I'm stumped for next steps...

[Azarus]

37 Gallon?
Is that 30 x 13 x 23"H?

To Get You Back To The Tank
Get a timer for the light and make it so the light is on for 10 to 12 hours while you are there to enjoy it. The tank's daylight hours don't have to correspond with outside daylight hours whatsoever. They should definitely correspond with your at home hours!

Snail Eggs
Are you sure they are snail eggs? Let them hatch!

It would be funny if they were clownfish eggs! Can you post a pic?

Next Steps?
Next steps for what? If you're looking to do coral, the main thing you'll need is a new light. There are some other sundries as well, but the light is usually the biggie once you're at the stage you are now. Figure out your budget and start paying attention to other peoples' lighting so you can figure out what you like.

Tank is 20"wide x 18"deep x 28"tall.

The eggs look like white paint splatters one would get on the floor after using a paint roller on the wall. I've left them for weeks and nothing happened. I think they are from the Nerite snails. Picture attached.

I'll add a timer tonight, set the lighting period longer as many of you suggest, and will immediately focus my attention on a lighting upgrade.

 

[Azarus]

Yeah, the OP is only running his lights a couple of hours a day...on top of that, the lights are designed for freshwater tanks for viewing fish. All things to do if you are trying NOT to grow coraline. I like the setup and the aquascape...so many possibilities

Agreed. I initially deferred on the lighting until I was ready to add coral, not realizing I set myself back from taking advantage of seeded algaes from the snails I added.

 

[Azarus]

I really love the aquascape and would sure love to see it covered in bright corals! Seriously, it's a lovely thing.
I am new to all this but wow ... I am shocked that you can leave rocks in a running SW tank so long and have no algae at all. Amazing and very informative!! I thought the photo you posted was how it looked a year ago!

LOL! Nope, took those pictures yesterday.

 

[Azarus]

The main reasons are that those lights that come with fish tanks are designed not to grow anything so as to minimize maintenance...and even that light is only on a few hours per day.

Once the kind of light and quantity of light are rectified, he'll get the usuals like coraline showing up. Certainly after a new coral or snail (etc) is added. (Seeding, as you say.)

I had thought all I was going to grow was nuisance algae, so I kept the lights mostly off at this point because I didn't intentionally add anything. Sounds like once I improve the lighting I may see so e more exciting changes take place.

 

[mcarroll]

It'll mostly be algae and related critters.

 

[Azarus]

Lighting now upgraded and currently set to six hours daily.

I chose the Orbit Marine Pro - 18"-24" because of the size, appearance, and affordability of the fixture, as well as the depth of the tank. I think I'll have to remove the glass canopy as the wide, black plastic hinge on the glass is positioned right where I believe the light should be placed to offer the best coverage.

Very pleased how the colors in the damsels pop!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

SWEET!

I cut the hinges into two or three inch pieces and used two. One on each side.

 

[Azarus]

SWEET!

I cut the hinges into two or three inch pieces and used two. One on each side.

Brilliant! Right now I flipped the lid around but your suggestion is much better!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I looked at those lights at macna. Actually pack a pretty good punch as far as intensity. You should be able to grow some pretty high light corals at the top of the tank.

 

[Azarus]

Noticed some debris floating in my tank today. A closer look revealed they were air bubbles. Yet another closer look revealed it to be oxygen bubbles coming off the rocks.

Seems this new Orbit Marine Pro light set at six hours a day is already helping grow the algae.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Noticed some debris floating in my tank today. A closer look revealed they were air bubbles. Yet another closer look revealed it to be oxygen bubbles coming off the rocks.

Seems this new Orbit Marine Pro light set at six hours a day is already helping grow the algae.

HAHAHAHAAAA. your on your way to a late stage ugly phase. it should pass pretty quick imo. check your nutrients, should be fine.
btw cyano bubbles not algae. Congratulations. lol