Noob algae question

DonJuanAntwon · Jul 19, 2022

Hey everyone. This is my first post. I’m working on my first reef tank ever. I have a simple 10 gallon nano reef tank. It’s been running for about 3 months. I started with live rock from my LFS. I’m doing weekly 15% water changes. 0 ammonia / 0 nitrite / 10 nitrate / 450 Ca / 0.2 phosphate. Is this regular greeen algae or the start of coralline algae? (Doesn’t really look like the coralline algae photos ive seen). Also is the purple dinos? Or the start of purple coralline algae. It’s not easily removable. I have a few small corals right now (hammers, zoanthids, mushrooms) and no fish yet. I would appreciate any and all insights/tips/help. I don’t know what I don’t know . . .

Dan_P · Jul 19, 2022

DonJuanAntwon said:
Hey everyone. This is my first post. I’m working on my first reef tank ever. I have a simple 10 gallon nano reef tank. It’s been running for about 3 months. I started with live rock from my LFS. I’m doing weekly 15% water changes. 0 ammonia / 0 nitrite / 10 nitrate / 450 Ca / 0.2 phosphate. Is this regular greeen algae or the start of coralline algae? (Doesn’t really look like the coralline algae photos ive seen). Also is the purple dinos? Or the start of purple coralline algae. It’s not easily removable. I have a few small corals right now (hammers, zoanthids, mushrooms) and no fish yet. I would appreciate any and all insights/tips/help. I don’t know what I don’t know . . .

The red patch in first picture is cyanobacteria. Also, it appears there is more than one type of green algae growing.

Looks like a large amount of algae growing. Do you have snails?

DonJuanAntwon · Jul 19, 2022

DonJuanAntwon · Jul 19, 2022

My clean up crew from reef cleaners is coming tomorrow. I got 10 Dwarf Ceriths, 3 Nassarius vibex, 4 Florida Ceriths, 3 Astraeas, 3 Nerites, and 2 hermit crabs. That should be enough for a 10 gallon?

jabberwock · Jul 19, 2022

Clean up crew should be fine. You might have to feed them something. In my opinion you are pretty early for corals. The algae you are experiencing is fairly standard for a new tank with wet rock from the LFS (not really live rock). So is the Cyano. Your tank needs time and a fish.

Reef. · Jul 19, 2022

Clean up crew is not going to sort that out.

If you have no fish why is your po4 really high at .2, that needs fixing.

vetteguy53081 · Jul 19, 2022

You have film algae and both green and red cyano. This is Not a clean up crew task. . YET.
Cyano blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations go haywire and concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds become too high.
I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 5-7 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.