3 months old reef tank

[alexmara76]

Hi reefers, any advices is really appreciated, this is my first reef tank, 3 months old, starter with dry rocks white and cleaned, now the rocks looks in this way, is this a normal progress to became live rocks? should it be in a different way or are they as they should be ?

I was thinking to use some activate carbon with a reactor to get crystal water and less yellowish color , is it too early ? now there are no chemical filtration

thank you for all you advices

 

[kevgib67]

You are early in your journey. Your rock will be many colors 9 months or more as you go through the different stages of the uglies. Your rock will never be white again but you won’t see it at all when your corals grow over it and or you get beautiful pink/ purple coralline algae.

 

[Cell]

Looks normal. Carbon is fine to use at this point. Add more CUC!

 

[alexmara76]

You are early in your journey. Your rock will be many colors 9 months or more as you go through the different stages of the uglies. Your rock will never be white again but you won’t see it at all when your corals grow over it and or you get beautiful pink/ purple coralline algae.

no no I won't those white rocks...happy that will never be white again so it's the normal procedure of the maturation of the tank and of the rocks, thanks @kevgib67

 

[alexmara76]

Looks normal. Carbon is fine to use at this point. Add more CUC!

what is CUC ? I was thinking to use the carbon for one week and than stopped for one months and then use it again, to see if I could have any negative effect on the tank . I'm using, since I've turned off the lights on , an algae scrubber home made too running 24/7 thanks @Cell

 

[Cell]

Clean up crew! Snails/hermits etc...

 

[kevgib67]

no no I won't those white rocks...happy that will never be white again so it's the normal procedure of the maturation of the tank and of the rocks, thanks @kevgib67

Some changes over a year.

 

[alexmara76]

Clean up crew! Snails/hermits etc...

I have something , I have 3 turbo snails, other 3 snail smaller (I don't know the name) , 1 small crab, 2 peppermint shrimp , and 1 sea hare (it works great), but I don't have any hermits (I will get some of these)

 

[kevgib67]

I have something , I have 3 turbo snails, other 3 snail smaller (I don't know the name) , 1 small crab, 2 peppermint shrimp , and 1 sea hare (it works great), but I don't have any hermits (I will get some of these)

I’ve had good luck with dwarf red and blue legged hermits. No snail deaths but have plenty of empty shells on the sand that I got from my lfs.

 

[alexmara76]

Some changes over a year.

oh wow!!!! exactly how happened and happening to my rocks, in how many years you get those corals so big? they are amazing!!! this is mine now, I just feed the tank that's why it looks dirty and I had turned on the white lights to take the picture

 

[alexmara76]

I’ve had good luck with dwarf red and blue legged hermits. No snail deaths but have plenty of empty shells on the sand that I got from my lfs.

because the hermits are not reed safe ?

 

[bushdoc]

You are actually lucky that you have green algae, not dinos or cyanobacteria.
You are experiencing normal sequence of events in newly established tank, especially one based on dry rock. Other then adding more CUC as suggested above, you can increase biodiversity by adding some Live Rock. You can also consider to decrease light intensity, shift spectrum to more blue and decrease photoperiod.

 

[kevgib67]

oh wow!!!! exactly how happened and happening to my rocks, in how many years you get those corals so big? they are amazing!!! this is mine now, I just feed the tank that's why it looks dirty and I had turned on the white lights to take the picture

My tank was set up the end of October 2021. I began adding easy soft corals at the end of November. That picture was from a year later.

 

[kevgib67]

because the hermits are not reed safe ?

No, hermits are reef safe but as they grow they will need a larger shell and if none are available they will kill a snail for the shell. I’ve read other threads where hermits have killed snails when empty shells were available but it wasn’t mentioned as to the type of hermits. I have not experienced this with dwarf red and blue legged hermits.

 

[alexmara76]

You are actually lucky that you have green algae, not dinos or cyanobacteria.
You are experiencing normal sequence of events in newly established tank, especially one based on dry rock. Other then adding more CUC as suggested above, you can increase biodiversity by adding some Live Rock. You can also consider to decrease light intensity, shift spectrum to more blue and decrease photoperiod.

thanks @bushdoc , I have cyanobacteria in the refugium , I don't know what happening there, it looks bad, but no air algae , I don't know If I should clean it or no, I've never cleaned since I've started the tank

 

[alexmara76]

No, hermits are reef safe but as they grow they will need a larger shell and if none are available they will kill a snail for the shell. I’ve read other threads where hermits have killed snails when empty shells were available but it wasn’t mentioned as to the type of hermits. I have not experienced this with dwarf red and blue legged hermits.

ah ok, in will get some of them to help the crew, thanks for your advices @kevgib67

 

[alexmara76]

My tank was set up the end of October 2021. I began adding easy soft corals at the end of November. That picture was from a year later.

one year , so not too bad , I thought I had to wait more , at this point i'm hopeful

 

[kevgib67]

one year , so not too bad , I thought I had to wait more , at this point i'm hopeful

Slow and steady. Keep things as stable as possible and keep researching and learning. There will be ups and downs. You’ll fully understand why the first year to a year and a half is called the ugly stage.

 

[alexmara76]

Slow and steady. Keep things as stable as possible and keep researching and learning. There will be ups and downs. You’ll fully understand why the first year to a year and a half is called the ugly stage.

yes i'm trying to keep it stable as much as possible, that's why I was thinking to add activate carbon, but I didn't do it yet, I have everything ready but I was afraid to destabilize the system

 

[kevgib67]

I ran activated charcoal for 16 years in my previous reef aquarium and have ran it since day one with this one. At the very least it will keep your water crystal clear.