Newbie with a couple questions

[AB-Bug]

I'm new to the hobby and just purchased a 75 gallon from a girl who was moving. It was full of green algae when I got it, however I rinsed the rocks and cleaned it up pretty good. It has been set up at the new location for about 4 days and that algae is starting to come back strong. My water parameters are all fine, so whats next? Currently the tank has no "cleanup crew" except for a couple of sandworms. I don't think that there will be any real die off because I kept the rock in good clean saltwater while moving. Also, I made the mistake of using a playsand that contains silicates for most of my substrate, and used some of the stuff from the old one. Now I'm starting to see the brown algae (cyano?) on the rocks and powerheads. Do I need to cycle the tank or purchase some snails and crabs? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I haven't been running my MH at all, just the actinics.

[betamed]

Congrats on the set up. You might not get much of a cycle as far as ammonia but you will get stages of algae. Look into "cooking" your rock. It will save you a lot of trouble long term. Also using RODI water and a skimmer will help.

[racerw]

If you have green hair algea, it is best to scrub the rocks that have it to free them of the long hairy algea. Check the nitites to see if you have them, if so, all inverts will probably die if you add them. I would change the sand to a reef sand, Fiji Pink or Oceans Direct both from Caribi Sea.
A phosphate reactor will help long term, and alot of carbon and NO LIGHT will also be a plus.
I bought a 125 reef system that had a ton of hair algea. We wrapped the tank for 2-3 weeks in a blanket, did 25 % water changes to it once a week and most of the hair algea died off. We (Stacie) then removed the rocks and scrubbed them with a course brush like you would use to clean the tires. It was new of course. Mexican turbo snails were added 10 or so and the carbon was changed every week or two. 1+ pounds at a time.
It did fine after that. The same rock is in my 210 that we upgraded to.
The brown stuff is most likely diatoms, it is common to new setups and higher Total disolved solids (TDS) in the water. Some salt mixes cause issues as well. When I switched from Oceanic to Kent, improvements were notice after that water change.

Do you have any pics of the green algea?

Use only RO or RO/DI water when adding water to the tank.
Low flow areas are always going to be your problem spots.
A big skimmer is also helpful in water quality.

Many are helpful on this board, so please ask questions. Someone will help.
Don't be intimidated by the new system, enjoy it. We have all made mistakes, some cost more than others, but it is for enjoyment.

Please post if you have further questions and
CONGRATS on the new Tank.

Eddie

[andbigdaddy2]

If you are looking for cheap sand Go to Dr Foster&Smith.com or that fish place ask for a catalog. When u get your catalog in the mail take it to Petsmart they will price match the mag it will save you a ton of money. 15lb bags of fiji are about 13 bucks using the mag. Good luck and welcome to the Hobby.

[Robwsup]

The big secret to getting rid of most algaes is to find something that eats it, and keep your water clean enough so it does not grow back.

Seeing that you have a neglected tank, you may have a buildup of nutrients within your rock and sand. What I would do:
1. Siphon out all the sand. If you want aragonite (reef sand) you can add it later.
2. Minimize lighting. Maybe run halides 1 hour a day, or fluorescent 2 hrs a day.
3. Add a cleanup crew. Various option here: Hermits, Mexican Turbo Snails (highly recommended) Sea Urchins, Foxface Rabbitfish, Zebrasoma tang (Yellow, Purple, Sailfin, etc)
4. Siphon out snail/fish poop every couple days. This will be easy, as you have a bare bottom. Replace siphoned water with new saltwater.
5. No food! All of the above are herbivores, they will eat algae, unless something tastier is offered.
6. There are a few additives that will help.

If you like, bring one algae covered rock into the store, and we'll make sure it's hair algae, which is easy to battle. Bryopsis can look similar, but is harder to tackle.

If you want, call my cell tomorrow and I can give additional pointers. (904) 860-2148.

[Robwsup]

We'll pricematch sand prices also when you are ready to put it back in.

[AB-Bug]

So I should go ahead and take all my rock out and drain it, remove the sand and then add the rock back and fill, then go ahead and add the cleanup crew? Why couldn't I just replace the sand now if I was already removing everything?

[Robwsup]

Don't use new clean sand while trying to clean up your rock. You could do it now, but some of the nutrients trapped in your rock will migrate to the sand.

It's also easier to siphon all the detritus from the waste of your clean up crew from a bare bottom.

[AB-Bug]

thanks for all the info

[Kimberfish]

gee will anyone local match salt prices from Dr fostersmiths too?
Sorry not trying to hijack your thread.

Welcome to the club!!!

[andbigdaddy2]

Petsmart will price match anything thay have in the store to the magazine, salt test strips, carbon, meds etc. If you have a dog they even price match dog food from Dr. Foster and Smith. Salt is like 11.89 or something for a 50 gallon bag.

[andbigdaddy2]

Just a heads up the petsmart on southside by the Avenues has a manager who will give you a hard time its a skinny white guy with brown hair. The other managers at that store and the others in the area are cool and are very helpfull.

[Robwsup]

Wow, does every thread in this forum have to turn into a how-to-get-it cheaper thread?

The guy was asking about hair algae.

[Waynesworld]

I will just say, Rob has good prices and has treated my fairly the last several times I was in there.

[Robwsup]

Hey Wayne, thanks. I saw you in the chat window this morning; you're out of the hobby completely now?