosphates to get their levels down to what is recommended.

Phosphate and the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php

Nitrate in the Reef Aquarium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm

Ammonia and the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-02/rhf/index.php

Phosphorus: Algae's Best Friend
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...pt2002/chem.htm

[Billybeau1]

Well, this being a new tank, I would let nature take its course first. :)