one month cycle brown algae high nitrates (1 Viewer)

[hece]

tank has been up for about one month now, had water tested all good but nitrates.
now this brown algae has developed overnight, the crap is everywhere.

i have 14 damsels, 2 hermit crabs, 2 snails, i chocolate starfish

150 gal tank
Rio 2500
sump system

 

[Mark L.]

How did you start the cycle of the tank? If you started the tank brand new and added the damsels in to start the cycle then your description sounds about right. The brown algae is a diatom bloom that is normal. Nitrates always take the longest to be removed naturally from a tank during the nitrogen cycle. The bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrites is fast growing. That is why you will see your ammonia transform to nitrites quickly. Then the bacteria that converts nitrites to nitrates and then to nitrogen grow a lot slower. it's a different bacteria from the ones that convert ammonia. You can regulate the level of nitrates in your tank by doing water changes.

If it were me, I would test your ammonia daily for a week. If you see it is staying in the desirable range I would remove the damsels ASAP and add a few fish you really want (given you don't want the damsels). Keep testing your trites and trates. Stay fish only until you see your trites and trates are staying in a desirable range without having to do water changes. Once you reach that point you can start to SLOWLY add corals. 1-2 a week for a couple months.

 

[hece]

Thanks for the info Mark. The damsels were added in on the second day after the water cleared up. I went to BB fish on 1960 and Sak had told me that the algae is normal, and he also taught me a little more about the cycle, so I was able to calm down. I will probably wait for another month to add fish and remove the damsels ( you are correct about the damsels) due to I work over seas and the wife will only feed the fish. I have not been testing everyday, every few days i go to petco for my water test, once it is established I will purchase my own test equip. which at that time I will start adding corals slowly.

 

[Mark L.]

You may want to look into Dr. Tim's One and Only to start/maintain your cycle and remove the damsels right now. It is a very 1980's method of cycling a tank and kind of cruel to the fish. You are basically subjecting them to very high levels of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates as the bacteria establishes. The reason people used to use damsels is because they were cheap, hardy, and well, people really didn't like them. That doesn't mean they don't suffer though. Dr. Tim's One and Only does not use fish to cycle. They use a bacteria in a bottle and ammonia in a bottle. No livestock has to suffer. Just a thought.