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Thread: Algae blooms? What are good and bad signs I need to watch out for

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    Algae blooms? What are good and bad signs I need to watch out for

    This will be the sixth day having the tank run with everything in it, there's brown algae developing on all my rocks it looks furry, is this bad or is it just. Part of the nitrogen cycle. Also my water tests keep reading good my amionia for some reason is still at zero is this good considering it's only been running for three days?

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    The brown is almost certainly a diatom bloom. Perfectly normal, and will go away on its own in a week or so. Where did your rock and sand come from? Depending on the answer, you may not have gotten your initial ammonia spike yet, or you may only get a very small one.
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    I think I remember that you said that your rock was fully cured. Usually you have some die off that created an ammonia spike but it may have been small. To be sure you can put a raw shrimp in the tank for a couple of days or a big pinch of food and create an ammonia spike. If you use a shrimp put it in a mesh bag or nylon stocking so it is easy to pull out.
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    I bought my rock and sand from a big ALS outlet where I live thy wernt sure were it came from but after reaseech n looking at pictures I think it safe to say fiji and the sand was live sand and the brand was Carib sea if any of this sound right lol

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    It's possible then that you won't have much of a spike. it's also possible it's just too early. I'd wait another week, testing every day. If you still havent seen a spike by then, then i think I'd take Carmie's advice above and create one.
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    So why is it so important to create one just curious? And dose any one have a link to pictures that will show me good and bad life to watch out for.

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    You can ID a lot of stuff here:
    http://www.melevsreef.com/id/

    It's important to make sure the tank goes through a cycle because that ensures nitrifying bacteria are established in the tank. Otherwise, when you start adding fish, you'll get your spike then, and risk killing the fish with the ammonia.
    **KEEP ME AWAY FROM SUPER GLUE ... i tend to glue my lips shut !!**

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    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    Carmie


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    Quote Originally Posted by Isaac
    my amionia for some reason is still at zero is this good considering it's only been running for three days?
    It’s very possible your Ammonia test will read zero for a few more days. But be assured it will rise and then your Nitrite will rise likewise. Do not add any fish until after they both spike and drop to zero. Then add no more than one or two things at a time, because adding living things adds to the bio-load and causes a mini rise of Ammonia and then Nitrite and you want to be sure your “still new” system handles that mini spike. The mini spike may not be detectable on hobbyist level test kits. If you test and get a reading of zero you may be inclined to add more fish thinking your “over the cycle”. Not true. To get a better handle on the “cycle” and what your system goes through in the beginning please read the best article on the cycle I’ve ever read. It’s by Eric Borneman a coral scientist and hobbyist. It is here - The Building of a Reef (Tank)

    Patience is a virtue in life as well as reefing. Nothing happens fast in reefing except disaster.

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    my 55 gallon took 4 weeks to cycle... how long has your tank been running altogether?
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    My tank has been running for just over two weeks now

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    Yikes. You need to back up and start from the beginning. Saltwater tanks are nice and easy to maintain if you take the time to do it right.
    PapaMcEuin
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    Isaac (09-11-2010)

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    I thought I was in the beginning I just have everything I need running with live rock and sand am I missing something

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    Insightful Reefer Rostr02's Avatar
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    Issac read the above article that Dick posted

    +1 on what papa posted, marine tanks take time and patience, just allow nature to take its course

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    Isaac (09-11-2010)

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    Sorry, I think I got a couple of threads crossed. Someone else had a post with an algae take over of the tank that had corals in it. So I read all the other posts you have and think I have caught up. You may want to limit lighting on the tank until it has cycled. Not having many critters (corals) other than hitch hikers they really are not needed. Anyway, I just was thinking that if you had rock like I saw from the other thread with corals and tons of algae then there was definitely an issue at 2 weeks. So, take a few pics and update what the bloom looks like. The camera phone did well enough for the other pics to give an idea of the algae type.
    PapaMcEuin
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    thanks for the advice guys, ya i might sound impatent but all this is new so ive nvr had algie blooms or anything i just want to make sure im doing everything i can to make this a perfect tank

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