Am i missing something? Sps struggling and algea

[MatteoDunno]

Hi everyone,

Been in and out of the hobby for over 20 years. I started up a new 75g reef tank in early March. Softies and Lps are doing well, but the sps are struggling. I also have some pesky brown algea covering everything. I was wondering if there was something I was missing.

I greedily had my lights on for way too long before I went to work to around bed time 6:30AM to 9:30PM, 2 AI prime16 HDs at 50% and was thinking that was probably the main problem... or maybe my tank is just too new.

Parameters are:
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 2
Phosphate 0.02
Alk 9 dkh
Calcium 450
Salinity 35ppt

There is also this brown algea that has shown no sign of going anywhere. It is a thin coat that sticks on the rock like glue. It's not collecting any bubbles and not growng on sand. I recently started trying to scrub it away before water changes but it's not doing much.

It's a 75g that I started from dryrock and dry sand. I have a sump with filter socks, protein skimmer, and two nero 3s at 75% random. I change 15g of salt water every 2 weeks. I add bicarb for the alk but that's it. It doesn't consume much calcium yet but I just added some more lps and a stylophora that seems to be doing well.

Thanks for any help or ideas

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

It can be difficult to meet the needs of softies, lps, and SPS all in the same tank. It takes a mature system and attention to flow, lighting, and maintenance.

Regarding your light schedule, it may well be too much. I also like to view my tanks in the evening and run my lights from 11:30am to 10pm.

Good luck

 

[MatteoDunno]

It can be difficult to meet the needs of softies, lps, and SPS all in the same tank. It takes a mature system and attention to flow, lighting, and maintenance.

Regarding your light schedule, it may well be too much. I also like to view my tanks in the evening and run my lights from 11:30am to 10pm.

Good luck

Thank you! I recently parted with the pre-work relaxation of watching it with the lights on, hopefully it helps.

 

[ScottB]

Hi everyone,

Been in and out of the hobby for over 20 years. I started up a new 75g reef tank in early March. Softies and Lps are doing well, but the sps are struggling. I also have some pesky brown algea covering everything. I was wondering if there was something I was missing.

I greedily had my lights on for way too long before I went to work to around bed time 6:30AM to 9:30PM, 2 AI prime16 HDs at 50% and was thinking that was probably the main problem... or maybe my tank is just too new.

Parameters are:
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 2
Phosphate 0.02
Alk 9 dkh
Calcium 450
Salinity 35ppt

There is also this brown algea that has shown no sign of going anywhere. It is a thin coat that sticks on the rock like glue. It's not collecting any bubbles and not growng on sand. I recently started trying to scrub it away before water changes but it's not doing much.

It's a 75g that I started from dryrock and dry sand. I have a sump with filter socks, protein skimmer, and two nero 3s at 75% random. I change 15g of salt water every 2 weeks. I add bicarb for the alk but that's it. It doesn't consume much calcium yet but I just added some more lps and a stylophora that seems to be doing well.

Thanks for any help or ideas

Very normal early tank symptoms. Ur not doing anything wrong yet -- assuming those weren't Homewrecker or other special pieces -- just keep your spend/SPS piece modest for a while.

Conservatively, you are 6-12 months away from the "mature biome" that many SPS prefer. Ur good. Throw in some monti in a bit.

As to the clingy brown algae, it is just another normal symptom of a young tank. It will change to something else. The some thing else. Repeat.

 

[sculpin01]

Assuming the brown algae isn’t dinoflagellates, the answer would be to increase your herbivory, be it snails, crabs, or fish.

In terms of SPS, your nitrate and phosphate are on the low side. I use 0.05 for the bottom range for phosphate based on a couple of scientific studies. Nitrate is more forgiving but 1-10 is probably reasonable.

YMMV

 

[MatteoDunno]

Very normal early tank symptoms. Ur not doing anything wrong yet -- assuming those weren't Homewrecker or other special pieces -- just keep your spend/SPS piece modest for a while.

Conservatively, you are 6-12 months away from the "mature biome" that many SPS prefer. Ur good. Throw in some monti in a bit.

As to the clingy brown algae, it is just another normal symptom of a young tank. It will change to something else. The some thing else. Repeat.

Thank you! I appreciate the help.

 

[MatteoDunno]

Assuming the brown algae isn’t dinoflagellates, the answer would be to increase your herbivory, be it snails, crabs, or fish.

In terms of SPS, your nitrate and phosphate are on the low side. I use 0.05 for the bottom range for phosphate based on a couple of scientific studies. Nitrate is more forgiving but 1-10 is probably reasonable.

YMMV

Thank you, I don't think it's dinos. I was just thinking I need some more snails, I haven't replaced the few that died since I started it... was hoping the baby trochus snails would grow faster. My nitrate and phosphate recently droped which was supprising since I'm a heavy feeder, I guess it's time to ditch the filter stocks for a bit.

 

[Dburr1014]

Thank you, I don't think it's dinos. I was just thinking I need some more snails, I haven't replaced the few that died since I started it... was hoping the baby trochus snails would grow faster. My nitrate and phosphate recently droped which was supprising since I'm a heavy feeder, I guess it's time to ditch the filter stocks for a bit.

Can you get a small live rock at the store?
Biodiversity is needed to help your sps. Tank is still young yet.

 

[MatteoDunno]

Can you get a small live rock at the store?
Biodiversity is needed to help your sps. Tank is still young yet.

That's a good idea, I've never started a tank with just dry rock and dry sand before. I'm sure something like that will definitely help.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Thank you! I recently parted with the pre-work relaxation of watching it with the lights on, hopefully it helps.

You can always split the photo period and have them on a few hours in the AM and then again later in the day. This is perfectly fine for corals and inverts but *can* be stressful for some fish, depending on the ambient light available when the lights turn off in the morning.

 

[ScottB]

That's a good idea, I've never started a tank with just dry rock and dry sand before. I'm sure something like that will definitely help.

A "dead" biome start has some pest advantages that are hard to out run in the long term. Some to do manage it.

As you add diversity with corals, rock, mud, it won't help initially but will over time.