brownish/orangey spots
- Thread starter azonic
- Start date
jack the reefer
Member
It means its time to hire a cleaning crew 
jack the reefer
Member
my tank just cycles in 1 week..go to you lfs and get a couple of turbo snails..if they last 3 days you are ok..
jack the reefer
Member
without any livestock it will take very long to cycle, bacteria will not develop without any dead organism..
azonic
Active Member
There have already been 2 dead shrimp in the tank to spike the ammonia. Im not about to add snails to the tank while there is still a toxic level of nitrite in the water. This defeats the whole purpose of cycling the tank before you add anything...I dont know what logic you are basing your suggestion on...
marty
Member
Azonic, keep doing what you are doing. If you are getting an amonia (sp?) and nitrite spikes, you are doing fine. Your lr and sand have started the cycle. Getting a snail will not be necessary yet.
Assuming you did get the spikes, you are fine. If not, go get a piece of dead shrimp from the grocery store and throw that in there to cycle the tank. But it looks like you are already cycling, so you should be fine. Wait the spikes out until both are zero. Then slowly add a fish (one) to start with. Let the fish add to the bioload and let the tank re-adjust. After 1 month or so with tank parameters fine again, you probably can add another fish or 2. Have your stocking plan set up before you buy anything.
Your cleaning crew can come at any point after you finish cycling.
The algae bloom is just a part of the cycle process. If should go away be itself.
HTH's
Marty
Assuming you did get the spikes, you are fine. If not, go get a piece of dead shrimp from the grocery store and throw that in there to cycle the tank. But it looks like you are already cycling, so you should be fine. Wait the spikes out until both are zero. Then slowly add a fish (one) to start with. Let the fish add to the bioload and let the tank re-adjust. After 1 month or so with tank parameters fine again, you probably can add another fish or 2. Have your stocking plan set up before you buy anything.
Your cleaning crew can come at any point after you finish cycling.
The algae bloom is just a part of the cycle process. If should go away be itself.
HTH's
Marty
jack the reefer
Member
go to a local supermarket and put one dead shrimp in there..
bammbamm74
Member
"Brownish orangy" spots sounds like a diatom bloom which is normal for a cycling tank. Actually, I think the brown is the dead diatom. it will go away and your snails will eat em up. Astrias and Margarita work well for me. Get a conch for the sand.