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ajrl23

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Hi I am pretty new to this hobby and I am having a lot of difficulty finding answers. Can anyone look at these pictures and tell me what I need to do to fix the tank? These purpleish sprouts are appearing out of the live rock, along with those purple dots and some green algae, not to mention that an anenome looking thing that popped up in the zoa- all today.

5B471CEB-175A-4069-8C66-AD0761CDAC67.jpeg 54A975E6-821A-4387-938F-FDEEE101AFF6.jpeg 7698FBF1-A476-49A1-B769-1C06885EF162.jpeg F7132D3E-5713-4392-A918-3F40BC095BF0.jpeg
 
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The purple stem like things in photo 2 appear to be feather dusters.. harmless and helpful.

The Aiptasia in the middle of the Zoa colony will need to be removed.
 
Just looks like a young tank to me. Be patient. The “enemy” is aiptasia and should be removed. Be careful with the zoas though (palytoxin).
Any idea what the green algae is and how to treat it?
 
Purple spots appear to be the start of Coraline algae (which is good), leave it be, and eventually your rock will be nice and purple.

The green tuffs of algae looks like green hair algae (GHA). For that, pick up some more clean up crew (some snails and/or hermit crabs) and they'll eat it up.

EDIT: after looking at the pics more, I am more convinced that it is vermetid snails. The "sprouts" are feather dusters, and will typically are ok... the feather dusters look like a little duster at the end of the tube. Alternatively, they can be vermetid snails (they looks very similar). Vermetid's will send out long stringy spiderweb looking strings when you feed the tank. Typically they are also harmless, but if you get too many, they can bother coral or just look gross. You can get 1 or 2 bumble bee snails as they absolutely decimate those. But they can also eat up other beneficial worms. Personally, I always have 1 or 2 because I'd rather not have vermitids.

The anemone looking things is an aptaisa. Those things can and do spread quickly. I recommend using Aptaisa X or something to that degree and getting rid of it. Read up about it and dont just try to scrape it off, that can release more of it into the water column. If the plug is small (like your's) I usually pull it out into a separate container, use Aptaisa X and then rinse using tank water outside of the aquarium and put back in. You'll have to keep checking to see if it comes back, and repeat if that's the case.

CAUTION: the aptaisa X stuff will hurt the zoa too, and those can release palytoxin, so use gloves when handling just in case and don't let your hands soak in that container for too long. Wash hands thoroughly after and keep away from eyes while you're working with it.

As a side note, search the forum about black sand. There have been some reports of it containing iron (if I recall correctly) and it can leech into the water causing algae issues and coral problems down the line. So may want to look into swapping the sand out, or going bare bottom.
 
You have coraline forming and the green stuff looks like matting algae in which you can press with thumb and try to peel up and discard. If not, chiton snails, pitho crab, female emerald crabs and carribean blue leg hermits will work on this stuff. Reduce white light intensity also.
Are you using RODI water or tap water from faucet?
Assure phosphates are not elevated
Is Tank at or near a window?

Anemone looking thing with zoas are pesty aptasia which will sting coral and steal food. For simple removal, apply a dab of gel superglue over its very center or Using syringe, inject either lemon juice or better yet. . kalkwasser powder mixed with tank water into a paste the consistency of toothpaste and inject into the very center core and it will melt away
 
Purple spots appear to be the start of Coraline algae (which is good), leave it be, and eventually your rock will be nice and purple.

The green tuffs of algae looks like green hair algae (GHA). For that, pick up some more clean up crew (some snails and/or hermit crabs) and they'll eat it up.

EDIT: after looking at the pics more, I am more convinced that it is vermetid snails. The "sprouts" are feather dusters, and will typically are ok... the feather dusters look like a little duster at the end of the tube. Alternatively, they can be vermetid snails (they looks very similar). Vermetid's will send out long stringy spiderweb looking strings when you feed the tank. Typically they are also harmless, but if you get too many, they can bother coral or just look gross. You can get 1 or 2 bumble bee snails as they absolutely decimate those. But they can also eat up other beneficial worms. Personally, I always have 1 or 2 because I'd rather not have vermitids.

The anemone looking things is an aptaisa. Those things can and do spread quickly. I recommend using Aptaisa X or something to that degree and getting rid of it. Read up about it and dont just try to scrape it off, that can release more of it into the water column. If the plug is small (like your's) I usually pull it out into a separate container, use Aptaisa X and then rinse using tank water outside of the aquarium and put back in. You'll have to keep checking to see if it comes back, and repeat if that's the case.

CAUTION: the aptaisa X stuff will hurt the zoa too, and those can release palytoxin, so use gloves when handling just in case and don't let your hands soak in that container for too long. Wash hands thoroughly after and keep away from eyes while you're working with it.

As a side note, search the forum about black sand. There have been some reports of it containing iron (if I recall correctly) and it can leech into the water causing algae issues and coral problems down the line. So may want to look into swapping the sand out, or going bare t
Deal with this first before it becomes unmanageable. Looks like big aptasia.

In my opinion
Deal with this first before it becomes unmanageable. Looks like big aptasia.

In my opinion
thank you
 

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