Algae but cycling-Algae-3reef Forums

Polly Plankton · 03-01-2008, 01:32 PM

I'm on day 8 cycling my tank. I have a 45 gallon tall with 60#'s of live rock, and 40#'s sand (1/2 live). I've had the lights on (daylight and actinic) about 12 hours/day. I started to get quite a bit of brown algae on my substrate a couple of days ago (ammonia was .25 last nite). Today I have alot of green algae on the glass and some of the rock. I'm running a powerhead and a temporary hob filter for circulation.

Is the green algae okay, or should I add snails, crabs or a fish of some kind to clean it up?

I'm assuming it's a normal part of cycling..just not sure if I should be doing something to control it.

Thanks !

amcarrig · 03-01-2008, 01:46 PM

It is for sure a normal part of the cycle but I wouldn't add any snails or crabs until the initial cycle is over (when your nitrates rise then drop). Also, I wouldn't run your lights at all as that can also encourage algae growth. I don't turn my lights on until the tank is about 2 months old. How are you cycling your tank? Fish? Live rock? Raw piece of fish/shrimp?

Polly Plankton · 03-01-2008, 02:00 PM

I've got about 60#'s of live rock and also 20 #'s of live sand. Should I clean the algae off the glass or just leave it alone? Thanks !

amcarrig · 03-01-2008, 02:01 PM

You can clean it off the glass if it's bothering you

Polly Plankton · 03-01-2008, 02:27 PM

No snails..no fish either? I hear everybody adding fish to theirs...

amcarrig · 03-01-2008, 02:31 PM

I cycle with ONE yellow tailed blue damsel so if you want to add a fish, that's the only one that I would put in right now. No other damsel will do because the others tend to be alot more aggressive than the yellow tail and may attack any new fish you add down the road. Other fish like clowns and chromis are not hardy enough to cycle with and inverts like snails and crabs are far more sensitive to ammonia/nitrite/nitrate than fish are and most likely won't live through the initial cycle. If you do decide to add a damsel, make sure that you only add one. Once your initial cycle is complete, you can start considering adding another fish.

Polly Plankton · 03-01-2008, 02:40 PM

Would the yellow tailed blue damsel help with the algae or just help with the cycling...or do I need help? What would the purpose be to add one?

amcarrig · 03-01-2008, 03:00 PM

The purpose of adding a fish is to put something in the tank that produces ammonia. This will cause the ammonia "eating" bacteria to develop and grow. Once that happens, those bacteria will convert your ammonia to nitrite which will then cause nitrite "eating" bacteria to grow. These bacteria will convert nitrites to nitrates and those nitrates will eventually convert to nitrogen gas and leave your system. This might explain the process better than I can

How A Saltwater Aquarium Works, What Keeps Aquarium Fish Alive.

And no, a damsel will not eat your algae. There are fish that eat algae but they won't live very long in a new tank.

Polly Plankton · 03-01-2008, 03:24 PM

Do the live rock and live sand continue adding ammonia to the tank..so the damsel would just speed up the process..or do I need a damsel to have the tank continue cycling?

amcarrig · 03-01-2008, 03:49 PM

Live rock and live sand can add some ammonia to your system because when you put it into your tank, some of the bacteria and other organisms that live in and on it will die which will produce ammonia. Once all of the bacteria and other organisms that live on the rock and sand have died off, the rock and sand will no longer produce ammonia. Without ammonia, the ammonia "eating" bacteria will eventually die. The addition of a damsel will ensure that you have a constant supply of ammonia which will spur the bacteria to reproduce to the levels that are needed to convert that one fish's ammonia into nitrites and so on. Once that bacteria grows enough to keep up with that one fish's bio-load, you will notice your ammonia/nitrites and nitrates rise then drop. Once the nitrates drop, you should wait a couple more weeks before adding another fish. Then you'll have to wait another few weeks before adding another fish in order for the bacteria to grow enough to support the additional bioload that the 2nd fish will produce.

There is no way to speed up the cycling process. Mother Nature cannot be rushed or she will get angry