Algae out off control!

i just checked my no3 again and its below ten now but ny tank is covered in cyano so i will do a 20 per water change tomorrow then take the no3 reading again to see what my levels are with most the cyano out shall i? i am going to the lfs also tomorrow and ill grab a flow powerhead for the botton off the tank and see if that helps. do you think its a good idea to just carry on doing 20per water changes every 2 weeks till it matures some more or should i do them more often? my kast resort is a nitrate unit as i cant seem to find any in the uk, im kinda hoping it will settle naturally if so how long could i be looking at a pink/red slimy tank for?!
thanks K

 

Water changes will actually prolong your cycle at this point, you are removing the nitrifying bacteria in the water by doing so. I would just let your tank run its course right now until it dies off on its own, then siphon out the dead cyano. You will know when it is dead when it will lift off the surfaces in a big carpet without difficulty. It will almost lift off on its own actually. I know it is very ugly right now, but it isn't damaging to a tank's health during new tank cycles.

 

ok so how long should i leave it like that? i got up this morning and it seemed to look a little clearer ( could just be my eyes!) i have two fish in there , a ridicorda mushroom, tourch coral (Just temp as moving to my little nano) some button palps, 2 little turbos, two algae snails two large turbos, 2 peppermint shrimps, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 pink lobster,1 sand sifting star and one sand sifting snail i think its a nassia... dont no how to spell! I dont have any hermits ase i bought two and one died as soon as i put it in ( ithink my sali was 1.030 which i didnt no at the time and the shops was 1.021 as they had new stock so i think it was shock!) and the other lasted about 5 days! also my first two little turbos have lasted since i put them in and they were the first things that went in my tank but i tryed to add 5 large algae snails and old two made it and the other day i got 3 large turbos and only one has made it! is that normal? i dont get why some are still alive yet others just die off? i couldnt be my water as they would all shorly die.
If i left the tank with no water changes wont it have a effect on my live stock?
Thanks K

 

Unfortunately, you put too much livestock in while the tank was still cycling and your biological system went into shock and broke down. The reason why some animals survived while some didn't is because some are more hardier than others. It's just like with humans, some humans are genetically more tolerant to adverse conditions than others.
If you put livestock directly into your tank after you buy it from your LFS, you are causing it a great deal of stress, you have to acclimate it over the course of at least 2 hours. When I deal with sensitive things, like coral, anemone, rays, jellies etc., I acclimate over 5-6 hours before they go in the tank.
At this point, your tank has to run its course and cycle naturally. Unfortunately, more of the livestock may die, unless the heavy NH3 spike has already passed. As the saying goes, plan for the worst and hope for the best. But really, shame on your LFS for selling so many livestock if they knew your tank was still new and going through the initial cycle.

 

I dont get it , my tank cycled over 2 months ago! i have never showed any ammonia and only had a small nitrite spike after the first 3 weeks and my nitrate has always been between 5-20 i was told once you show no ammonia & no nitrite and your nitrate hits 20 then its safe to do a water change, then its safe to add live stock?
also dont your tank always do minnie cycles?
why do you think its not cycled?
Thanks K

 

This may help to clarify things Kiarah, what we are trying to tell you is that, contrary to some belief, what you said could be true although I was mentored to let my tank cycle for a full 6 weeks before adding one living thing. You were either misinformed about the cycle process or lacked proper knowledge. This is in no way a slight on you as many enthusiasts make the same mistakes. Since you added all those living creatures to a not fully cycled tank, your tank now is in the process of going through, not mini cycles, but moderate cycles as a result of the bio load. Be patient now and let the tank settle in.

 

Im really not being off with anyone im just clear on the whole thing! I started my tank with 40kg off live rock and two damsels. I kept them alone with nothing else for 6 weeks in which time i did all my params and it never showed ammonia, at week 2-3 i got a small nitrite spike that took a further 2 weeks to drop and my nitate gradually rose over the 6 weeks to 20 at which i did my first water change , took out the damsels and added 2 turbos and two clowns. then over the past 2 months i have added the others at one evrey one to two weeks. I have dont my water params every 3-5 days since i set up my tank and never showed ammonia or nitrite since. The only thing that has happed was muy 2 day power crash at christmas when i went away for the weekend and thats when i lost one off my clowns. I do understand why you dont think its cycledi may have added to quickly but my tank has never showed any nitrite or ammonia to show its not coping. I have been told my times that not all tanks show a big ammonia spike im just a little confuced about it all really
Thanks K

 

I think every one is trying to tell you is just cause your main cycle is over don't mean you can have cycles. If your power crashed then you will have die off, fish, algae, and mico organizms. This will throw your tank into a new cycle.
As far a cyano goes there might be phosphates in your water or the nitrates maybe feeding them. What I did with my cyano is take it out in clumps this way you know you are removing what is making them grow. Water flow will also help with this. SW can be fustrating but time heals all. my one tank is over a year old and it is just now leveling out were I can clear up some of those pesky items.
Hang in there and keep your head up.

 

Good luck my friend.. time and patience will heal it. i know it sucks and seems like forever. One day you'll look in your tank and it will be gone!

 

ok so whats my plan off action for the next three months? I did my water change yesterday and got as much off the top layer off and moved the flow arounfd so there is major current at the bottom so as for water changes shall i just not do any and if so when should i start to do them again or should i just not worry keep doing the water changes once every 2 weeks and hope it settles down on its own? if someone could just say which one to do and a ruff idea off how long i should not do a water change for that would be good as at the mo i dint no if i should leave out the water changes for a month or carry on doing them or even swap to mini water changes once a week ? Thanks for all your help
K