Noob project continued (1 Viewer)

[gware]

So as posted under Noob question I'm sure.... I have come a long way... I think

Uploading some pictures with quite a few questions. Tempset (Justin) has been a HUGE help as I blow his phone up regularly but has really been the biggest help. Thankfully he hasn't changed his number on me yet lol.

So here is what is going on:

75g, 20g sump tank. AquaticLife T5 lamp with LED. Manual overflow box. Already forgot what brand protein skimmer (Got it at City Pets). Heater. Koralia 3. Pink Fiji Sand. 70 or so pounds of LR.

1 Yellow Tang (little guy is fast!)
2 Percula Clowns (pretty funny little dudes)
Red cleaner shrimp (really ugly creepy dude lol)
3 Zebra turbos
1 Hex Turbo
A rock full of Zoa's (don't know what kind, got them from Fish Land)
3 Astrea Snails (sp?)
New frog spawn
Green fluorescent Mushroom coral


Questions: I have good water parameters.... why is there so much algae on only a few different rocks?! Nonsense is ugly... I took a picture of it next to the zoa's to show one rock without and one with.

What kind of anemone is that? Not quite sure myself.
Best place to put the green mushroom and anemone? I have the anemone in a corner so it won't run away (or get blown away)
What else can I get to eat all this damn algae? Hair and that turf junk.
Any other equipment I should buy for the tank?

and last but not least... Why is this damn hobby so addicting?! lol

 

[flexrac]

first congrats, your percs are hosting the anemone, second it looks like it's starting to walk, which means not enough light, which could also be a cause for your GHA, where do you get your water?
how often do you do water changes?
try removing as much as possible by hand.
I heard and read microbacter 7 helps rid your tank of this stuff, but it's a slow process.

 

[majikmike9999]

When I started my new tank I had some rocks from my old tank covered in that stuff, I don't know if it is a good idea or not in an established tank since you would have die off from the rock and a possible mini cycle but i left all mine out in the driveway for a few days to kill all the algae. It worked but it also kills everything else on your rock. It may be a solution if you only have a few problem pieces?

 

[flexrac]

you can do that, then place it in a bucket with water and a power head and cycle it before placing back into the tank, i would even use water from the main tank. but some may rule against this.

 

[gware]

The rock came from another tank with a lot of the GHA already on it. So I'm not stuck on keeping it in there. There are two different types of rock in there... any idea of the difference?

Water is bought distilled with salt added when needed. Sal = usually about 1.025

What is the required amount of light for the anemone? I have the green mushroom and zoas at medium height in the tank.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[flexrac]

most likely halides for the anemone, or place them higher on a rock. not sure what the diff could be with the rocks, but i do know many of people have experienced diff issues when moving rocks, for some nothing happens on the first move, but all hell break loose on the second, then there is you.
now, you said they came from a tank with hair algae, i would deff cook them then. nothing to lose.
just my thought. this is the shortest way to rid it. nitrates and phosphates seems to help these guys grow, along with nutrients from feeding. check reef central, they have lots of threads on this issue and other algae problems.
and 3reef http://www.3reef.com/forums/algae/

 

[majikmike9999]

Yeah if it is at all possible I would just take the rocks out and let them dry out for a week or so then start over with them it is probably the easiest way. When I started my new tank I combined the two existing tanks that i had one was full of hair algae the other i had been fighting aptasias i let all the "infected" rock dry out and have not had any issues with either in the new setup.

 

[Llama]

Do you have a magnesium test? Test you mag to see what level it's at.

I did mag boosting using Kent Tech M to rid my tank of some bryopsis. The boosting knocked out every bit of algae in my tank! Every last piece. I'm kinda worried about my snails now.

Before

During

After

I'll add that I never even touched that algae. That was all done by my CUC and the Tech M

 

[gware]

Awesome I might have to try that then!!

Ok hurry with some help on this one.

1 picture is the anemone looking like he wants the hell out of that corner but where to put him?!

Full tank shot so tell me where to put him.

 

[Llama]

First off you need to find out which kind it is. To me it tlooks like it may be a long tentacle anemone. My LTA has white spots on the base of the oral disc (basically the part that attaches the foot to the oral disc). It looks like yours may have the same white spots.

If so they like the sand bed.

Is he attached to the rock?

 

[gware]

Got the magnesium boost as you said so we will see how that goes. Got home today and the anemone got off the rock and plopped down right in the sand and looks awesome. And yes it is a purple long tentacle anemone.

The fish are loving it.

Whats the best cycle for lighting? Timing wise?

 

[Kemah]

Buy a sailfin tang it will take care of the algea. Also do a decent sized water change at least once a week for the next month or two, and run your skimmer pretty wet. Other tangs will eat the algea aswell but the sailfins seem to love it. I had a problem like this and my buddy had his tank at my house with several tangs and we would just put one or two rocks depending on size in his tank for a day or two and mainly his sail fin would clean them completely.

 

[gware]

Well I've been doing the magnesium boost for well over a week and the algae is still growing.....

Not wanting to do too much as it took out a cleaner shrimp the other day.... Other then the Sailfin, what other things can I do? Including the water changing.

 

[Kemah]

You may want to refer to this thread:


http://www.marshreef.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=44004

 

[Kemah]

But for starters, Pick out as much as you can by hand run a shorter light cycle, make sure you bulbs aren't too old, feed less, and do water changes. Hand pic the algae right before the water changes so taht you can use the syphon to pick out the crap that is floating around. You can do as many water changes as you want.

 

[gware]

Ugh the battle shall continue.... The issue is the rock was covered when I originally got it so its definitely going to take some time. The fish seem plenty happy I just don't feel like testing out how high the magnesium should go before killing the algae and/or my fish.


That purple sailfin is gorgeous.

 

[Llama]

How did you get the mag? How much where you dosing at a time? Which product did you use? I read somewhere that it may not have been the mag itself, but some type of addition in the Kent marine Tech-M that was actually killing off the algae.

The reason for my previous questions is that I have a cleaner shrimp that made it all the way through my dosing without showing signs of stress.

 

[galvezsurfer33]

emerald crab

 

[Kemah]

gware, whats the update with thehair algea? If it is still there and just getting worseand other options have failed buy a sailfin tang and some Turbo snails. If you dont like sailfins just trap him in a few months and sell him, there are always people that want them. My guess is he will become one of your favorite fish.

 

[gware]

Went and got the Kent Tech M and a new protein skimmer since mine decided to die on me. Still having a problem with the GHA and some other kind has overgrown a rock full of zoas and its starting to piss me off. The other Mag i put in there simply just killed my cleaner shrimp and didnt do much else. So just did yet ANOTHER water change and cleaned up the sand and I am slowly adding the Tech M. I have turbos and a yellow tang right now. If someone is in the Katy area and wants to take a look, maybe something else is wrong too. Thanks