Biocube 32 lightning

Parent_usmc · Mar 27, 2020

Hey all! I'm new to the hobby ( 4 month old tank ) I purchased a biocube 32 from my LFS. I've been struggling with getting the lighting right.. my water perimeters are good .. I test weekly.. however I'm struggling with brown algae. Was told to limit amount of white light coming from stock biocube lighting.. any thoughts?

I'm open to all answers . This is my first saltwater tank!

Copingwithpods · Mar 27, 2020

Any pictures of the algae? Might be what you think you are struggling with is just a normal stage.

Truth is stopping the ugly stage short of leaving the lights off all together is extremely difficult.

Can you post your parameters and a picture of the offender?

Parent_usmc · Mar 28, 2020

I'll update with water perimeters in a few hours

homer1475 · Mar 28, 2020

Diatoms.

Feed of the silicates found in new setups. Part of the "uglies" stage, and will burn out on their own when the available silicates is used up.

Parent_usmc · Mar 28, 2020

Oh ok. So just let it do its thing?

homer1475 · Mar 28, 2020

For that issue, yes. They will die off once the available silicates is used up.

Copingwithpods · Mar 28, 2020

@homer1475 hit it right on the head, normal part of the cycle and no intervention needed.

In most cases you'll get diatoms and then your sponge population will take off and compete for the silicates and that will even out and so on and so forth. It's all part of the tank maturing.

Parent_usmc · Mar 28, 2020

Parent_usmc said:
I'll update with water perimeters in a few hours

Edit.. phosphate .025
Nitrate <5 ppm
Ammonia <.25 ppm
Nitrite 0
Ph 7.8

Parent_usmc · Mar 28, 2020

Copingwithpods said:
@homer1475 hit it right on the head, normal part of the cycle and no intervention needed.

In most cases you'll get diatoms and then your sponge population will take off and compete for the silicates and that will even out and so on and so forth. It's all part of the tank maturing.

Forgive my ignorance. .. sponge population?

Mikedawg · Mar 28, 2020

Parent_usmc said:
I'll update with water perimeters in a few hours

BTW, noticed an aiptasia anemone in upper right of photo somewhat obscured by rock/coral; you'll want to remove it and lots of threads here as to strategies - AiptasiaX or other chemicals, file fish, some say peppermint shrimp, etc. If you can remove the rock it is on and treat outside your tank that is best option. Good luck

BTW, your son looks like he is already motivated with a sense of purpose, lol!

Parent_usmc · Mar 28, 2020

Mikedawg said:
BTW, noticed an aiptasia anemone in upper right of photo somewhat obscured by rock/coral; you'll want to remove it and lots of threads here as to strategies - AiptasiaX or other chemicals, file fish, some say peppermint shrimp, etc. If you can remove the rock it is on and treat outside your tank that is best option. Good luck

BTW, your son looks like he is already motivated with a sense of purpose, lol!

Omg thanks! No idea what that was just saw it yesterday! Haha my daughter definitely agrees. I'll definitely get rid of it

Mikedawg · Mar 28, 2020

Parent_usmc said:
Omg thanks! No idea what that was just saw it yesterday! Haha my daughter definitely agrees. I'll definitely get rid of it

Ha, ha daughter, even better and getting her started early in the hobby. Good luck, aiptasia is a common problem and only thing that works for me is a file fish - interesting in their own right.

Copingwithpods · Mar 28, 2020

Parent_usmc said:
Forgive my ignorance. .. sponge population?

You might start seeing some sea sponges pop up in low flow and shaded areas of the rock. Very interesting organism

On your ammonia reading of 0.25?was this with the API kit?

Parent_usmc · Mar 28, 2020

Copingwithpods said:
You might start seeing some sea sponges pop up in low flow and shaded areas of the rock. Very interesting organism

On your ammonia reading of 0.25?was this with the API kit?

Yes it was

Copingwithpods · Mar 28, 2020

Parent_usmc said:
Yes it was

Ah OK those kits are well known for reading ammonia where there is none in the 0.25 range.

Parent_usmc · Mar 28, 2020

Copingwithpods said:
Ah OK those kits are well known for reading ammonia where there is none in the 0.25 range.

Oh ok. I test weekly and do weekly water changes.. haven't seen any spikes however just wasnt sure if the stock biocube lighting was doing any damage... with all that algae..