[BigMike]

it looks like my live rock is turning orange and my water seems to be a little murkey. i just went out and got some more critters for my tank; a few turbo snails, crabs, a eyelash blennie and a pencils urchin to help keep the tank clean. i only had 4 smaller snails 1 emerald crab a bullet gobie before. do you guys think its an algea problem? if so wat, should i do anythin else but let the little guys do their thing? i tested my water and all seems to be ok.

[e_baer]

what exactly are your levels and tank size? and skimmers, filters, lighting?

how long do you keep the lights on for?

and uv sterilizers?

[BigMike]

its a 30 gal tank w/ abt +30 lbs live rock, nitrites are a little high .5ppm, ph and ammonia ok, i have 2 regular topfin30 filters, no skimmer yet, added some rock 2 weeks ago, just started adding fish recently, 1 bullet gobie a month ago along with a small blue hippo tang, along with the last bit of rock i added a small bicolor angel and an eyelash blennie, as for lighting i just have 1 stock flourescent for right now. i plan to upgrade lighting for corals very soon. i usually turn off my lights for about 8-10 hrs a day give or take, i dont have a timer at this time either. the tank also gets some natural light through a large window also. the tropical fish store i go to said its prob just a bad algea from the latest live rock that will eventually die off and just to be patient. im pretty new at this stuff. not to sure wat a uv sterilizer is either. lol.

[e_baer]

im guessing your tank is about a month old?

you should not have fish yet.

ESPECIALLY sand sifting fish like the bullet head goby.

natural sun light is not a good idea.

get a skimmer ASAP.

a skimmer is the most important piece of equipment you will purchase for your tank.

[BigMike]

ive had my tank going for +3 months now. just recently got the fish tho all within the past month. i had a few inverts before that, crabs n snails. i was told that i can actually run a skimmer in place of a filter is this true or do i need both, and what is the difference? what do u think abt the algea, if thats actually what it is. thanks for the the advice abt the sunlight. i thought it would be beneficial to have more light, especially natural light since thats the light source in the ocean, but i can easily keep the blinds closed.