Week 1. Different Algae than my first cycle.

[Kiboshed]

Week 1 on my cycle is done and this long stringing algae has started to pop up all over.

Even in the high flow areas at the top of my rock work.

Last time I set this tank up I had the classic diatoms that looked like brown/orange dust all over everything. This looks different.

Biocube 32 using Aquaforest pre packed water. Live sand, and 2 live rocks that I bought from Petco (only pet store for 4 hours) rest of the rock work was dry. I hope I didn't start my off with something like Cyno or Dino.

These just very at structured diatoms? Or did I start myself off with bad bacteria?

 

[TX_REEF]

It’s, normal, don’t worry too much. I’ll let people smarter than me chime in about what exactly it is.

 

[Kiboshed]

It’s, normal, don’t worry too much. I’ll let people smarter than me chime in about what exactly it is.

I mean, I'm not freaking out about it.

Did a water change tonight to get back in the routine and sucked most of it out.

Just curious if I am starting at a disadvantage and what exactly it might be.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Are you putting food in the tank, or dosing anything? Weird to see growth like that after only one week.

Since you are only cycling, you can turn the lights off for now, that should help.

What kind of flow do you have in the tank?

 

[jda]

Looks like diatoms or some dinos. This is going to happen. Your tank cannot mature with both of these things. Everybody had these.

They could really spread to the dry rock quickly, but that is part of the deal. Just let the tank mature a bit. Turning off the lights only delays this. It does not fix it.

 

[jda]

Oh... some snails, hermits or an urchin might be a good idea.

 

[Kiboshed]

Are you putting food in the tank, or dosing anything? Weird to see growth like that after only one week.

Since you are only cycling, you can turn the lights off for now, that should help.

What kind of flow do you have in the tank?

I was putting a pinch of food in every couple days to add ammonia. After testing with a Hanna it kept giving me a low light reading. Tested it with my Red Sea test kit and ammonia was off the charts and Nitrates were at 20ppm. After that reading a did about a 25% water change. Haven't had time to retest it since.

For flow I use a Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5 pump and voyager nano 1000 power head. Pump is pointing at the surface and the power head across the front.

Crazy part is that some of it is growing at the very top of the rock structure that has the pump pointed right at it.

The 2 rocks on the left side with algae on them are wet live rock. The rest was dry.

 

[Kiboshed]

Looks like diatoms or some dinos. This is going to happen. Your tank cannot mature with both of these things. Everybody had these.

They could really spread to the dry rock quickly, but that is part of the deal. Just let the tank mature a bit. Turning off the lights only delays this. It does not fix it.

Right oh.

I'll just keep chugging along and spot clean it weekly as it pops up and go grab some CC.

 

[jda]

Off topic, but are you sure that black sand is not magnetic or anything? There are bad kinds, but also some kinds that are fine. In either case, gobies, cucumbers and other sand critters might not thrive in it - it is different for them than regular aragonite sand. ...just something to keep in mind.

 

[Kiboshed]

Off topic, but are you sure that black sand is not magnetic or anything? There are bad kinds, but also some kinds that are fine. In either case, gobies, cucumbers and other sand critters might not thrive in it - it is different for them than regular aragonite sand. ...just something to keep in mind.

It's this stuff.

Hawaiian Black Arag-Alive! Live Reef Sand

Live sand is a great choice for new reef tank setups as it clears quickly and contain millions of live bacteria, speeding up your tank's cycle. Unlike other sand choices for saltwater aquariums, which typically come in tan or beige hues, Hawaiian Black sand is unique for its almost entirely...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I hated the fine sand I was using before and liked the black look. It's like gravel so I am aware it locks me out of any sand digging species. Given the cost benefit analysis of not having to deal with messy sand, I will take it.

 

[brandon429]

this cycle is done, and you're into reefing choices

your invasion has nothing to do with cycling, I have over 20 threads with these same invasions in cycled tanks/

we know your cycle is done due to the rule of visual benthic cues/rock growths happen after bioload/filter bacteria have set up shop already.

your rock lacks the total white look of a typical new tank, was this rock wet / from another tank when you set it in your tank or has it just been in there weeks on end to develop all the tiny clues that look like live rock

that you measured something on a non digital test kit doesn't factor at all in your cycle, I have another 20 threads of years old tanks all registering that high on the cheap ammonia kits like API< red sea etc

you don't have high ammonia in that reef for sure. cycle=done/you are into reefing choices such as do I permit an invasion, or clean it out and not permit it

 

[brandon429]

how many total days has this cycle been running (bet= more than ten days or this was wet rock / cured/ when added)

 

[Kiboshed]

this cycle is done, and you're into reefing choices

your invasion has nothing to do with cycling, I have over 20 threads with these same invasions in cycled tanks/

we know your cycle is done due to the rule of visual benthic cues/rock growths happen after bioload/filter bacteria have set up shop already.

your rock lacks the total white look of a typical new tank, was this rock wet / from another tank when you set it in your tank or has it just been in there weeks on end to develop all the tiny clues that look like live rock

that you measured something on a non digital test kit doesn't factor at all in your cycle, I have another 20 threads of years old tanks all registering that high on the cheap ammonia kits like API< red sea etc

you don't have high ammonia in that reef for sure. cycle=done/you are into reefing choices such as do I permit an invasion, or clean it out and not permit it

It's cured live rock from my old tank. Cured in bleach water, dechlorinated, then left to dry for like 10 months.

There are 2 wet live rocks in there to help the cycle process. Also used live sand and biospora. I assume the weird algae came from the live rocks.

 

[Kiboshed]

how many total days has this cycle been running (bet= more than ten days or this was wet rock / cured/ when added)

8 days. I am not really concerned with my cycle. Know it works itself out with time. Was more just concerned what kind of algae that is and if I should be worried about it.

 

[brandon429]

neat blended cycle. if you had a seneye, your readings would be 100% different for sure.

you're still into reefing choices v cycling choices, whats ur plan for qt and fallow

 

[Kiboshed]

Well picked up a CuC and they went right to work.

Luckily both snails and urchins seem to eat whatever kind of algae it is so that's hopeful.

Can see the little trails they are carving through it.

 

[SunSill]

Dont want to make new post for this.. I think i have same algea in my tank:
Doest clibanarius tricolor and trochus histrio interesting in eating this algea or no?

 

[Kiboshed]

Dont want to make new post for this.. I think i have same algea in my tank:
Doest clibanarius tricolor and trochus histrio interesting in eating this algea or no?

The Trochus is a good call. The hermits are useless and might actually decide to eat your snails if they don't like the algae. Currently I have 2 Scarlet Reef hermits and they haven't left a dent in it.

My pincushion urchin and Cerith snails are ripping through it though.

 

[SunSill]

The Trochus is a good call. The hermits are useless and might actually decide to eat your snails if they don't like the algae. Currently I have 2 Scarlet Reef hermits and they haven't left a dent in it.

My pincushion urchin and Cerith snails are ripping through it though.

Thanks
Will check on hermit daily activity

 

[Kiboshed]

Wanted to leave an update.

For some reason my Algae problem has disappeared in the last couple days. Further leading me to believe it was just diatoms.

Since I posted 10 days ago I have added:

Linear Blenny (Ecsenius lineatus)

The Algae Barn Galaxy pod pack that had Tigriopus californicus, Tisbe biminiensis, Apocyclops panamensis, Oithona colcarva, Euterpina acutifronsn in it and I still see many of them swimming around consuming algae.

OceanMagik phytoplankton

CuC:
Fighting Conch (Strombus sp.)
Pincushion Urchin (Lytechinus variegatus)
Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab (Paguristes cadenati)
3 Cerith Snail (Cerithium sp.)
8 Dwarf Cerith Snail
2 Nassarius Snail (Nassarius sp.)
7 Astraea snail (Astraea
tecta)

Purple Helix and Pink Fusion Coralline Algae in a bottle: https://www.algaebarn.com/shop/aquarium-supplies/coralline-algae-bottle/

Today when I checked my tank I had light algae dusting on my glass, but most of my substrate and rocks look bare. Actually might be concerned that my algae CuC will starve if it doesn't pick back up.

Not sure how or why, but basically my tank was covered one day, and now it's almost completely gone the next.

Just keeping things going and will let you know as things develop.

My big VIP's are my urchin, Cerith snails, and the dwarf Cerith snails. The urchin is like a anti algae machine. Be warned though it strips things down to the rock. The Cerith snails just mow all the diatoms down leaving perfect little trails in their path. Lastly the dwarf Ceriths can get into every little nook and cranny that they can clearing algae and my local Petco just gives them to me to for free thinking they are pests.

Only algae I have seen the Blenny eat is occasionally pecking at the rocks, no real impact I can tell compared to the snails or urchin.

Hope any of this information helps.