All of a sudden I have green growing on the rocks??

[Family Reefer]

My tank has been set up (Upgraded) for 4-5 weeks and now I have green taking over my coraline algae?? The tank was upgraded from a 55g to a 100g and for 4 weeks now everything seems to be thriving. Now all of a sudden my coraline algae has been or is slowly being taken over by this hard green algae.....not the mushy kind. Is that tank just cycling or is there some way to get it to stop....

All water added was RO Water

I reduced feedings....

I reduced Lighting.....

What else???

Set-up is 100g - w/ 110#LR - Micron Filter in Sump - Euro Reef RS8.2 (Huge Skimmer) - 2500gph water movement

Please help....I hate to see these beautiful rocks turning from purple to green:mad2:

[Randall_James]

Water parameters?

Also this is just part of the tank maturing.

Reducing feeding will only starve the tank inhabitants. You can however make sure you feed so that you can remove uneaten food in 5 minutes.

Reducing the lighting can help, more water changes, more aggressive skimming, more cleanup critters, and just give it some time. New tanks go thru a series of different blooms so don't panic yet :D

[MCary]

Some coraline algae is a lime green.

[inwall75]

Originally posted by MCary
Some coraline algae is a lime green.

Did you change your lighting spectrum at the same time?

As a GENERAL rule (general is capitalized on purpose), dark maroon corallines like less intensity with very blue light, pinks grow well with moderate lighting at moderate lighting color, and green can handle real intense lighting. I'm just taking a stab in the dark as to why one coralline is now taking over.

[Family Reefer]

The Algae thats growing is Lime green.....So maybe thats what it is.

When I say reduced feedings I am feeding every two to three days and the food is typically gone within 3 to 5 minutes.

The lights went from PC's on the 55 to 5 110w bulbs so I think that may have something to do with it.

I stay cool and not freak out yet.....lol ;) :D

[Randall_James]

What kind of fish are in the tank? Feeding every 2 or 3 days can be kind of tough on some species.

[swenard]

I have had a tonne of lime green algae starting in my tank and it is all turning purple now.It took about 3-4 weeks

[Family Reefer]

Fish in the Tank

Yellow Tang
Maroon Clown
2 Damsels
Lawnmower Bleny
6 Line Wrasse

Others

Cleaner Shrimp
Coral Banded Shrimp
2 pepperment shrimp (Havnt been seen since they where added to the tank 2 weeks ago??) is that normal?
Cleanup Crew
Brittle Star

Corals

[zoltetov]

I'd think you need to increase your feeding. It's just my opinion, but, every couple to three days seems sort of sparse. Especially with damsels and clowns. Your blenny probably eats every other minute. Some people successfully keep fish with such sparse feedings, but, I just can't see the animals being real thrilled with such little food. Every-other-day seems to be on the low end to me (I'm a once-a-day guy myself) but that is certainly more common. Anyway, just my 2 cents.

[lossman]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/561/79191Img3582.JPG

Here's a picture of part of one of our rocks with the different colors of coralline represented on it. It is slowly turning purple. :)

[Randall_James]

I also feed at least once a day and sometimes twice. Every second or third day seems tough on the livestock

[Family Reefer]

I didn't know about the feeding schedule being so much. I will change that immediatly and begin to feed once per day....:( I feel like Ive been starving my kids now:eek2:

The green on your rocks is the same that Im talking about so I guess its a good thing then.........

Man I want to leave work now so I can go home and feed my little buddies:(

I always heard about the saying hungry fish are happy fish.......:(

[lossman]

We currently have two fish but a ton of inverts in our tank. We feed the fish once per day (what they can eat in a couple of minutes), the starfish and anemones once per week and we feed the tank DT's every other day. We've been told at times that we overfeed (and that's why we have algae growth) and other times that we are underfeeding (and that's why our inverts eat each other). We feel comfortable with our current feeding regime. You will get a different opinion on feeding from everyone you speak with. :)

[zoltetov]

It's funny. You're supposed to feed your fish not more than what they can eat in a couple minutes. lol!! I must have the Kobayashi of freakin fish in my tank!!! I think i could dump the whole container in and it'd be gone in a blink.

[lossman]

LOL, sounds like our harlequin basslet!! :) The second we put him in the main tank, he zoomed down and ate one of the porcelin crabs. He has since eaten every crab that he could get in his mouth and several peppermint shrimp. He would eat an entire cube of mysis if we put it in the tank. He's a very aggressive eater and loves to eat things that flash by him so we have learned to put the tiny bit of food we feed the two fish in some tank water and then dump it right in front of the returns so it blows across the tank. He eats everything that flies around the tank and the royal gramma eats the stuff that floats gently towards the bottom. They are a good pair. :)