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What’s this stuff? And how do I beat it ?

A

A_foxx

IMG_9318.jpegIMG_9317.jpegI was battling cyano beat that then had green slime algae. I ran a uv to get rid of that. Then this stuff popped up. I saw that it was pissing off some of the corals and I finally had some time to rearrange the tank and do a very large water change (a little over 50%) and got around to setting up my skimmer. Cleaned the sand as much as possible and scrubbed the rocks so it looks much better.

Any one know what this is. It doesn’t really look like hair algae but it popped up over night and even covered all of my snails. I also switched to frozen to reduce the nutrient that could be feeding it.


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J

john90009

NJRC Member
Do weekly waterchanges with water that you’re positive is 0.00 tds and get some urchins in there. They will clean it up but phopshates are still going to be bound to the rock so over time if the waterchanges are with good water it will go away.
 
Ls2Goat

Ls2Goat

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
It looks like a newer tank in the middle of the ugly phase.
How old is the tank? It looks as if you e cranked the lights up during the ugly phase.

Here is how I setup new tank to avoid such situations.

If the ammonia cycle is over then add a fish then wait and wait some more, first coral should be softies 8-10 weeks after you add your first fish.

Read up on the ammonia cycle, you should never add fish u til ammonia and nitrite are both at 0, then do a large water change.





Here is your basic bio cycle time frame.

NO LIGHTS

You may substitute a pair of baby clowns for a single small fish at any time when adding a fish.

Test nutrients every week, when nitrates are above 10 do a 20% water change, once you have added coral test for calc/alk/mag and start doing weekly 10% water changes.



Week 1 after ammonia cycle add first fish

Week 3-4 add a couple snails if algae is showing up

Week 5-6 ugly phase should have kicked in, add a couple more snails and hermits with an emerald crab

Week 7 you can add a second smaller fish

Week 9 adjust snails and crabs

Week 10 if the ugly brown phase is starting to go away add a tester softy coral such as zoas( I recommend avoiding the cancers such as xenia and Kenya tree) if uglies are still present then do nothing.

Week 11 you can add a third fish

Week 12 repeat week 10 if uglies still present adjust snails.

Repeat step 10 as needed until you place coral, once you place your first tester do nothing and observe it for 4 weeks. If it grows then you are golden, if it stays the same you are almost ready wait another 2 weeks.
If it looses color, the flesh recedes, closes up and shrivels away then you need to wait another 4-6 weeks, test nutrients. Then repeat.
For reference any new tank I setup using dry anything I plan for a 4 month cycle before I ever introduce the first softy coral.
 
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