Red Spiky Things, Brown Algae, Little Growth Stuff

[themissinglynk]

Okay, new tank. Information is in HERE.

My LiveRock is starting to sprout, in various places, very small red spiky bits. (I really need a good camera for this, don't I?). The largest of them look like half of a tip of a broken pencil. It is a bright red, and appears hard, though I haven't gone in and felt them yet. Anyone seen anything like this, and should I be worried yet?

Okay, item #2, the Brown Algae. This started showing up on the sand, then on the back of the tank, and now starting to cover some of the live rock. Could this just be from possible overfeeding? How can I tell if I am overfeeding? Should my snails and hermit crabs take care of this? Should I hold off from feeding for a day or two?

My "coralline" growth is looking pretty nice - lots of purple, some green, some bright yellow kind of stuff. I am also seeing one or two patches of very dark red. It looks like coralline algae, but I want to make sure it is not red slime algae. Anyone know anything that I can specifically look at to be sure?

I also have a few other things... one funnel shaped bit of very delicate white strands (maybe 1/4" total height), 2 stalks that top off in a little flat disk, and close up at night, and a bunch of little plants that look like a small stem with a little leaf at the end of it. Then there's a little thing that looks like whispy little white tendrils reaching upwards, but not in any specific shape.

Okay, I just asked about a dozen things, and have no pictures to offer. Anyone want to beat me with their largest chunk of live rock?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated... and I swear I will try to get pictures soon!

-Lee

[ChilisREasy]

are these the red spikes ?

http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92909

[luvmylo]

Have you run tests??? What are your paremeters?? amm. nitrite. nitrate??? How long has the system been up??? That canister I would sell and get a good skimmer. The lighting you might wanna upgrade also.

[themissinglynk]

Originally Posted by ChilisREasy

are these the red spikes ?

http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92909

I believe, sir, that you are correct. I think a bit of time will tell for sure. I will definitely keep some posts on here, as I get to identify them better (and try to take some darned pictures!).

Thanks!

[themissinglynk]

Originally Posted by luvmylo

Have you run tests??? What are your paremeters?? amm. nitrite. nitrate??? How long has the system been up??? That canister I would sell and get a good skimmer. The lighting you might wanna upgrade also.

Ammonia is minimal (fluctuates very little between the lowest box and the next highest on the test strip). Nitrites are just about non-existent. Nitrates are in the safe zone.

Water, Salt (Reef Crystals), and 100 lbs of live sand were started on June 17th. Live Rock and First fish added on 18th. Levels barely spiked during normalization. Crustaceans (hermit crabs and coral shrimp) added on 21st, I think. Bristle Sea Star added Monday, along with some more crabs and some snails.

Will probably get skimmer in the next few weeks, and need to add power heads before too long, too.

Any other advice? I have had several successes at freshwater, and this is my first marine tank. Been up less than 2 weeks.

Thanks!

-Lee

[tdwyatt]

The tank is a bit young to have actually developed any of these life forms on its own, however if the rock is good, and does not go through a significant cycle, these Foraminiferans will probably survive. At this point, your other organisms and the algae that you've described are part of the succession of organisms that normally occur with your tank begins to settle in and the habitat matures to reach some form of stability. Again, assuming that your system does not go through any ammonia spikes that might kill off some of these life forms, once the populations of various organisms reach a balance involving the food chains that must develop for the system to become sustainable, your system will usually become algae-free assuming a good balance of herbivorous organisms in the system. The presence of Foraminiferans at this early stage indicates that they were probably on the live rock when you acquired it, again, a good sign of quality LR.

Patience at this point and maintaining good water quality, as well as exporting wastes and mainting a good water change schedule should keep your system at its best.


HTH

[themissinglynk]

Is it a good sign if they are growing in size?

Now, for the "I'm a dumb newbie" question... for a 55 gallon tank, what is a "good water change schedule", and how much should I be changing?

And... more importantly, any good resource on "how to do the change"? I know I can't just add water, and add dechlorination stuff, and then add salt... need to mix beforehand, etc... any good resources, to describe how?

-Lee

[themissinglynk]

Okay, so I found one "Aiptasia" in my tank. It was just in the sand, but I removed it. Hopefully that is the only one.

OH! And I found a bristleworm the other night crawling around. Those are good, right?

[ScruffyRubicon]

Bristleworms are OK!

[YLChik]

Originally Posted by themissinglynk

Is it a good sign if they are growing in size?

Now, for the "I'm a dumb newbie" question... for a 55 gallon tank, what is a "good water change schedule", and how much should I be changing?

And... more importantly, any good resource on "how to do the change"? I know I can't just add water, and add dechlorination stuff, and then add salt... need to mix beforehand, etc... any good resources, to describe how?

-Lee

Lee,

A lot of us here at Thereeftank suggest highly using rodi water or RO water from the grocery store or your LFS or reefer down the street... tap water can put more ickies into your tank than you take out in a water change.

With that said I have a 55 gallon tank and I change 10 - 15% of the water weekly, sometimes more. I was having a nitate issue for awhile and larger water changes helped get that under control.

But now I change about 10 gallons a week
RODI water goes into a brute trash can with FLAT bottom
mix 5 cups of salt
power head and heater to mix up salt and raise temp of water

I wait between 1-6 hours I am impatient

take water out of tank with vaccume hose thing into 5 gallon buckets I lug to kitchen sink to dump

replace water in tank with pump from bucket

done

well repeat on my other tank but you get the idea

hth

[themissinglynk]

Originally Posted by YLChik

But now I change about 10 gallons a week
RODI water goes into a brute trash can with FLAT bottom
mix 5 cups of salt
power head and heater to mix up salt and raise temp of water

I wait between 1-6 hours I am impatient

YLChik -

So far, I have been preparing the water (from the tap - with a conditioner - I will look into RO water), adding the salt, waiting a day and checking the salinity, and when I have it right, starting the change.

For the change, I have been using "rubbermaid" tubs - one for old water, one for new. Put empty one on the floor, start a siphon, let gravity do the work. When enough water is out, I do the same thing from the other tub (which is on top of my entertainment center, so I can use gravity there, too).

I know I need another heater, so I can get the new water the same temp, but I have been doing it with room temp water this past time.

Suggestions MORE than welcome!