We're in the process of cycling a new tank and our lfs told us that the tank is not considered cycled until there is an algae bloom. The cycle is progressing very well, seems like it could be done within the next week. But there is no algae bloom and we aren't sure about putting fish in before that. Do we really need to have algae for our tank to be considered fully cycled?
Algae Bloom and Cycling
- Thread starter jam5146
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Before you add the critters do a large water change to get the nitrates down. This will not hurt your bacteria population. By doing this you will be helping to keep algae in check when it does appear.
cycling and algae are unrelated for cycling completion
the reason its ok to loosely tie them together as the lfs does is because it takes about 30 days to catch a biofilm inside any sitting/swirling body of water and then right about then various algae/protists/diatoms et al are wrestling for space and various colorations will emerge, and 30 days is about how long it take nitrifers that complete a cycle to build up in 95% of cycling tanks on the planet, regardless of what hobby test kits say on the matter.
your actual cycle cannot be called until pictures are posted, lets see if you have live rock, or bone white dry rocks recently hydrated
Not wiping out algae the second you see it is dangerous reefing, if you reef clean your major risk is you'll be busy a lot. nothing like losing a 48 month effort to an algae or cyano invasion, early hand cleaning Ill rate as the most important habit you can have.
clean that algae
lets assess the cycle independent from it
the reason its ok to loosely tie them together as the lfs does is because it takes about 30 days to catch a biofilm inside any sitting/swirling body of water and then right about then various algae/protists/diatoms et al are wrestling for space and various colorations will emerge, and 30 days is about how long it take nitrifers that complete a cycle to build up in 95% of cycling tanks on the planet, regardless of what hobby test kits say on the matter.
your actual cycle cannot be called until pictures are posted, lets see if you have live rock, or bone white dry rocks recently hydrated
Not wiping out algae the second you see it is dangerous reefing, if you reef clean your major risk is you'll be busy a lot. nothing like losing a 48 month effort to an algae or cyano invasion, early hand cleaning Ill rate as the most important habit you can have.
clean that algae
lets assess the cycle independent from it
