[piscean23]

Hi there. I started with a 29 gallon tank and have had some mixed results - probably from rushing things, and water source issues. Some corals have done well for a bit and then declined. Lots of algae, which bothers me. 2 sps corals have done really well and have encouraged me. I bought a 75E tank with overflow and have built a 30 gallon long sump for underneath. I plan on using a 400w MH (6500k) supplemented with 2 twin tube 4' T5 HO with 2 10,000k and 2 actinic lamps for lighting. I now have an RO/DI setup for water (learning curve...). I'll probably rig some kind of surge set-up too.

My big questions are, can I seed my new sump/refugium with sand and/or rock from my existing setup? I'm concerned that the algae (green slime and red-brown slime) will transfer over to the big tank and cause problems. Will cured live rock and live sand speed up the cycling process? How to prevent algae in the first place? OK, enough newbie questions (for now)

[darkwolf29a]

Welcome to RB.

[lynnvangsnes]

Hello and welcome
yes, you can certainly seed your new tank from your other one. Alga is something that we all have to go through and deal with on a new tank. A recommended amount of rock is 1-2 lbs per gallon. It will make your cycling easier. After that, look into getting some reef janitors for the algae or diatom bloom that you will get (we all do). There is a lot of information on the web. REEF JANITORS FOR REEF AQUARIUMS
This place has various types of cleaning critters and some other cool information. Here is another 10 Easy Aquarium Set Up Steps
good luck!

[pyromaniac398]

Welcome to RB

[pogodzib]

I'd definitely use your LR to seed your new tank, but you don't want transfer any pieces over with algae on them. The algae may keep spreading. With a fresh start using RO/DI water and a NEW sand, you shouldn't have the troubles that your previous tank did. Don't use and of your old sand, except possibly the top inch, as it probably contains a bunch of detrius that may make your algae problems worse. There is a method of cleaning your live rock both inside and out called "cooking" that many people use if they still can't keep there tanks algae free with using a good water source and good filtration methods. "Cooking" your live rock involved keeping your live rock in a rubbermaid container without light for approx. 6 weeks. If you think that your LR has been used in reef tanks for years or after being exposed to the tap water it may be aiding the algae problem, you should do some research of this method. It is aways the easiest to do this while setting up a new tank and you need to wait out a cycle anyway.

You didn't mention what type of filtration you use. What type of filtration do you use and how much LR do you have? To help prevent algae, use a good skimmer, lots of LR (also helps keep nitrates down), minimal feeding, and a good source of water (RO/DI prefered).