What's up with my tank..... new set-up????? (1 Viewer)

[alstang1]

Ok I set my tank up last Friday, so it is a week today. I have about 30 lbs of live sand and 30 lbs of crushed coral, and about 10 lbs of some other sand. I have about 22 lbs of live rock in it.

As I said, I set it up 7 days ago. I noticed last night when I got home, brown growth on the sand and a little on one of the power heads. I just now got home and all of my sand is basicly covered in this brown stuff, I have both power heads covered in it, and I also have green alge growing on the glass. Is this normal? Whats up? Do I need to do anything to the tank?

Ooh BTW..... it is a 75 gal and I used Rodi water. I also added about 20 gallons of "water change" water from 2 different tanks.


Al

 

[pernelf]

Normal new tank alage outbreak, it will pass.

 

[alstang1]

I do not have a test kit as of yet. Is the timeing about right on this? I was thinking with all the "boosts" I added to my tank, my cycle may be a little faster than normal.

Al

 

[incysor]

You didn't mention in your post if you've got lights on the tank yet. While it's cycling it's a good idea to leave the lights off. It helps prevent algea blooms. I cycled mine in about 3 weeks with the lights off, and never saw any algea at all. It sounds normal, and will pass as the cycle completes.

 

[alstang1]

Have had the lights on the whole time. 50/50 lights half white light and half blue light. I don't know the technical names for them yet.

Al

 

[incysor]

turn em off. it'll help.

It definitely just sounds like a normal cycle since your lights have been on.

There really isn't any good way to tell if the cycle is over except for testing your ammonia, nitrites, nitrates. Before you add anything to it you should probably also test the salinity, and the ph.

 

[alstang1]

Currently I have no fish or animated objects in the tank. I am headed to Houston now. Is there any fish or something else I could buy that will start cleaning up the alge?

Is it likely that what ever I buy will survive the cycle?

Al

 

[AggieBrandon]

I would wait to add snails and hermits until after another week or two. If you have a sump you may consider adding some macro algae (caulerpa).

Brandon

 

[alstang1]

Yeah, was thinking about that. Bought a 20 gal tank for sump but have not yet bought the pumps to run it.

Al

 

[SeanB]

Normal algae bloom

 

[alstang1]

Well here is my first test after 8 days. Is it normal to see traces of all 3 of these?

20 Nitrate 1.0 Nitrite .50 Amonia

AL

 

[dfimble]

Yes, it is very normal.

Amonia breaks down into Nitrites.

Nitrites break down into Nitrates.

You should also start to notice air bubbles forming on your sand bed and periodically rising. This is also normal and all apart of the Cycle process.

David

 

[alstang1]

Cool, great, thanks. Just wanna make sure I stay on top of everything.


Al

 

[Guest]

alstangs,

Just kick back and watch those brown algae grow for couple of weeks. It is normal for new tank.

 

[alstang1]

Cool. Thanks Reef.

Swung by Vic's house here in El Campo, last night, and he gave me 4 large snales to put in there to baby sit the brown stuff. I feel good at least having something in the tank now.


Al

 

[alstang1]

Day 11. Amonia .10 or less
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
PH 8.0

Not sure what the PH level is supposed to be, but the snales have made it for 3 days, and are cleaning their little hearts out.

I also added a few damsels thinking that I would get a little harder spike, but it seems that everything has dropped since I put them in. Including the Amonia.

Currently I do not have my skimmer hooked up, because I was told to wait til cycle is done to hook it up. With the readings I have, would I be correct in assuming the cycle is done?

Let me know if anyone needs to see photo's of the readings to verify the tests. The pic's are rather large so I did not put them in this time. I would have to size them down.

Remember.... I had help, I got seeded sand, rock, and water from 2 established tanks from Estone and vic on this board.

Al