New cycle (about 1 week) and no algae bloom at all

puffer32

Active Member
Isn't it supposed to start growing? My tank has RO water can that be why? Sure is great not to have that ugly kind, but alittle concerned why I didn't get at least some growth :confused:
 
T

tizzo

Guest
You mean diatoms?? You will not see as many sinse you filled with RO water but you should still see some...Not nesessarily now though, give it a few more days... How's you get your ammonia to boost?
 

oceana

Active Member
whats in your tank?? just water?? live rock?? live sand?? whats your light cycle??
all of this can help or hinder your cycle. at one week i would not worry to much. waiting is the hardest yet most benifical part of this hobby
 

who dey

Active Member
a friend of mine just finished cycle, used ro/di and had not even a single diatom?? some get lucky
 

jgbryan02

Member
I have a tank that has been running for 2 weeks used tap water, no algae except on one rock and it's nothing. Running my lights 14 hours a day...I must have RO water coming out of my tap.
 

who dey

Active Member
Originally Posted by jgbryan02
I have a tank that has been running for 2 weeks used tap water, no algae except on one rock and it's nothing. Running my lights 14 hours a day...I must have RO water coming out of my tap.
i think you just jinxed yourself. you will wake up tomorrow with diatom!!lol
 

snipe

Active Member
Tap water can take awhile to pull the full effect off of algea blooms as I am seeing now. But I cought it before it got bad "gonna switch to RO". If you have it on one rock it will spread dont worrie. 14 hours of light is alot alos 10 to 12 hours in the most anyone will recommend.
 

ophiura

Active Member
I tend to think of algae blooms happening later than the first week....give it time, it will come :) May take several months, but it will more than likely come.
 

puffer32

Active Member
Yes, diatoms.I have LS, LR, used a cocktail shrimp to cycle. I have an arrow crab and coral banded shrimp. Didn't get snails yet cause no algae for them to eat. No hermits cause i don't like their butts, so for now am skipping them. I had 3 cromis, but all died day after I got them
. My ammonia is almost 0, my nitrates are 40 and my nitrates 0. My ph is 8.2 Acclamated fish for 30 mins floating bag method. Any thoughts?
 

ophiura

Active Member
You don't want living animals in a cycling tank. Definitely don't add anything. NitrItes at 0 and NitrATES at 40? Also will need to do a lot of research into acclimation of things. Inverts and fish have different acclimation needs, but floating for half hour may not be suitable (definitely not, IMO, for inverts).
 

puffer32

Active Member
I do not have animals in a cycling tank. It was done cycling more then a week before I put in the inverts, those I drip acclaimated for 3 hrs. I didn't drip acclaimate the fish because I didn't want them in the water they were in for to long, besides, I always acclaimated fish this way, and never lost one before. My kids gave the cromis to me for mothers day, one fish per kid. They were so excited to be giving me my first 3 fish! I know it was alittlle soon after cycle ended, but they were damsels so hubby thought they would survive, I still don't think it was a question of my tank killing them, they came from some nasty LFS and may not have lived to long there. My ammonia level was so slightly high, am not even sure it was high at all, all other levels were within normal range. I am not a beginner to salt water fish, just been out of the hobby for several yrs and need refreshing in some areas. I do remember a diatom outbreak in my 6 salt tanks I use to have, but that was when I used tap water.
 

snipe

Active Member
The way you posted it made it sound that way. Also did you mean your nitrates are at 40 and your nitrites are at 0?
 

puffer32

Active Member
Nitrates are 40, nitrites are 0. Sorry i wasn't clearer. I am going to try another fish this weekend i guess as long as my levels stay good, and my crab and shrimp are still alive, because they are, should I assume my next fish will be ok? or maybe i will get more cleanup crew?
 

ophiura

Active Member
Your nitrates are considerably high considering it is so young a tank. I agree with Snipe and would work on that with a few water changes. In addition, though chromis are "damsels" they are not, IME at least, as hardy as most damsels. Some can be rather hit or miss.
Sorry, the title of the post was very confusing...sounded like the tank had been cycling one week which would be a clear reason why the chromis would have died. :notsure:
 

redrider

New Member
my tank is just getting over the cycle process, and i used tap water to mix in with my salt, but also put in StressCoat, and i havent even had algea bloom yet. there is some on my rocks but nothing on my glass or nothing. also, y r u so worried bout getting an algea bloom. I wouldnt be wishing for one.......
 

gtiguy

Member
Been cycling for about 3 weeks now and at the 2 week marker (using cycle booster liquid) had an algae explosion which first started on the Live rock (also bought a rock that had coraline growing which spread alittle) than moved to the live sand, got some gobies cleaned the sand right up and some turbo snails (still working on the rocks) but def under control blooms, some days its more than others, temp is at 79, lights 250wtt pwr cmpct 10hrs, also i believe the damsels i had helped speed things up as well......
 

puffer32

Active Member
Not worried, just wondering, its first time I didn't get an algae bloom, but is perfectly ok with me
Thanks for the advice on the nitrates, tested water today, and trates were about 30, my test says between 0 and 40 are ideal, so I guess i am ok! :cheer:
 
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