Green water: part of tank cycling? How do I get rid of it?

[Hal3134]

Background:
It's been about 10 years since I've cycled a new tank, and am doing so now. I started the tank in June with re-using my DSB and dry rock. I started the cycle with Bio-spira and flake food. I added 3 fish in August (clown, small cowfish, and a saddleback butterfly). The cowfish eats like a pig, and I feed about 1 cube of frozen food per day to keep him satisfied. LED lighting has been running at about 10% intensity.
I added 50lbs of tampabaysaltwater live rock a week ago, and turned up the intensity of my LED lighting to 50% to try to keep any photosynthetic things happy. Within about 5 days my water turned a nice deep shade of green (from phytoplankton I presume). I did a 25% waterchange earlier this week, and that reduced the green somewhat.
I don't have a sump or skimmer plumbed into the tank as yet. Hopefully both will be online by the end of the weekend.
I don't have test kits for nitrate or phosphate.

Questions:
Is a greenwater stage a normal part of cycling? I can't remember.
If I do nothing different other than a monthly water change, how long will it take for the phytoplankton eat up all the nutrients and subside?

If possible, I'd prefer to let nature run its course and stabilize naturally, and avoid chemical additives or UV sterilizers. Of course, if it won't go away without outside help then I need to provide that outside help.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Background:
It's been about 10 years since I've cycled a new tank, and am doing so now. I started the tank in June with re-using my DSB and dry rock. I started the cycle with Bio-spira and flake food. I added 3 fish in August (clown, small cowfish, and a saddleback butterfly). The cowfish eats like a pig, and I feed about 1 cube of frozen food per day to keep him satisfied. LED lighting has been running at about 10% intensity.
I added 50lbs of tampabaysaltwater live rock a week ago, and turned up the intensity of my LED lighting to 50% to try to keep any photosynthetic things happy. Within about 5 days my water turned a nice deep shade of green (from phytoplankton I presume). I did a 25% waterchange earlier this week, and that reduced the green somewhat.
I don't have a sump or skimmer plumbed into the tank as yet. Hopefully both will be online by the end of the weekend.
I don't have test kits for nitrate or phosphate.

Questions:
Is a greenwater stage a normal part of cycling? I can't remember.
If I do nothing different other than a monthly water change, how long will it take for the phytoplankton eat up all the nutrients and subside?

If possible, I'd prefer to let nature run its course and stabilize naturally, and avoid chemical additives or UV sterilizers. Of course, if it won't go away without outside help then I need to provide that outside help.

Well, are you sure your cycled? Have you tested for nitrites and ammonia?

Algae blooms can occur in newly established systems. They will subside in time as the available nutrients are consumed. In the mean time, water changes and use of GAC (granular activated carbon) will help.

And yes a skimmer is needed.

 

[Hal3134]

I have an ammonia badge in the tank and its read zero ammonia for weeks/months, so I'm pretty confident that I'm cycled for ammonia/nitrite. I can add GAC in a reactor but I didn't think it would help. I thought the phyto was too small, even for ROX.

 

[jsker]

How often have you been doing water changes?.

 

[Hal3134]

25% this week was my first. It's only 3 small fish in a 250g tank.

 

[mcarroll]

Get the LFS to test your water. As long as parameters are OK the greenwater will clear up when you get corals going. (They'll love it!) I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Hal3134]

Thanks! I had a large sps coral 4-5 inches come in with the tampabaysaltwater rock. I'm actually a little concerned that it might not be getting enough light because of the green water.

 

[beaslbob]

The green came when you increased your lighting.

reduce your lighting until it goes away.

my .02

 

[lapin]

Light and nothing to consume the nutrients = alage or some other bacteria.

 

[mcarroll]

Thanks! I had a large sps coral 4-5 inches come in with the tampabaysaltwater rock. I'm actually a little concerned that it might not be getting enough light because of the green water.

phyto can be food too...they don't need much light at all if they have a food source...close to none. unless he looks tweaked he's happy.

how long ago did he go into the tank?

 

[Hal3134]

1 week. It came in on the rock.

 

[Hal3134]

Update: so I did a 25% water change, turned off my lights for 3 days, added an ampule or two of Prodibio Biodigest, and decreased the food amount. The green went away in about a week. Water is still a little bit cloudy, but it's much, much clearer, and certainly not greenish anymore. Yay!

I suspect the cloudiness will clear up when I bring my carbon reactor and skimmer back online.

 

[beaslbob]

Update: so I did a 25% water change, turned off my lights for 3 days, added an ampule or two of Prodibio Biodigest, and decreased the food amount. The green went away in about a week. Water is still a little bit cloudy, but it's much, much clearer, and certainly not greenish anymore. Yay!

I suspect the cloudiness will clear up when I bring my carbon reactor and skimmer back online.

actually a diatom filter like the vortex xl will clear it up in a few hours.
But changing the lights and other environmental factors is a more permanent solution IMHO.