Tank Cycle question

[hbn]

I read through most of the newbie posts and still confuse about light and Algae Bloom when you cycle your tank
- I cycled my 45 gallons tank filled with catalina salt water, 40 lbs of LR and about 60lbs of LS with Skimmer on almost 24 hours/day for about 4 weeks now, the LR is turing to brown color with some hairry stuff, i think it's called hair algae but i am not 100% sure. and diatoms(brown stuffs) on top of LS. I think what i am expect next if the green algae

When should i see it? is there any case that i will never see it?
How may hours of light (i have 175 watts MH and 110 watts blue PC light)should i turn on per day? should i turn both on or just the PC?

Thakns

 

[scifi_3d_zoo]

Hmm... I'll have to let the experts rain in here but if there is no corals in the tank... then why have the lights on at all? Or at least just 3 hours/day. 4 WEEKS isn't very long either. This could pass soon and you could get a 2nd cycle again later... maybe not as bad. What you can do in the meantime is look for critters who will help you eat all of this. What do you have in there besides rock? Are you adding any food? How long are the lights on now?

 

[hbn]

I've using light for the last 2 weeks. There are nothing in the tank except LR and LS... no food yet.

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

A number of questions hbn. Have you been doing water changes during these 4 weeks? Seems a simple question I know, but sometimes it's all too easy to assume you don't need to until the tank has finished cycling (or was that just me when I started? ). If not, that's an easy way to get your nitrate/ammonia etc levels down.

Which brings me to: what parameters do you have? Readings for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates? If you're not already testing, you should be. It will give you a better idea of what stage you're at than simply looking at algae growth.

I'm not what catalina seawater is btw. Is it natural seawater? If so, how is it collected/filtered?

scifi is right to say you won't need your lights on for a full cycle at the moment, but I wouldn't say you should reduce them to 3 hours a day either. I actually kept mine on for a full cycle of 8 hours, and I don't believe this had too detrimental an effect on the algae growth/cycle.

Final word: also as scifi says, 4 weeks is about right for a cycle. Algae growth is far from unusual in a new tank and you shouldn't panic. Keep testing, water changing and asking questions!

Good luck!

 

[scifi_3d_zoo]

Yea... what is Catalina? Is that just boxed water?? If so you can save yourself a lot of money and just use regular RO water. The boxed water is a huge waste of money. Another money maker for the LFS, another way to scam us.

You've got the best advice by the guys here already. Cut the lights back.. it'll stop algae growth. As little light as possible. Just a few hours when you're there so you can see what's going on. Water change... do this religiously. And be prepared for a mini-cycle weeks later. This is normal but don't let it get out of control so everything is turning brown. But a damsel, chromis or few in there. Gives you something to look at and helps cycle the tank too. You can still go with crabs and snails too I think. Make sure calcium is good (450 ppm) so you can get some coraline algae growning on the rocks. Go real slow for the first 6-12 months.

 

[Anonymous]

Personally I think just leave the lights alone. Either he goes threw with the algea stages now or he can do it later. Since it's already started, just let it run it's course. Burntom is right, keeping up with water changes and testing is the best way to take care of nusince agleas and knowing just where your at. If you don't have test kits, your lfs should test it for you. Also, just to be safe, don't use tap water to top off your tank. Use a good quality source water.

Oh and Catalina water is natural salt water that has been filtered and bottled. Seems to be very popular out west.

 

[hbn]

Catalina water is Ocean Water that is sell here in CA at LFS about $.80/gallon. But i already have an RO/DI water system installed and is ready to use after reading almost every posts in this forum (thanks, you save me lots of money, and we have clean water to drink too)

how often should i change the water and how much? i did a 20% water change last week.

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

hbn,
Water change schedules seems to be a hottly debated subject. Some say large once a month, some say small weekly. Personaly, I feel large weekly/bi-weekly are the best. Somewhere around 30-50% total tank volume. I'm fighting hair aglea in my little build off tank, got it under control and then slacked off, wasn't one of my smartist moves. I've also been slack on my 29 and starting to see the tell tell signs of a major hair algea bloom coming on there. So, I've started back on my better maintence schedule and hopefully will get both tanks in line shortly.

 

[Anonymous]

Put a damsel, chromis or few in there. Gives you something to look at and helps cycle the tank too.

Do not use fish to help cycle the tank. Only add them when your parameters are good and whatever you do, don't add a damsel first. The chances are it'll be a little terror and attack anything added later. There are less aggressive damsels out there, but they're all territorial and if added first won't tolerate new additions.

It's best to stock in reverse order of aggression/territorial instinct. Start with the most timid fish and end with the most territorial (it's more likely to accept that the previous fish belong there if they're there before it).

 

[hbn]

Thanks guys...
Let's me conclusion on the light and water change subject during tank cycle that i will follow

1. Light: should be turned on at 6-8 hours per day, some may say dont turn light on at all, but it should be turned on so that the tank and lives in the tank get use to it. Algae may be bloom but who cares it will bloom either now or later any way
2. Water change: should change it weekly or bi-weekly with at lease 20% - 30% of tank

 

[hbn]

i have not test my water parameters yet, but i will do it tomorrow.
Question:
What tests should i test and what range? please help. i just bought a Seachem Marine Basic test kits(anomia, ph, nitrite and nitrade) and a phospate test kit also made my seachem


Thanks
-hbn

 

[Anonymous]

The basics at this stage are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. I would imagine that by now your ammonia should have cycled out. Your nitrites should also be low, though your nitrates may be reasonably high. If levels are still high, do the water changes knowse suggested and you'll start to see levels dropping.

You're right not to worry too much about the algae at this stage. Once the parameters are normal you can add a clean-up crew of hermits and turbo snails which will make short work of the algae. :wink:

 

[hbn]

Hi,
Today i see 2 - 3 of this Critter (i am not sure it called criter or what) in my tank

Are they good guys or bad guys? and what is the named for it?

Thanks

 

[ChrisRD]

Bristle worms. Excellent scavenger.

 

[ChrisRD]

By the way... ...don't touch them! :wink:

 

[hbn]

will these worm eat Corals or Fishs?

Thanks

 

[tazdevil]

Some will eat corals. As far as fishes, not unless they're basically dead or in a coma. They aren't very fast.

 

[hbn]

So, Should i kill/remove them if i want to have corals in the tank? and how to kill them... There are nothing but LR and LS in the tank now

thanks

 

[Anonymous]

hbn,
Leave them, they won't do any harm. In the next few weeks (when your water is more stable) you should start to see all sorts of things. Like what looks like little white fleas on the glass, those will be pods and are good to have. You may start seeing some types of snails that you didn't see before. You'll see little dusters popping out of the rock and you may find that you've gotten yourself a crab or two also. All kinds of things start showing up and their just fun to watch and figure out what they are.

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/ will help you in identifying things that show up, some are good and some are bad. Taking your time will give you more room to remove the bad without tearing up the tank when you do.