New Tank almost Cycled

[saltynoob]

Well I am getting close I think but I am getting cold feet and anxity now as well! hehehe :jumping:
My tanks is 8 days old, showing signs of brown alge growth all over the LR and now LS as well. Even the 2 pieces of BR are starting to gather brown. A little scarey heheh.
(Background: 20 gallon tank, Current Fission Nano Skimmer, Current Satellite 65w 10000K / 460 actinic light, 120gph Power Filter, Maxi Jet 900 power head, 200w Stealth Heater, 20lbs LS, 20bs LR, 10lbs Base Rock)
Water Specs:
PH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0 mg/l
Nitrite: 0.2-0.3 mg/l
Carbontate Hardness: 10
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 82F
I want to do a small reef with finsh tank, I am going to go with some small inverts first then after they make it buy a fish or two.
Questisons:
1. What other water tests do I need to be performing. I bought a Tetra test set and it only has ammonia, nitrite, PH and Carbonate Hardness. Should I go ahead and buy a reef test kit as well>? Is there a test kit that I can purchase all inclusive?
2. I read on a post somewhere that I should be adding fish food to the tank right now during the cycle to help it along is that true? If so what?
3. My ammonia spiked to 3.0mg/l and Nitrite 1.6-3.3 mg/l (Not so sure I like my test kit that I bought, not very percise) is that a problem?
4. Is it ok to purchase inverts for the tank or should I wait?
5. What should I be doing to the tank at this point?
Any suggestions would be great! Here are some pics as well, hope they are ok. On the first PIC what is that? Is that Coral?

 

[essop3]

1. Test Nitrate
2. Once you got the ammonia spike don't add any food.
3. That's ok. Once you cycle you just need to make sure those 2 numbers are zero
4. Don't buy anything until ammonia and nitrite are zero
5. Nothing. You are really pretty far along for this amount of time
All that brown will go away. Your looking good. That first pic is a glass anemone. A pest. Add a peppermint shrimp after you cycle to eat them. Do a search and you will find other ways to kill them.

 

[sergeant]

That anemone looking thing is called an aiptasia. After your cycle is complete you can try injecting it with some joes juice or like mentioned in previous posting peppermint shrimp would do the job too. Take your time, be pacient.

 

[craig7220]

Hi, looks like your cycle is coming nicely.... All that brown diatom will go away, its just part of your tank coming to life. Your first pic is of an aptasia. A little squirt of Joes Juice will take care of it.. If left alone, they do spread and sting other occupants of your tank. Don't try to pull it off though. It will likely spread because you can almost never get it all and whats left on the rock will grow another... You will need to test for nitrates along with your current tests. Once your cycle is over with 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites you should be on your way.... good luck and keep your wallet stuffed.. this hobby sure likes to eat money.....but it also is worth it when you see all your animals thriving.

 

[ma]

i am also cycling a 75 gallon tank, how do i know when it is done. I have the same brown algae is it bad to sift it out

 

[craig7220]

When my tanks cycled, I just leave the brown algae.. Once its cycled you can add a clean up crew and they will help take care of it.. Its all part of the natural process..

 

[f14peter]

Originally Posted by MA
i am also cycling a 75 gallon tank, how do i know when it is done. I have the same brown algae is it bad to sift it out

As Craig said, when ammonia and nitrites are at 0, then the cycle is complete . . . the cycle is complete hmmm, sounds like a line out of a movie!
I think the brown diatom bloom is inevitable, most have gone through it. I did, although I have a tad still remaining, but my tank is only a couple of months old and I'm still tweaking light duration, flow, and feeding. If you have LR and/or LS, probably not a good idea to stir up the sand as that may trigger an ammonia spike.
A clean-up crew would undoubtedly help once the cycle is complete (Dang, there's that movie line again!), my guys (Snails and hermits) really earn their pay.

 

[saltynoob]

Sweet thanks for the advice. Today all tests read 0 !!! Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. :jumping: :cheer:
I am very nervous about adding anything but after the reading I have been doing both on and offline I bought some cleanup guys tonight. Aclimating them as we speak. 15 hermit, 2 snails and one peppermint shrimp.
I have the hermit and snails sitting in the tank in thier bags adding about 2/3 cup a water every 15 minutes and the shrimp I have on a slow drip in a critter cage. gonna simmer him for an hour and a half or so maybe two.
I got a nano reef book as well and ordered The Conscientious Marine Aquarist. Hopefully all goes well. I really dont want to go fast at all with this, the brown diatom doesnt bother me a bit as long as it isnt harmful to anything. Main thing I want to do is get a good base going before any fish hit the tank. I feel a little bad getting the cleanup crew but after talking the LFS guys and gals they put my fears to ease a bit but I still have it in the back of my head thier in it to sell fish.
If all goes well what should I be looking for next as far as what to do?
Also, is there a recommended food that everyone seems to agree upon? or is it mainly preference? I am thinking for the clean up crew as well as fish later.
As far as feeding the hermits, snail and shrimp how do most do? Do you just let them feast on the tank product with no supliment or do most enhance it with fish food?

 

[cjml]

Sounds like you are doing right--going very slowly!! Add slowly and do parameters after adding anything-let your tank adjust - and then keep adding slowly and checking parameters. Thats the safest way to go and will save you lots of grief and money and save any animals from going into a tank thats not ready. Learned that the hard way-I am still nervous about addding anything to our tank! But it truly is so hard to be patient-but boy its the best way to go!! :happyfish :happyfish

 

[marine fanatic]

Tank is looking good, what is causing all of your microbubbles? That is something you might want to find a solution for, microbubbles can be dangerous to fish.

 

[saltynoob]

Oh shoot your kidding me? Why are they dangerous to fish? Are they dangerous to Inverts as well?
I believe they are coming from the power head I installed. There is a micro tube that has a adjustable nob on it to suck in air and create bubbles. I thought this would induce Oxygen into the water quicker and more abundentally. Am I totally wrong?
:help:

 

[azfishgal]

Originally Posted by SaltyNoob
Oh shoot your kidding me? Why are they dangerous to fish? Are they dangerous to Inverts as well?
I believe they are coming from the power head I installed. There is a micro tube that has a adjustable nob on it to suck in air and create bubbles. I thought this would induce Oxygen into the water quicker and more abundentally. Am I totally wrong?
:help:
Bubbles are good for freshwater but NOT marine life. But, you can adjust it, so looks like it's easy for you to fix. I have to say I'm jealous that you have diatom, that means you are well on your way. I just added salt to my QT and the stand for my 125 gallon is still being built! So, I'll stare at your tank until I can get started with mine! You'll love the books you got, very helpful. Good luck and excited to see how it comes together. :cheer:

 

[saltynoob]

Dont be jealous of me I am the one that is jealous 125 gallon WHEWWWW that is a sweet size! Mine is only a 20gal and I am already telling my wife we need to start looking to move so I can custom build our next tank! heheheh I want a 400 gallon or so heheh Dreamin is fun isnt it heheh

 

[azfishgal]

Originally Posted by SaltyNoob
Dont be jealous of me I am the one that is jealous 125 gallon WHEWWWW that is a sweet size! Mine is only a 20gal and I am already telling my wife we need to start looking to move so I can custom build our next tank! heheheh I want a 400 gallon or so heheh Dreamin is fun isnt it heheh

Well, I'm starting to get nervous because I've already messed up. My QT is very couldy after adding salt 24 hours ago (already posted thread for help). But, I'd rather make a mistake on this little tank, so when I get the monster tank set up maybe I'll know what I'm doing.

OK, that's probably far fetched, but at least I have people to run to when things go wrong.

 

[marine fanatic]

SaltyNoob,
Microbubbles can cause serious problems for fish if they get into their gills. As far as oxygen, all you really need is some good surface agitation to increase gas exhange. A PH slightly aimed towards the surface is a great way to achieve this. Your PH should have come with a plug for the air inlet where the tube is now, remove the tube and put the plug in it instead and that should eliminate your microbubbles. After you do that, take a turkey baster and fill it with water from your tank and start spraying the areas where microbubbles have formed and it will release them to the surface.

 

[barchtruong]

wow, that's alot of diatoms, the brown algae, growing in your tank.
I used tap water to start out with for the first 2 week with bag aragonite sand.
I added lr in the tank the 3rd week.
I only had some brown algae on sand for less than 2 weeks. I vaccuum them all out weekly and after that 2 weeks, my tank was clean and clear.
Never seen a piece of brown stuff on my lr.