Also another thing, just been doing some research and I think I have some bryopsis growing, to add to the other algae's!!!! Is this stuff bad?

Thanks

Byropsis is a little more nefarious because less organisms like to eat it. Really the only two I've seen go for it on a regular basis are sea hares and urchins which both have their drawbacks in the home aquarium. Tangs, algae blennies, and other algae-eating fish are hit-or-miss with byropsis. Turbo snails are unlikely to eat it but have done so, all other snails/hermits seem to ignore true byropsis...

Depends on the skimmer. Are you planning on a tank with lots of hard corals? If so, I'd reccomend the skimmer. If not, it might not be necessary. Your algae outbreaks are a little troublesome but yoru tank is still young so I can't really say yet if a skimmer would help the algae problems or not.

Hmm interesting, thanks Ski. I will hold out for a little while and see how my water changes, tang, chaeto, snails and toothbrush cleaning help this outbreak. To be honest I haven't really researched corals to a great extent, I know I would like to have some mushrooms with some zoas and a pulsing xenia, then once I have tried my luck with them invest in some nice SPS and LPS, not lots though.
I was looking at the pin cushio urchin today but have decided to wait a bit to see how my snails do as if all this algae disappears I might need to take some of my astrea turbo's back. At the moment though they have plenty to eat!!!!!
Should I supplment the Tangs diet with meaty foods as some sites say yes some no??? At the moment it will never starve, soo much algae!!

Also I have been reading about supplementing the chaeto with Iron and things, is this necesary? Also it needs nitrates and phosphates to grow yet both of these are undetectable in my tank?

Thanks sorry about all the questions again

Suppliment away. Tangs are usually voracious and can/will/should eat anything you give them.

Remember, your green hair algae is growing so fast that it is consuming all the nutrients, thus not making them available in the water column. As such, your test kits read 0. The growth rate of the algae indicates the presence of the nutrients, wether you can test for them or not.

Well, sorry I havent put any new pics up yet, my yellow tang is still very nervous and hides when he/she see's me! Things do look to be getting better, the algae growth has slowed right down since lighting my chaeto 24hrs. Just wondering though is best to light 24hrs or reverse?

I am hopefullly going to do a water change tonight and really scrub the rock in the old tank water and get rid of as much as possible. The PH has started to level off around 8.3 and the KH around 10. However my calcium levels have dropped to about 350ppm so I will see what they are my water change and may start supplementing.

Last night I decided to have a good look at my tank under the moonlight lighting I have for it and OMG!!!!! There were hundreds of copepods on the front glass all moving around, I don't know how many mature tanks have but blimey I had alot and I have only had my tank running 3-4 weeks. My concern now is that I might kill alot of them off if I tank the rock out and scrub it, what do you think??
Thanks
Really would like to know the answer of my last question before tonight when I am going to do the water change.
Thanks alot

Chaeto can be lit either way... If it aint broke, don't fix it

Dont take the rock out!

Oh no why not Big C???? I did it on thursday night!!!! Im worried now?
I have been away from my tank since friday night but am getting back to it tomorrow, parents are looking after it and they say everything is ok. Will definetly post pics tomorrow when I return.
Everything seemed ok friday night when I left the tank and my parents say it is ok with all inhabitants still alive. I will probably be taking the tang back this week and get a permanent resident. I was thinking maybe a firefish but have heard that they jump? is this true as my tank is open top.

Also as I now working for an aquatics shop I will be probably be buying a small skimmer as I get 25% off everything. Also looking at different corals as well at the moment. They have some fantastic Hard corals there aswell.

Thanks again

also another thing would I have space for a dwarf angel in my tank?
Thanks

If it's going to be fish only, sure. If you're planning on keeping corals a dwarf angel is a pretty hefty risk.

Ok well I have just got back and my tank is fine. I have just done some tests on it and here are the results:
Temp - 79F
S.G - 1.024
PH - 8.3
KH - 9.6
Ammonia - <0.25
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - 0
Calcium - 350
Magnesium - 1110

The magnesium and calcium are a little low but will probably start dosing soon. The chaeto has almost grown 1/2 its size already and the algae although growing still is doing so very very slowly, so hopefully the chaeto will starve it soon enough.
Here are some pics straight after the scrubbing and water change and then today:

Straight after water change and re-scape:






Today:







Thanks again

Well the Chaeto growth is a good sign, at least you've got some competition going . Keep it up, you'll win the war eventually

Well I got some of those true turbo's today, 5 to be precise and they are devouring the algae as we speak. Also got a mithrax crab. A risk I know but they are soo cute, but I will be keeping a close eye on him.
I am slowly beating this damn algae!!!!!
Thanks again

Algae is no longer growing!!!!! WOOOOO. Chaeto is winning I think along with numerous snails and the crab! Also I know its a tad early but got my first coral this morning from the place I work, a pussy coral. I think it is a member of the soft leather corals???
It had wilted in the bag while acclimatising but is looking very healthy now and full extended!!! As these get a quite big I understand I might try and make this a centre coral, we shall see. Picks tomorrow!!
Thanks

Thats what I call a result.
Post some pics
Regards
BigC

Well here is an even better result, took the tang back and got two new clowns from the place I work already paired and I belive they are true percula clowns!!!!! Pics are below so if someone could confirm for me??
Chaeto is getting bigger, bought as 50grams and weighs in now at 80grams and has not been lit for very long at all. I transfer all the pods I can form the chaeto to the tank every week.
I know its bad but I keep being able to get corals cheap from work, so I added yesterday a small frag of green star polyps and a very small frag of yellow polyps. Along with the pussy coral they maybe my only softies. Now to get water chemistry, placement of the softies and fish stock correct, then some hard corals!!!! Which I love, such fantastic colours!!!!
Its funny because at the moment all I care about is corals, a part from my clowns I can't seee myself getting really any more fish for a while, corals are just soo interesting!!!!!!

And I would like to add that this is too adictive, I WANT A BIGGER TANK!!!!!! lol

Right now pics:
Here are three pics of my new clowns acclimatising:




Now corals all closed up due to pics being taken after lights out:
Green star polyps,


Yellow poylps


Pussy coral


Thanks again guys

Okay a question I would like a reply to fairly quickly. I have put my new clowns in and they are very happy. However I have my hydor koralia 1 one end of the tank and Hydor koralia 2 the other end. I have trialed with the flow for the last few days and have taken the little fish guards off you get with them as they impede alot of flow and with them off it seems to give an even spread to the flow. Now I am worried about the clowns getting to the impellers.
There is nowhere where they can get sucked in as it has grates but if they swim against the flow into the powerhead they can get to the impeller, is this possible??

I havent read anywhere of someone having this problem but I am just worried, I would really ideally like to keep them off but don't want to have a fish soup when I get back from work!!!!

Thanks
Anyhelp will be appreciated

Okay I need some help. My pussy coral has shriveled majorly this morning. I woke up and found it very small compared to what it has been and all polyps withdawn. It has also turned a king of purple colour compared to its tanned colour before. I have heard that they can sulk for a couple of days sometime, I just wondered if this was more serious like its dying or something?
All water paremeters are perfect and havent changed since I got the coral on tuesday.
Here is a pic of it now, compare it to the one earlier in the thread???
:

Thanks again
Anyhelp will be appreciated

Usually when they turn color like that but remain plump it means they're getting ready to shed