New to the hobby and need help

[jarhead81]

I am new to the hobby and need help identifying some growth in my tank.

First off the tank in almost 3 weeks old. And I have a lot of green growth that just popped up all of a sudden.

I work away from home and my wife called and told me about it. I know everyone always ask for tank parameters. But being that I am away from home I can't provide any. I can say that my pH before leaving was at 1.023. Its a 90 gal tank with about 80 lbs of live rock.

I spoke with my LFS. And they said it was diatoms and was normal. Just want to get an opinion from here.


Here are a couple pics of what is going on.

Thanks in advance

 

[Eienna]

Diatoms are brown, not green.
Just looks like some algae growth to me...

 

[jarhead81]

Thanks for the reply.

Do you have any suggestions to fix the issue.

 

[Bad Company]

This happens in every new tank. Do you have a test kit for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? This test kit will tell you when it is possible to start adding fish or coral once ammonia and nitrate read zero. I'd recommend fish if your pH is really 1.023 :tongue:. Also if your display lights are on for a long time every day, it really encourages algae to grow in your tank and absorb nitrates and nitrites by using them as fertilizer. Be aware that if something eats the algae, these nitrates are returned to the water as ammonia. Google aquarium nitrogen cycle, and good luck!

 

[jarhead81]

Thanks. I have a aquatic life light. I use the default setting on the timer. It has lights on for the majority of the day. Before I left for work I had my water tested. And was told that my nitrates were a little high but nothing to worry about.

I have a skimmer but have not been running it. Would it help to get it going. Or should I have someone look at it for me. As I will be away for 2 more weeks

 

[Bad Company]

The skimmer will not remove nitrates. The only way to remove them is with water changes or by cultivating algae and harvesting it (growing it in a sump and trimming it or using an algae scrubber). Skimmers remove suspended stuff in the water, and isolate it before it can rot. They can help prevent spikes in ammonia>nitrites>nitrates before they happen. A skimmer would help remove some of the by products of the die off in your live rock. I would NOT recommend running a skimmer while you are away (they can overflow).

 

[jarhead81]

Thanks for you help. I am going to get someone to check it out.

 

[jarhead81]

I currently have 2 clowns and 4 blue green chromis in my tank. Would it be advisable to shut the lights off for a day or 2

 

[Mike J.]

Diatoms are brown, not green.
Just looks like some algae growth to me...

What kind of "some algae growth" might that be?

Diatoms are a major group of algae. There are 200 genera of living diatoms and there are an estimated 100,000 extant species of diatoms. And, guess what, a lot of them are green.

Diatoms associated with saltwater tanks are thought of as brown.

Another misconception is that Cyanobacterium is red. The vast majority of Cyanobacterium is blue-green; it is also a very large group of bacterium. kyanos (greek) = blue. The red cyano is just what saltwater people call it. There are also an unknown number of species of Cyanobacterium.

 

[Bad Company]

I wouldn't do that, the algae might? die, put the nitrogen back in the water, and once you turn the lights back on, the algae will regrow. If you want less algae growing in your tank, the only real solutions are: get something that eats it (a bicolor blenny will eat it off the rocks, snails will eat it off the rocks and glass, I haven't found much that will eat it off the sand), give it less light overall (maybe only light it strongly when you will be around to see it?), or reduce the nutrients that it lives on (waterchanges, skimmer, or/and algae harvesting. I would wait a few more weeks and let your tank stabilize though. Algae does not hurt the fish. But if you over react by buying too many snails, then they will die when they eat it all.

 

[jarhead81]

Thank again for the advice. It is greatly appreciated

 

[Mike J.]

Jarhead, obviously a Marine, Semper Fidelis. The algae growth on your rocks is very normal and all new tanks go through it. Getting a clean up crew is your next step. Yes, it's definitely time to run your skimmer, if you have someone who'll watch it. It is very important for the health of your tank, especially since you don't have a clean up crew yet. And, yes, a protein skimmer plays an important role in nitrate reduction. And, 1.023 is your specific gravity.

 

[Mike J.]

Since you don't have any critters that need a lot of light I'd suggest that you keep your light period down to 6 - 8 hours a day, at least 'till you can get back and get hands on.

Everyone who starts a saltwater tank will benefit from reading this: The Mature Aquarium

 

[Eienna]

What kind of "some algae growth" might that be?

Diatoms are a major group of algae. There are 200 genera of living diatoms and there are an estimated 100,000 extant species of diatoms. And, guess what, a lot of them are green.

Diatoms associated with saltwater tanks are thought of as brown.

Another misconception is that Cyanobacterium is red. The vast majority of Cyanobacterium is blue-green; it is also a very large group of bacterium. kyanos (greek) = blue. The red cyano is just what saltwater people call it. There are also an unknown number of species of Cyanobacterium.

Mom had both green and brown cyano in her tank at one point...

Huh. I was not aware that diatoms could be other colors. Strictly speaking, I don't believe they are a species of algae, however.

 

[Mike J.]

Strictly speaking, huh?

"Diatoms are a major group of algae." Diatom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That's exactly why I made a post because of the bad information. Like telling people how to keep a Moorish Idol - what?

 

[Eienna]

Strictly speaking, huh?

"Diatoms are a major group of algae." Diatom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That's exactly why I made a post because of the bad information. Like telling people how to keep a Moorish Idol - what?

I didn't say how to keep one, specifically...just what helped me get a scaredy-fish to eat, and where might be the best supplier to try if they did decide to make the jump.

I guess I have more reading to do on diatoms. I really used the wrong wording there - I should have said I don't THINK they are. Either way, I'm gonna go research them now.

 

[Eienna]

Okay, you were right, they are. Sorry about that!

I did try to make it obvious that my thoughts on the Moorish were speculation. I guess I didn't do that well enough.

 

[Eienna]

Ugggh. I don't know if it's the fibro or what, but I'm certainly mixing some things up. I gotta start double-checking what I'm thinking before I reply to something!

 

[Mike J.]

Ugggh. I don't know if it's the fibro or what, but I'm certainly mixing some things up. I gotta start double-checking what I'm thinking before I reply to something!

The last thing I want to do is offend you. If I did, I'm sorry.

 

[Eienna]

The last thing I want to do is offend you. If I did, I'm sorry.

No offense taken. Just frustrated with myself.