Brown Algae outbreak on my precured live rock!

REEFA · 12/29/1999, 07:18 PM

I am on my eighth day with my precured live rock in my tank. My water tests out at : Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, PH 8.4, Alk 2.5, Calcium 440. I have been leaving my lights on for 3 days and tonight I came home to find some brown algae on my live rock. Is this diatom algae? I am using RODI water for initial fill and top offs. Is this outbreak normal? Will it go away on it's own? Was this outbreak caused by when the water was testing out with elevated levels of nitrite, ammonia? I guess my cycle has gone through because on the 22 of Dec. I had high ammonia and nitrite levels and tonight I measured the levels because of the brown algae and everything measured out fine. (See levels above^). I also have ordered 45 more lbs. of live rock and it will be coming on friday. Do all new reef tanks get this algae breakout? Is it part of the tank cycling process? What will happen to the brown algae? Will some new algae phase happen after this brown stuff? Please advise, Thanks.

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Life is short....live life to the fullest !

caver · 12/29/1999, 09:35 PM

yeah ive had a little problem here too! i finally got rid of the dreded red slime for the most! took the crushed coral substrate out of the tank and wallah! just a couple of small patches the size of a quarter left! but now the brown algaes and the green algaes!! they try me sometimes! but it looks like its going with the red slime! away away away!!!!! i hope the coraline alge starts propagateing soon! on the back glass and the filter stuff and all! i know it takes time for the tank to do its thing, but can anything help this go faster? and with the live rock, can i keep adding live rock into the tank, its been up and going for about 3 years now! i want to finish the aquascapeing! thanks a bunch all!!!!!

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caver

DougL · 12/29/1999, 11:13 PM

REEFA;
In a new tank, algae blooms are normal.
They tend to come and go on a regular basis.
I have had diatoms, Red Slime, Hair, macro, coralline. Basically in that order.
Every new tank gets these blooms to one degree or another.

Relax and enjoy. By the way, you shouldn't take any drastic actions to combat these.
The actions you take can easily set back your tank.

Good Luck;

DougL

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http://sites.netscape.net/douglxyzzy

Rad Reefer · 12/30/1999, 03:26 AM

Agreed,
This is all part of the establishment process that all tanks go through until the coraline algae becomes dominant.Buy yourself a couple dozen snails and sit back and relax.There are several other types of algae on the way.They should take care of themselves .If your new rock isn't cured, cycled,then i would recommend that you do that in a rubbermaid tub until your readings are 0 for ammo and nitrite.

caver · 12/30/1999, 06:39 PM

the rock in the tank is cured and going well, as two the algae, i kinda let it do its own thing and just clean the glass on the front and sides! as for the snails i need more, comeing down the road in a few this will help keep the glass cleaner all around, but what about scratches in the glass is there a trick to getting them clean??? not haveing mutch luck keeping the glass as clean as i would like! thanks for the advise !!!!!

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caver

jimhobbs · 12/30/1999, 08:50 PM

"Welcome aboard" said the spider to the fly...

You're now officially inaculated into the inner circle

You've got an existing tank and more rock on the way...Problem is, things arn't happening fast enough!...Dougs' right!

Sit back and prepare to allow the tank to stabilize...

I'd add the new rock directly to the tank and do a minimum 40% water change after 12-24hrs....This will help flush out the die-off and protect the exsisting lifeforms...Make sure to mix overnight, and sync salinity and temperature...This level of change out is done weekly on a ten gallon skimmerless tank at my office; and is ok...

Give the rock a few days to decay[sorry, but that's what is happening in certain areas

} then change the same level of water to further clean out the system...

THE SOLUTION TO POLLUTION IS DILLUTION

How do you clean out a smoke filled room?...Open a window!

You can do the same safely with your tank provided you follow the above sync's on parameters...The last batch of "pre-cured" rock I messed with required four such changes over a three week period...

Best regards...Jim

caver · 12/30/1999, 09:59 PM

thanks jim, the info is good, im going to add the rock just as soon as i find a good place to get it from! thats the hard part, do you know of any place to get good quality rock with the coraline algae allready there! nice blues and pinks and purples?? through a company or online??? the 3 stores here dont have any good rock right now! looks baren or really crappy to me!!! and the 3rd store the owner just got booted, woried about the animals there, the landloard evicted him and he cant come on the primises to care for the animials!!!!

as for my other creatures i dont want them to get messed up in this transitional period! i know i should have done all the rock first! but it just didnt go the way i wanted it to! ill probably find some dead base rock around here to start in the empty section first , then add the live rock either ordered or bought at a local store. ill use the base rock to start the base out and stack the rest of the live rock on top that thats what i did previously, and it worked really good! you guys are a big help in many ways! thanks again and again!!!!!!!!!!

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caver

REEFA · 12/31/1999, 09:09 AM

OK, thanks guys, I'll take your advice and relax. People like yourselves make the hobby sum what more fun. Thanks again!

------------------
Life is short....live life to the fullest !

12/29/1999, 07:18 PM	#1
REEFA Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: South Attleboro MA , USA Posts: 107	I am on my eighth day with my precured live rock in my tank. My water tests out at : Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, PH 8.4, Alk 2.5, Calcium 440. I have been leaving my lights on for 3 days and tonight I came home to find some brown algae on my live rock. Is this diatom algae? I am using RODI water for initial fill and top offs. Is this outbreak normal? Will it go away on it's own? Was this outbreak caused by when the water was testing out with elevated levels of nitrite, ammonia? I guess my cycle has gone through because on the 22 of Dec. I had high ammonia and nitrite levels and tonight I measured the levels because of the brown algae and everything measured out fine. (See levels above^). I also have ordered 45 more lbs. of live rock and it will be coming on friday. Do all new reef tanks get this algae breakout? Is it part of the tank cycling process? What will happen to the brown algae? Will some new algae phase happen after this brown stuff? Please advise, Thanks. ------------------ Life is short....live life to the fullest !

12/29/1999, 09:35 PM	#2
caver Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: charlotte nc. usa Posts: 383	yeah ive had a little problem here too! i finally got rid of the dreded red slime for the most! took the crushed coral substrate out of the tank and wallah! just a couple of small patches the size of a quarter left! but now the brown algaes and the green algaes!! they try me sometimes! but it looks like its going with the red slime! away away away!!!!! i hope the coraline alge starts propagateing soon! on the back glass and the filter stuff and all! i know it takes time for the tank to do its thing, but can anything help this go faster? and with the live rock, can i keep adding live rock into the tank, its been up and going for about 3 years now! i want to finish the aquascapeing! thanks a bunch all!!!!! ------------------ caver

12/29/1999, 11:13 PM	#3
DougL Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Wheaton Il Posts: 374	REEFA; In a new tank, algae blooms are normal. They tend to come and go on a regular basis. I have had diatoms, Red Slime, Hair, macro, coralline. Basically in that order. Every new tank gets these blooms to one degree or another. Relax and enjoy. By the way, you shouldn't take any drastic actions to combat these. The actions you take can easily set back your tank. Good Luck; DougL ------------------ http://sites.netscape.net/douglxyzzy

12/30/1999, 03:26 AM	#4
Rad Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Ma.USA Posts: 103	Agreed, This is all part of the establishment process that all tanks go through until the coraline algae becomes dominant.Buy yourself a couple dozen snails and sit back and relax.There are several other types of algae on the way.They should take care of themselves .If your new rock isn't cured, cycled,then i would recommend that you do that in a rubbermaid tub until your readings are 0 for ammo and nitrite.

12/30/1999, 06:39 PM	#5
caver Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: charlotte nc. usa Posts: 383	the rock in the tank is cured and going well, as two the algae, i kinda let it do its own thing and just clean the glass on the front and sides! as for the snails i need more, comeing down the road in a few this will help keep the glass cleaner all around, but what about scratches in the glass is there a trick to getting them clean??? not haveing mutch luck keeping the glass as clean as i would like! thanks for the advise !!!!! ------------------ caver

12/30/1999, 08:50 PM	#6
jimhobbs Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Birmingham,Al. Posts: 4,246	"Welcome aboard" said the spider to the fly... You're now officially inaculated into the inner circle You've got an existing tank and more rock on the way...Problem is, things arn't happening fast enough!...Dougs' right! Sit back and prepare to allow the tank to stabilize... I'd add the new rock directly to the tank and do a minimum 40% water change after 12-24hrs....This will help flush out the die-off and protect the exsisting lifeforms...Make sure to mix overnight, and sync salinity and temperature...This level of change out is done weekly on a ten gallon skimmerless tank at my office; and is ok... Give the rock a few days to decay[sorry, but that's what is happening in certain areas } then change the same level of water to further clean out the system... THE SOLUTION TO POLLUTION IS DILLUTION How do you clean out a smoke filled room?...Open a window! You can do the same safely with your tank provided you follow the above sync's on parameters...The last batch of "pre-cured" rock I messed with required four such changes over a three week period... Best regards...Jim

12/30/1999, 09:59 PM	#7
caver Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: charlotte nc. usa Posts: 383	thanks jim, the info is good, im going to add the rock just as soon as i find a good place to get it from! thats the hard part, do you know of any place to get good quality rock with the coraline algae allready there! nice blues and pinks and purples?? through a company or online??? the 3 stores here dont have any good rock right now! looks baren or really crappy to me!!! and the 3rd store the owner just got booted, woried about the animals there, the landloard evicted him and he cant come on the primises to care for the animials!!!! as for my other creatures i dont want them to get messed up in this transitional period! i know i should have done all the rock first! but it just didnt go the way i wanted it to! ill probably find some dead base rock around here to start in the empty section first , then add the live rock either ordered or bought at a local store. ill use the base rock to start the base out and stack the rest of the live rock on top that thats what i did previously, and it worked really good! you guys are a big help in many ways! thanks again and again!!!!!!!!!! ------------------ caver

12/31/1999, 09:09 AM	#8
REEFA Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: South Attleboro MA , USA Posts: 107	OK, thanks guys, I'll take your advice and relax. People like yourselves make the hobby sum what more fun. Thanks again! ------------------ Life is short....live life to the fullest !