Algae?

[Lynchcon]

Hi All,

I've set up a 34 gallon tank with live rock that was out of water 1 week. The Nitro cycle been doing its thing and I tested 0 for ammonia and nitrite yesterday. Nitrate was at 20 ppm but I expect that will come down too.

I've read that I'll go through an algae phase with Diatoms, then Cyno and then green/ brown algae.

Is this true of all tanks?

Can I get the CUC in now or should I wait? Dying to get those little guys in.

The tank is very clean and I cant see any signs of algae yet.

Thanks.

 

[Goodair]

Tagging along, I'm in the same boat.

 

[Hemmdog]

Hi All,

I've set up a 34 gallon tank with live rock that was out of water 1 week. The Nitro cycle been doing its thing and I tested 0 for ammonia and nitrite yesterday. Nitrate was at 20 ppm but I expect that will come down too.

I've read that I'll go through an algae phase with Diatoms, then Cyno and then green/ brown algae.

Is this true of all tanks?

Can I get the CUC in now or should I wait? Dying to get those little guys in.

The tank is very clean and I cant see any signs of algae yet.

Thanks.

Just wait till you visually see things for certain members of a CUC to eat. Once diatoms are on your rocks, get some trochus snails. Diatoms on sand, get a few nassarius snails. Green algae on rocks, get turbo snails. Hair algae, get a couple hermits. This way things don’t starve and your tank never gets out of hand. Things start appearing on rocks usually after 2 weeks set up in your tank. At least in my past experiences.

 

[Lynchcon]

Thanks Hemmdog. So it is true of all tanks. I thought that coz my rock was live and came from a mature tank I might be somehow different.

 

[Hemmdog]

Thanks Hemmdog. So it is true of all tanks. I thought that coz my rock was live and came from a mature tank I might be somehow different.

Anytime man! It’s a little different, the cycle won’t take as long. But anytime you set up a new system all the glass and pipes and pumps have to build up biological layers. That’s the initial cycle, the uglies are from wars being waged by different bacteria and organisms on your rocks and in your sand. Under feed for the first few months like the @Lasse method, otherwise micro fauna will explode in your tank and your CUC won’t be able to handle it. I focus from start up on keeping alk, cal, and mag stable so coraline is encouraged to grow. Once coraline is caked on your rocks it’s much more difficult for nuisance algae’s to grow on top of that. So it’s kinda like under feed until you have coraline and your tank can “take it” (heavy feedings) oh and feed frozen when your home, pellets are for pet sitters not reef keepers ;).
Hit me up anytime, always down to help someone have success.

 

[Lynchcon]

Brilliant... thanks again man.

 

[Hemmdog]

Brilliant... thanks again man.

Anytime!
Make a build thread!