When does the Algae REALLY start?

Discussion in 'Algae' started by Clutch, Jul 11, 2009.

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  1. Clutch

    Clutch Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    May 15, 2009
    Messages:
    71
    Location:
    California
    Hello all,

    My RSM250 (65 gal) has been now running for 2months (well 4 days shy of 2 months) and I have been VERY happy with the results. I have 80lbs of live Kupang Rock with water conditions now perfect....Just await the corals next. Taking my time with the absolute best break in I can. But I am still awaiting an Algae bloom? Brown algae came and went with 3 of my snails getting VERY fat! :D So far everything is clean as a whistle. Water changes every 2 weeks (15gal) with Catalina Bio Salt water with RO tops offs. I have a 1/4hp Oceanic chiller as well hooked into the system. Glass (typically) getting the light green film stuff on it. ONLY a few signs of thread algae on the rocks but a few hermets seem to be doing their night time duties. Some of my live rock is now showing some lime green at the tips and purple/green on others. VERY pretty. I am using Salifert All in one (10ml per week) and Purple up (10ml per week as well). I also have been putting in and replacing 1 pad of ALGONE each week. One of my local and respected LFS that services many business tanks highly reccommend this each week. Coming from a hight tech planted tank, I never used ALGONE, but thus far everything is working well. As mentioned, all water parameters are optimal. Tested with Lamotte Tester excpet for PH and Salinity (Electronic and recently calibrated)

    PH 8.01
    Salinity 1.023 (Maybe need to come up a bit)
    Temp 77deg F (Constant)
    Amonia: 0.0
    Nitrate 0.02
    Phosphate 0.0
    Calcium 420
    KH 11

    Fish load consist of
    3 Chromis
    2 Watchmen Gobies
    2 Pistol Shrimp
    1 Blood Red Shrimp
    3 Peppermint Shrimp
    3 Hermet Crabs (2 Red Scarlet and 1 Electric Blue)
    2 Scarlett Skunk Shrimp
    1 Banded Trochus Snail (Loves the brown algae!)
    1 Zebra Turban Snail (Loves the brown algae!)
    2 Turban Snails (Seems to prefer green algae)

    The only other fish I will add is a pair of tank bred clowns when I am ready to place an Anemones or two but I think that will not happen for at least another 6 months or so?

    In closing, I am still awaiting some serious algae I have heard about during break-in with salt water systems? So am I outta the woods sorta speak? When will be a good time to put in some corals? I am in no hurry.

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  3. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

    Joined:
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    Location:
    shenzhen Guangdong PRC
    Hi Clutch

    you dont always get the full range of algaes that many people do talk about as being part of the cycle ! almost everyone I assume will get Diatoms but there after a lot depends on the individual system, bio load, filtration, lighting, feeding, nutrient levels
    and algae spores

    Any algae issues you might have are more than likely to arrive with your corals as the base rocks etc are the places where GHA etc will be present

    if you are not running GFO ( Phosphate remover) now would be an ideal time to bring some into you set up - I always run it, irrespective of any algae presence, its a good preventitive measure

    adding corals - many people would start adding corals at 2 months ( Im old school and its month 3 for me) if you start with some of the easier species, (I know people who have added GSP/ shrooms/ Zoanthids etc 2 weeks after setting tank up and they have done fine)

    Steve
     
  4. PharmrJohn

    PharmrJohn The Dude

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    Location:
    Shelton, Washington
    You will probably go through another phase at about eight months to a year. For me it was a year. Cyano and hair algae.
     
  5. Clutch

    Clutch Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    May 15, 2009
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    71
    Location:
    California
    Thanks guys! I am a bit nervous about adding ANY corals as this is my first salt tank, ran high tech FW planted tanks for years. Researching the heck outta what corals I want and WILL take the slow route. My boy keeps perstering me for "Nemo" and a Anemones. I think I am a long way of this species though or at least that is what I have been reading?

    Vic
     
  6. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    Nems can be a problem in a mixed reef set up , not always, but often enough to have created a definite negative attitude towards them by many reef keepers

    they are really fussy about conditions in general, water quality and lighting, and if things are not to their liking they can wander about causing a lot of problems for anything in their way, that cant get out of their way

    they also seem attracted to power heads - and many have ended up shredded in ungaurded power heads

    6 month old set ups - to 1 year are what is normally recomended

    Nemo would host any number of less troublesome corals IME ( leathers, Bubbles, mushrooms, elephant ears, rocks, heater thermostat etc )



    Steve
     
  7. mattheuw1

    mattheuw1 Montipora Capricornis

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    You seem to already be very diligent! I would recommend getting a wad of chaeto from somewhere to place behind some of your rock. This will prevent or slow a lot of competing algaes growth.

    +1 Steve! Considering you already have a high bioload for 2 months, I would hold off on the clown for at least another month. But a good thing to consider is buying something other than an anemone for your clown to host with. I have 2 in my tank. A black and white percula and a regular ocellaris clownfish. Both host with a frogspawn. When I first got them, they were both hosting with powerheads. I since then have trained them by taping a picture of a clown hosting frogspawn to the glass.
     
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  9. Clutch

    Clutch Astrea Snail

    Joined:
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    Location:
    California
    Wow, hehe

    I will take your advice and look for some other host and indeed I will be waiting a bit more before adding them. (always been afraid of the anemone that seem they could kill a tank if they died....) After the Clowns, that will be IT for the bioload and nothing more. I JUST got my first pieces of soft coral with a Torch Coral, Green Zoanthus Colony Polyp and a purple Polp. The torch coral was put in yesterday high up in the light and is wide open today swaying in the currents! The other Polyps are down in my lower substrate looking amazing with their green and purple colors! Good stuff!
     
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  10. greysoul

    greysoul Stylophora

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    at about 2 months to the day I had a bad cyano outbreak... icky stuff.