I am about to quit

[JACKS REEF]

just pour in a gallon of bleach

(this is a joke... please don't actually do this).

i am pretty new to this all and went through the same thing as you for a bit.

my issue is that i tend to dive in head first into these things and I don't have patience which is partially an issue, especially in this hobby.

a few things:

1. too many fish. I have a 15g with a pair of clowns and a CUC (2 nassarius, 1 turbin, 1 astrea, 6 blue legged hermits (originally had 2 but when i got 'empty' shells from my LFS for them a handful had more in them.. oh well, getting a 90g in a few weeks))

2. How much do you feed? I feed pellets to my clowns and I really only put in 1/2 at a time and make sure that they get eaten. When they seem full (they let the food sink by them) Ill take one pellet and crush it to let the CUC get some. I do this 2x a day

3. corals definitely help imo. My tank is about 3mo old and I have 14 different coral frags in there (like I said.. I dive in head first which is sometimes an issue) Half zoas, a massive 5 polyp frogspawn my LFS had marked for $40 by accident but honored it, hammer, 2 clove polyps, and GSP. I test my levels and do my maintance when applicable on Sundays and I can notice week over week the phos and calcium and magnesium dropping (meaning my corals are absorbing nutrients) and I can see them growing

4. get some pods too. got mine on algae barn and was pretty happy... a good micro fauna population can also help and IMO are a great part of the CUC (but don't rely on just them to address the problem)

5. Make sure no direct sunlight really. I have to keep the blinds in my room shut during the day now and it helps

6. most importantly.... Take it slow. your algae wont disappear overnight (unless you go the bleach route which will kill virtually everything in the tank and is a joke) and it took me about a month to go from what you have to pretty spotless.

Okay thanks I will do. I will also get microbracter clean

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Algae like ****, it happens. It’s good and bad. Good for snails and other algae eaters. Sometimes good to let you know you have calcium to let you do calcifying corals.

It’s also part of the reefing life.

But like @Scorpius said you don’t even have an algae problems.

I’ve see way worse, so relax and grab a couple .

 

[Texas Rick]

What does CUC mean?

 

[fishguy242]

What does CUC mean?

clean up crew

 

[Tamberav]

Yea it definitely would. But would take some time, and it'd help him stay in the hobby. By the time it's too big, he'll prob be upgrading!

See what I did there?!? Hehehe

Foxfaces grow fast...faster than tangs. I wouldn't put one in a 29. They are messy too.

 

[Tamberav]

I didn't know people tried to keep sunlight out. What about people who have sunroofs put in for their tanks on purpose?

I have had several tanks directly in front of windows and never noticed anything.

The tank is just young and overstocked with fish and only two snails. Nothing too surprising. I would just get rid of the Tang and one clown....get some live rock and a mix of some snails and patience.

 

[Scottmac]

Hi, I have a similar sized tank without sump/refugium, I set up my first marine tank in Feb and I admit I have also considered giving up.

I think this hobby is trial by fire, lots don't seem to make it. I have had freshwater tanks for years, and the issues and problems I have faced in those tanks are nothing compared to my marine tank. But if you want to end up with a tank with cool looking corals, fish and inverts, keep your chin up and persevere.

Otherwise send your fish back to your pet store for store credit, empty the whole thing, scrub it thoroughly with distilled water, add gravel and a UG filter and buy some tropical fish with the credit (you will have plenty left over as it's much cheaper). If you make sure to include a good shoal of Corys and a plec or two, you will never hav algae problems again (infact you will need to add algae tablets as they are that good at eating it - and that's not one of those "marine lies"!

But if you don't want give up and you decide to solider on, this is what I'd suggest from a person in a similar situation to you...

1. Add a UV system. This will get rid of algae and bacteria clouding, keep scraping the sides and rear and any free floating algae will get zapped.
It wont fix your diatom issue (annoyingly, I have that issue but it will go eventually as I have silicate remover pouches)

2. Add things to your tank that will help soak up nitrates. Beginner Macro algae like Caulerpa seem a good choice, plus it's an instant addition of greenery to your tank for added colour. But the best looking addition I plan on adding myself soon are Mangroves (pic below not my tank)

3. Why not having a go at acclimating Mollies to saltwater. I have done this in the last few days, 6 of the 8 survived and they go around the tank as a shoal pecking algae like there's no tomorrow. NOTE: they can't tolerate too strong flow, so if you try this make sure you have some low flow chill out zones in your tank.

Eventually, once you have the funds & time, I suggest adding a refugium. I am going to do this as well in a couple months. From everything I have read into them, they provide a lot more options to controlling your main tank. Plus you can have things living and growing in a refugium that would either get eaten or do poorly in the main tank like Cheato & Amphipods... speaking of which has anyone tried making a dark section of the refugium for sponges?

Scott

 

[MightyMO]

poss cut back on feeding a little,dial back lighting some,not familiar w kessiels

Which kessil does he have, I got an a360x, love that light...

 

[RLS]

This stupid algae keeps coming back into my tank I am doing everything correct. I tested my nitrates 2 days ago and they were like 15 ppm, and 0.03 phosphates and this stupid algae keeps reappearing. It goes away for like two weeks and then comes back again. Yes I am using Rodi water as well. Can someone help me identify this stuff I have had it forever. maybe the algae is coming from to large of a bio load and not enough space for bacteria reproduction. The reason I think this is because I am using a fake rock from pet I as my main rock and maybe it’s leaching out silicates because it’s maid out of plastic. I am doing weekly water changes as well. Someone please help me I am at my wits end and I am about to quit this hobby. Help is very much appreciated.

Try more flow and three days of total darkness

 

[Texas Rick]

Don’t give up! I’ve been there many times.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

Honestly it really doesn't look that bad. It might still be cycling.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

I didn't know people tried to keep sunlight out. What about people who have sunroofs put in for their tanks on purpose?

I have had several tanks directly in front of windows and never noticed anything.

The tank is just young and overstocked with fish and only two snails. Nothing too surprising. I would just get rid of the Tang and one clown....get some live rock and a mix of some snails and patience.

I keep my tank directly under a North - facing window and I have little problems with indirect sunlight. Even if I did, sunlight is the best light that only God could replicate.

 

[longtimereefer]

This stupid algae keeps coming back into my tank I am doing everything correct. I tested my nitrates 2 days ago and they were like 15 ppm, and 0.03 phosphates and this stupid algae keeps reappearing. It goes away for like two weeks and then comes back again. Yes I am using Rodi water as well. Can someone help me identify this stuff I have had it forever. maybe the algae is coming from to large of a bio load and not enough space for bacteria reproduction. The reason I think this is because I am using a fake rock from pet I as my main rock and maybe it’s leaching out silicates because it’s maid out of plastic. I am doing weekly water changes as well. Someone please help me I am at my wits end and I am about to quit this hobby. Help is very much appreciated.

That looks more like Dinoflagellate. Common a couple / few months into a new tank started with dry rock etc. Keep water changes up, keep feeding the fish etc. It will dissipate after a bit. have to have patience in reefing, dinos can be persistent, but will go away eventually and are mostly harmless as long as you keep them in check. Cutting lights etc will not stop them.

 

[Viva'sReef]

Red cyanobacteria?

 

[stacksoner]

This stupid algae keeps coming back into my tank I am doing everything correct. I tested my nitrates 2 days ago and they were like 15 ppm, and 0.03 phosphates and this stupid algae keeps reappearing. It goes away for like two weeks and then comes back again. Yes I am using Rodi water as well. Can someone help me identify this stuff I have had it forever. maybe the algae is coming from to large of a bio load and not enough space for bacteria reproduction. The reason I think this is because I am using a fake rock from pet I as my main rock and maybe it’s leaching out silicates because it’s maid out of plastic. I am doing weekly water changes as well. Someone please help me I am at my wits end and I am about to quit this hobby. Help is very much appreciated.

The green stuff on the sand is cyanobacteria