Avoiding the ugly stage?!?

[Lavey29]

Just set up my tank last Monday. Put in a bottle of dr. Tim's and a pair of clown and a cheap Zoa. Ammonia has been at zero and the zoa looks fantastic. I have only been keeping blue lights on to avoid algae growth and there's been no algae. Idk if it's too early but I might be avoiding the ugly stage, what do y'all think? I was thinking about slowly ramping up the white light so I can add snails. Any thoughts? Also since my zoas look fantastic I was thinking about getting more coral any thoughts or just wait?

You will have a variety of ugly phases throughout the first year. You should add a few pieces of real live wet ocean rock and leave lights off the first 4 months. This allows the system to develop microfauna and biodiversity so when you turn lights on and add first corals your subsequent ugly stages will be more manageable.

 

[Lavey29]

I'm currently setting up a 40G breeder with a 20G sump, I have live sand and dry rock. I've seen copepods mentioned multiple times as a way to combat (and maybe even avoid) the ugly stage, plus I want to get a mandarin dragonet in the future and they need copepods. I was planning on getting a few jars from Algae Barn, but when I went to order I saw they had a deal, buy 4 jars of galaxy pods get 4 free. So I put 8 jars of galaxy pods into my aquarium shortly after it cycled.

Cycle started on 12/9, copepods added on 12/19, and two clownfish added on 12/21, and other than a very faint bacterial bloom the tank looks clean. I almost wonder if it's too clean, I'd like to get a watchmen goby but I'm a little worried there's nothing for it to sift through the sand.

Still too early to really tell if I'll be able to skip the ugly stage but I'm excited to see what happens. Patience is the key, along with very small changes at a time!

There is no skipping the ugly stage. You can minimize it with certain techniques but it is still part of creating an overall healthy biome.

 

[Freenow54]

Just set up my tank last Monday. Put in a bottle of dr. Tim's and a pair of clown and a cheap Zoa. Ammonia has been at zero and the zoa looks fantastic. I have only been keeping blue lights on to avoid algae growth and there's been no algae. Idk if it's too early but I might be avoiding the ugly stage, what do y'all think? I was thinking about slowly ramping up the white light so I can add snails. Any thoughts? Also since my zoas look fantastic I was thinking about getting more coral any thoughts or just wait?

Good Luck LOL

 

[Sump Crab]

The ugly phases are just different species colonizing the brand new rock until it reaches an equilibrium. Even in an all ocean liverock tank (which i greatly prefer in every way) surfaces like glass, filter intakes, overflows, and powerheads go through their own ugly phase until coralline takes hold.

I'd say the whole process takes 6 months to a year.

 

[claydogg84]

This hobby is tough. You see short term success and think you've got it figured out. During my first year, I watched a lot of coral (some expensive) slowly die off. This really took the spirit out of my reef keeping adventure. A lot of stuff happens inside the tank the first year, especially having used dry rock like I did. If you insist on adding more coral, I'd stick with something hardy - zoa, gsp, leather. Stay away from the cool looking torches unless you think you can mentally deal with watching them slowly die off. Nobody wants to really practice the level of patience this hobby can sometimes require, but it's usually worth it.

 

[LiquidSpace]

My 200 gallon is all dry, it has been running since late July with no lights. The sump has 30 pounds of Tampa bay base rock and 20 pounds of their live sand. Waiting to buy the lights so I have forced my hand. It’ll be interesting to see what happens in my tank.

I’m hoping for a result like @exnisstech but not counting on it. Overall I may be looking at the tank running for close to a year without lights on.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Live ocean rock will lessen the blow but you will probably start seeing uglies 3-6 months starting with dry rock and a bottle of bac.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Just set up my tank last Monday. Put in a bottle of dr. Tim's and a pair of clown and a cheap Zoa. Ammonia has been at zero and the zoa looks fantastic. I have only been keeping blue lights on to avoid algae growth and there's been no algae. Idk if it's too early but I might be avoiding the ugly stage, what do y'all think? I was thinking about slowly ramping up the white light so I can add snails. Any thoughts? Also since my zoas look fantastic I was thinking about getting more coral any thoughts or just wait?

yea you will avoid it maybe for a month or 2. But, you WILL get algae/dinos/ etc. It’s very hard to avoid

 

[jabberwock]

I can see your future...

 

[sixty_reefer]

yea you will avoid it maybe for a month or 2. But, you WILL get algae/dinos/ etc. It’s very hard to avoid

All avoidable if nutrients are properly managed imo

 

[Jonreefer]

I was trying to limit my ugly stage, I did Dr Tim fishless bacteria start, then I got 3 marine pure balls from Topshelf aquatics that was in their system for a very long time to seed, Was dosing Aquaforest mud weekly and added a bottle of pods. I am 6 weeks in and the ugly phase started about the day before xmas alot of diatoms and they got taken out by snails in 2days. Now round two just hit like 2days ago and getting the uglies. Just added a little more cleanup crew but I dont think there is a way to avoid the uglies

 

[Exotrezy]

Too early. My uglies took awhile to show up. Blue lights can grow algae anyways. If it can grow coral, it can grow algae.

What clean up crew should I get for my diatoms? I posted a thread. Its a 30 gallon 3 ft tank.

 

[Exotrezy]

The ugly stage it’s often referred to the appearance of diatoms, this for most cases is unavoidable.
Once you pass that stage it’s all about nutrient management, I personally like to add macro algae’s to the display to aid the competition and nutrient management process. Wile at the same time starting to promote the growth of coralline algae. Algae it’s unavoidable in my opinion although some times you can choose wich one will be taking over your system if the decision is made early on.

What clean up crew should I get for my diatoms? I posted a thread. Its a 30 gallon 3 ft tank.

 

[Tamberav]

What clean up crew should I get for my diatoms? I posted a thread. Its a 30 gallon 3 ft tank.

Grab a variety of snails, most all of them will eat it except things like nass.

I usually just grab some stuff like trochus, Nerite, and cerith. I really enjoy monie cowries too, nocturnal but have been hardy for me and super interesting looking.

 

[tzoa]

The ugly stage it’s often referred to the appearance of diatoms, this for most cases is unavoidable.
Once you pass that stage it’s all about nutrient management, I personally like to add macro algae’s to the display to aid the competition and nutrient management process. Wile at the same time starting to promote the growth of coralline algae. Algae it’s unavoidable in my opinion although some times you can choose wich one will be taking over your system if the decision is made early on.

Will do, once the ugly stage passes I'll buy some coraline in a bottle to try to get that to take over

 

[tzoa]

I'm currently setting up a 40G breeder with a 20G sump, I have live sand and dry rock. I've seen copepods mentioned multiple times as a way to combat (and maybe even avoid) the ugly stage, plus I want to get a mandarin dragonet in the future and they need copepods. I was planning on getting a few jars from Algae Barn, but when I went to order I saw they had a deal, buy 4 jars of galaxy pods get 4 free. So I put 8 jars of galaxy pods into my aquarium shortly after it cycled.

Cycle started on 12/9, copepods added on 12/19, and two clownfish added on 12/21, and other than a very faint bacterial bloom the tank looks clean. I almost wonder if it's too clean, I'd like to get a watchmen goby but I'm a little worried there's nothing for it to sift through the sand.

Still too early to really tell if I'll be able to skip the ugly stage but I'm excited to see what happens. Patience is the key, along with very small changes at a time!

Good luck! I don't think you can ever go wrong with getting copepods but there generally cheaper from your LFS

 

[tzoa]

Grab a variety of snails, most all of them will eat it except things like nass.

I usually just grab some stuff like trochus, Nerite, and cerith. I really enjoy monie cowries too, nocturnal but have been hardy for me and super interesting looking.

Thanks, never heard of monie cowries, I'll have to give it a go

 

[ScottD]

My 200 gallon is all dry, it has been running since late July with no lights. The sump has 30 pounds of Tampa bay base rock and 20 pounds of their live sand. Waiting to buy the lights so I have forced my hand. It’ll be interesting to see what happens in my tank.

I’m hoping for a result like @exnisstech but not counting on it. Overall I may be looking at the tank running for close to a year without lights on.

I think I’m along the same track as you. I’ve got lights to put in but I haven’t built the canopy yet to house them and not in a position to do so for a little while as I’ve got other projects needing my attention at the moment. I’m going on month 4 of no lights and haven’t seen much of an ugly phase so far. I had diatoms start to show up about 2 months in and completely disappear 4 days after I added 20 lbs of TBS live sand. It seems that I’m starting to get another round of it now and hoping the snails I bought will help get rid of it.

 

[jmcdona6]

I split the middle here. Your ugly phase will come. Then go. Then likely come again. Taking 6-18+ months to fully cycle through. Everyone is different...but it will come that is almost certain. Because of that, I would caution against adding anything that might be sensitive to that reality or that you would hate to lose (expensive acros, torches, etc).

But I don't think waiting until all uglies are past is prudent either. Hell, introducing coral can also introduce new uglies, even if you waited years.

Start slow. Start with cheaper/resilient corals. Worst case you have some low impact casualties. Best case you get to enjoy your tank and introduce biodiversity to your tank sooner.

 

[tzoa]

You will have a variety of ugly phases throughout the first year. You should add a few pieces of real live wet ocean rock and leave lights off the first 4 months. This allows the system to develop microfauna and biodiversity so when you turn lights on and add first corals your subsequent ugly stages will be more manageable.

You will have a variety of ugly phases throughout the first year. You should add a few pieces of real live wet ocean rock and leave lights off the first 4 months. This allows the system to develop microfauna and biodiversity so when you turn lights on and add first corals your subsequent ugly stages will be more manageable.

A little late for that. I'm just trying to only have blue lights on to minimize the algae growth