Is this Normal???

[findingnemo]

This coral skeleton has been changing color also some of the live rock too, I looked online and in my book I cant find anything about this. Does anybody now what this is? Here are the before and after pics.

 

[drunktank]

most likely brown algae part of ur cycle, assuming ur tank has just been set up recently. its normal and will go away once ur cycle is complete. (assuming ur lighting schedule isnt to long to promote further growth)

 

[findingnemo]

Yes is been runnig only for one week, Thanks

 

[steveo32]

IMO The green on it looked like algea but I'm not sure about the orange. But I'm no expert so don't qoute me lol

 

[digitalreefer]

Looks very orange... I guess there is a very small chance that the coral wasn't dead, or like drunk said it could be algae.

 

[findingnemo]

Yeah its mostly orange .

 

[Deanos]

Findingnemo: Since there are no live corals in your tank, there is no need for a photoperiod. The growth above is probably diatoms.

 

[ming]

Probably diatoms
Once the diatoms deplete the nutrients out of the skeleton, then they'll subside and eventually coraline might start to grow over it and it'll become another piece of live rock

 

[nanoreefer22]

Probably diatoms. That coral was completely dead from the looks of it. Even if it was alive, in a week old tank it wouldn't regain color with that pace.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

its def. diatoms... tank is cycling sit back and relax.....

 

[findingnemo]

So its not brown algae???

 

[findingnemo]

What is Brown or Golden Algae?

Referred to as a microalgae, brown or golden algae is actually not an algae at all, but diatoms. What you are actually seeing in your tank are diatom skeletons, all linked together. It can appear as a simple dusting on the tank walls and substrate surfaces, or it can turn into a massive growth that covers just about everything in the tank. This type of algae outbreak typically occurs when a tank is just completing or has finished the nitrogen cycling process, new live rock is introduced, as the curing process can add nutrients when some organisms on the rock dies off, or tank maintenance has been neglected. zSB(3,3)http://pagead2.googlesyndication.co...hp?category=164&client=ca-primedia-premium_js
It is a normal occurrence, as diatoms are one of the first to appear in the chain when the tank conditions are conducive for algae growth, and is usually a precursor to other forms of desirable and undesirable nuisance type green macroalgae. As you can see in our enlarged photos, the center area where the diatom algae first began growing is beginning to turn green.

Do u guys think this is the same thing I have? For now its only on my corals and live rock.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Yup it will probably get somewhat "worse" give it time, tanks still very young. Definatley diatoms...

 

[findingnemo]

I only have 5 snails, 9 hermit crabs should I buy a starfish and more hermit crabs for they to take care of the diatoms?

 

[nanoreefer22]

Those little guys shouldn't be in the tank just yet. Don't add anything else for maybe another 2 weeks to play it safe. Don't buy starfish either, they seem to be hard to keep unless its a serpant or brittle star.

Just know that you shouldn't put them in for a while. The diatoms will recede on their own once the tank matures and you begin water changes and get your skimmer.

 

[findingnemo]

Ok Ill get the skimmer next week. The guy that helps me out at the fish store called me to asked me about the fish I was interested in and I told him about the diatoms he says I should by a slime remover. Should I listen to him? none of u told me to get that so im not comfortable in getting it.

 

[nanoreefer22]

No. You by no means need slime remove, just let the cycle do what it does. Adding things to disrupt the cycle are probably gonna do very little to help and just throw things out of whack further.

Thats the one problem with many LFS's, just because they seem nice doesn't mean they won't try to sell you something you don't need. That's a couple dollars you can save and put towards your skimmer.

 

[fritz]

A thing to keep in mind is that we aren't trying to sell you a product when we answer your questions. Your LFS (Local FIsh Store) is.

WHat you should do when you setup a new tank is read www.wetwebmedia.com all over the place (set aside a weekend). There is more info there then just about anywhere else. From those readings you'll get a good understanding of what type of tank you want to keep and what that will require. For example right now you shouldn't really have anything in your tank other then live rock and a skimmer. The live rock has 3-4 million organisms on it. That's plenty of livestock and cleanup crew for now. In 1-2 months those animals will have reporduced and created a very stable and very much alive Reef tank. From that point you've got a foundation upon which to build. Then you should start to add animals and do so slowly. What you are keeping isn't fish or corals, it's a delicate ecosystem which in time will be able to support fish and corals. If you always keep in mind that your "pet" is the ecosystem you'll do fine. YOu want to avoid giving your ecosystem more then it can handle. What size tank do you have? (Dont' buy your skimmer from your Local Fish Store!!!) Shop around, read around. Most importantly the equipment that you buy will depend on what animals you want to keep in your tank. Some animals will require one skimmer while other types would require another one entirely.

 

[findingnemo]

OHHHHH OK, well I have a 48 gallon tank and will like to put in 2 clown fish, anemones a dragonete or bogy , maybe a starfish, one shrimp and if possible on conch. I have been looking for a skimmer but because of my limited space im looking for a hang one the glass one.

 

[drunktank]

go for a coralife skimmer, will be good for ur tank and is cheap.