Tell me to calm down....

[kgrimes]

OK...so we're going to be moving soon so I decided against setting up my 150g system and opted to re-start my 12g nano. I'm about 2 weeks into the cycle with live sand and rock ...

SG is 1.024
Ammonia 0.2
Nitrate 25
Temp 76F
Lights are on for 9 hours/day

I added FritzZyme9 (nitrifying bacteria)...

Woke up the other day to this lovely green stuff.

What to do? Nothing? (that goes 180deg against my nature)

Thanks

 

[florida joe]

calm down its only a 12 g tank ummm good choice if your moving soon not to set up a 150 g do you mean the lovely yellow stuff ?

 

[kgrimes]

yah....it's a nice lime green-yellowish... kinda like our kitchen appliances in the 70's. Seems to be mostly on the top surfaces...facing the lights..... I know some say no lights for the cycle... my plan is to let the cycle go for a month or two...then add a cleanup crew and a couple clowns...maybe some zoos...I have had great success with them in this particular tank int he past....

 

[kgrimes]

ugh...so now I'm seeing spots of the reddish brown stuff.... this is all part of the cycle gig, right?

When should I add some snails or hermits?

 

[2quills]

Right now u don't have established bio filtration capable of keeping up with nutrients so algae is to be expected. Especially with 9 hours of light.

Is there any particular reason you want the lights on that long?

 

[Shilpan]

I cycled my first tank 4 months ago and I kept the lights off, helped stop algae blooms until I got my nutrients under control. I suggest lights off if you can and you don't have any thing needing light on the live rock.

If you want you could manually remove the algae, but it'll probably grow back, on the bright side you'd be removing excess nutrients from the system. I did that when I cycled and I noticed no ill effects to my cycling (I graphed mine).

 

[one-fish]

2quills..Been currently reading up on lighting and have changed my lighting duration to 7 hrs with little results (probably have other issues contributing) LFS suggests that I change my lights due to being 6500K and stated that 10000K blue and white LEDs are what I need to control GHA Kinda makes sense Yes/No Didn't by a light just got 3 more turbo snails

 

[Shilpan]

Is this for GHA? I find if you keep manually removing it from your system with good husbandry it'll eventually stop coming back. Otherwise it'll just die and provide nutrients to grow more

 

[2quills]

IMO 2300k - 6500k flourescent bulbs shouldnt be found anywhere other than over a refugium if avoiding algae is a primary goal.

Doesnt mean you won't get algae. But warmer white light is more favorable for nuisance growth.

 

[one-fish]

Yeah I know have to get a little more aggressive on my husbandry Mixed up a new batch ready for a WC tom. going to go GHA picking !!! Good news cyano almost gone aleast something nice to see. I think my tank is a late bloomer..Lol....Thx Shilpan

 

[one-fish]

IMO 2300k - 6500k flourescent bulbs shouldnt be found anywhere other than over a refugium if avoiding algae is a primary goal.

Doesnt mean you won't get algae. But warmer white light is more favorable for nuisance growth.

Thanks ...Believe me I did research my lighting (DIY) but missed that...ok back to drawing board..... Live and Learn ..Lol

 

[kgrimes]

OK...i'ts been a few weeks since I last posted...taking my time at this...ammonia is .1 ppm ... nitrates 25 ppm.... LIghts on for around 5 hours/day. When should I add anything live-er than the rock (like crabs/snails/shrimp)?

I hate this nasty brown stuff:

IMG_0478.JPG

 

[jay0705]

A water change may help knock the ammonia down. Idk what would still be causing you to have ammonia

 

[kgrimes]

i've been doing a 10% water change every 2 weeks....seems like that should be sufficient... there was probably a lot of die-off on my live rock, though...I didn't cure it at all and some was straight outta the ocean 10 months ago...stored in a bucket.

 

[jay0705]

Oh geez yea that would be alot of dead stuff

 

[Shilpan]

I had ammonia for almost 3 weeks when I cycled my 100gallon, do you need to water change? I didn't, and I put macro in at the end to suck up the nitrates. But otherwise I think your patience strategy is good

Question, why are the lights on?

 

[jay0705]

Agree with above. Water changes maybe hurting you now. Let that stuff sky rocket need be. Then it should bottom out, some macro wouldn't hurt but isn't necessary