New reef tank nitrogen cycle question of new reefer.

[dannyx31]

hello everyone , I have a couple of questions I'm new to the hobby and I been doing the cycle for a innovative marine 15 gallon aio tank , my current set up is Fiji pink live sand , dry marco rock, eheim 100w heater and ai blade coral grow trying to keep it as simpleas i can and buy equipmentas i go . I been doing the cycle for 3 weeks now, I started dosing the tank with Dr tims ammonia and microbacter7 for week 1 my ammonia level rise to 2.0 ppm during this time and week 2 same now on week 3 my testing is as fallow ph 7.8 , ammonia 0 , nitrite 0.25 and nitrate 10 ppm salinity it's been 35 ppm steady but the question is the tank was clear during week 1 and 2 now it's getting murky and I have this white alge bloom should I do a water change to clear it out and if I do would I mess up the cycle?

 

[SnazzyUrchin792]

definitely do the water change. No it will not mess up the cycle. With the algae appearing, ammonia at zero, and nitrates on the rise, it sounds like your cycle is finished.

 

[Rmckoy]

Sounds like a bacterial bloom .

Do you have circulation ?
Pumps and wave makers running ?

Were lights off during cycle ?

 

[dannyx31]

definitely do the water change. No it will not mess up the cycle. With the algae appearing, ammonia at zero, and nitrates on the rise, it sounds like your cycle is finished.

Yeah that's what I been thinking but I haven't seen a big nitrate spike I thought that the cycle was lagging , everywhere I read nitrate usually spike super high I been 2 days 0 ammonia but nitrate don't go up higher than 10 ppm .

 

[dannyx31]

Sounds like a bacterial bloom .

Do you have circulation ?
Pumps and wave makers running ?

Were lights off during cycle ?

The only circulation I have is the pump that I believe it's 150 gpm , wave maker is off and light have been off thru out the cycle just heater .

 

[dannyx31]

This are today's results..

 

[dannyx31]

And the tank it's very cloudy

 

[bushdoc]

As Rmckoy stated you have heterotrophic bacteria bloom.
Your tank is cycled in a sense of nitryfying bacteria, but you are not ready for fish yet. Heterotrophic bacteria consume lots of oxygen and fish could suffocate.
Your circulation pump is not enough to aerate water, I would turn wavemaker on and give tank time to mature more.
Generally water changes are recommended at the end of cycle, so by all means do it, but it is unlikely it would resolve heterotrophic bacteria bloom as they multiply too fast.
If you have skimmer, turn it on, even though I do not find models for 15gal AIO very efficient.

 

[dannyx31]

As Rmckoy stated you have heterotrophic bacteria bloom.
Your tank is cycled in a sense of nitryfying bacteria, but you are not ready for fish yet. Heterotrophic bacteria consume lots of oxygen and fish could suffocate.
Your circulation pump is not enough to aerate water, I would turn wavemaker on and give tank time to mature more.
Generally water changes are recommended at the end of cycle, so by all means do it, but it is unlikely it would resolve heterotrophic bacteria bloom as they multiply too fast.
If you have skimmer, turn it on, even though I do not find models for 15gal AIO very efficient.

Yeah I'm going to do three 50% water changes and see if everything settle down , don't really wanna get into skimmer for this system as of yet I think I'm going to be able to keep up with it with just regular water changes.. thank you for the info.

 

[Rmckoy]

Yeah I'm going to do three 50% water changes and see if everything settle down , don't really wanna get into skimmer for this system as of yet I think I'm going to be able to keep up with it with just regular water changes.. thank you for the info.

Not only does a skimmer remove organics it also oxygenates the water which would benefit your system .

I’d turn on wave makers to help circulate water . Be sure to have one pointed slightly upwards to break the surface .
And finally as mentioned water changes will remove some excess nutrients as the cycle is complete it will not remove bacteria
If there are no livestock yet I personally would do larger than 50% water changes
keeping in mind “
The solution to pollution is dilution “
more new water is will help

 

[dannyx31]

Not only does a skimmer remove organics it also oxygenates the water which would benefit your system .

I’d turn on wave makers to help circulate water . Be sure to have one pointed slightly upwards to break the surface .
And finally as mentioned water changes will remove some excess nutrients as the cycle is complete it will not remove bacteria
If there are no livestock yet I personally would do larger than 50% water changes
keeping in mind “
The solution to pollution is dilution “
more new water is will help

You are right , I think I'm going to do a 90 % and see how the system holds up for a couple of days and if everything goes well I may start adding live stock 2 clowns to start .