White Algae? Diatoms dying? Coralline dying?

Tory Larsen

New Member
70ACBC7E-FC9C-4753-8161-86B014B5FCC5.jpeg Hey guys, what is your take on what you see in these photos? Is it an algae, diatoms dying off, or coralline dying? Would love some input!84A2B679-FC5C-42CC-8F0D-F9FE17A87F6F.jpeg
 

Uncle99

Well-Known Member
I am seeing purple coraline but also a lot of brownish algae.

What are your N and P levels, how long have they been at that level, how long since the tank started.
 

Tory Larsen

New Member
I am seeing purple coraline but also a lot of brownish algae.

What are your N and P levels, how long have they been at that level, how long since the tank started.
The purple coraline was grown on the rock when I got it at LFS, it’s slowly starting to grow on the white rocks as well.
my nitrites and nitrates are at 0 currently as they already dropped off. Ammonia is at about .15 as of yesterday. If you are referring to my Ph it was 8.2 yesterday, if you are referring to phosphate I have not checked that yet. The tank is about 16 days into the cycle.
Any idea as to those white spots in the photos? Those just showed up yesterday where there was diatoms/brown algae?
 

Uncle99

Well-Known Member
Hard to see white dots looks like bubbles.
Real early in the cycle, check phosphate should be 0.03 - 0.07, brush off that algae, normal weekly water change.

Very normal for 16 days.

Keep nitrates 2-5ppm and phosphate as above
 

Tory Larsen

New Member
Hard to see white dots looks like bubbles.
Real early in the cycle, check phosphate should be 0.03 - 0.07, brush off that algae, normal weekly water change.

Very normal for 16 days.

Keep nitrates 2-5ppm and phosphate as above
Ok as long as nothing looks off or alarming :) thank you for your advice!
 

Uncle99

Well-Known Member
No problem
Try to brush off that algae weekly, syphon out that gunk and complete a 10% water change each week. Algae prevents coralline algae from expanding and will kill corals if allowed to go unchecked.

It’s important to maintain low nitrate and phosphate to the levels shown above.

Manual removal, water changes, carbon dosing and running GFO are ways to manage nutrients through the initial cycle period which may take several months.

Mexican turbos and ninja astreas snails will help keep it in check.

If you maintain those levels, at one point, algae will diminish till virtually zero.

Yup, nothing wrong, this stage known as “the ugly stage” and will continue until the tank fully matures, say 8-12 months.

If you have any Stoney corals or want the coralline algae to build, maintain the following three parameters, regular water changes should keep these in check.

Alk is the most important at 8-9 dkh, CA at 450 and MG at 1360ppm will keep Stoney’s and coralline happy.

Stability in parameters is what you want to accomplish, when all 8 are stable, virtually all corals will thrive.

Hope that helps!
 
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