Algae Growth After Cycle

[The Flying Turkey]

I was reading https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/ne...guide-setting-up-saltwater-reef-aquarium.html and it says to expect all kinds of algae growth towards the end of the initial cycle. But it doesn't say what will happen with this algae after the cycle has completed.

My tank has cycled and ammonia and nitrite are 0 nitrate is almost undetectable, PH is 8.2, salinity 1.024, temp is 79.5. I've got my Lumentek 120 on a lighting schedule that last about 12 hours but intensity of the light is gradual increase to the brightest setting (50% blue 35% white) then gradual decrease.
I use RO/DI 0 TDS water from my brand new Purely H2O filter.


I've got diatoms all over everything in the tank, a tiny bit of it has turned from brown to red. I also have a lot of green hair algae, and some other green algae that looks like small trees. I just introduced a clean up crew consisting of 4 different types of snails yesterday.

I guess I'm wondering at what point should I start to worry about the algae? Is it still running it's course and will eventually dissipate?

 

[Dalmatia]

Where is your phosphate test at? That will really get the algae going! It should be at 0.
Try some h2o2 (hydrogen peroxide) 1ml per 10 gallons is reef safe. Try that for a week or 2. You'll notice the hair algae go white and then disintegrate!!

 

[CastAway]

Tagging along. I have the same exact question and parameters on my one month old system. Wondering if I should just trust the algae growth over the the CUC, or, if I should be cleaning it.....

 

[Dalmatia]

Tagging along. I have the same exact question and parameters on my one month old system. Wondering if I should just trust the algae growth over the the CUC, or, if I should be cleaning it.....

Clean it and try to fix your phosphates

 

[The Flying Turkey]

Clean it and try to fix your phosphates

The question still hasn't been answered.

If algae growth during the cycle is normal, (which everyone says it is) then when and how does the algae go away?

It doesn't say here: How to set up a saltwater reef aquarium tank- REEFEDITION

 

[Reefing Madness]

Diatoms are feeding off of silicates in the water still, must have been in the sand or rock your using. They will die out when its all gone. Which seems like forever, but does not last very long at all.

 

[The Flying Turkey]

Diatoms are feeding off of silicates in the water still, must have been in the sand or rock your using. They will die out when its all gone. Which seems like forever, but does not last very long at all.

Does that go for green/hair algae as well as the diatoms?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Diatoms only. The HA you will have to get a clean up crew to fix, and knock down your phosphates.

 

[jrbates08]

I am going through the same exact thing in my 1 mth old tank. All params are awesome and phosphates at .02 and my diatoms seemed to have disappeared almost completely then came back and now I'm getting a slight powder on the LS and LR that is like a brownish burgundy color. There's also one place where the green hair algae has turned red. I was thinking cyano but I keep reading that cyano is slimy and this is not. It's a light dusting and just the algae part off a LR. P.s. I have unknowingly added LR to my newly established tank from day 1 that had coral already on it. Everything has survived the cycle including my CUC. My aiptasia are ALL GONE thanks to the peppermint shrimps but neither the hermits or the snails or peppermint shrimp seem to be taking care of the algae growth or diatoms. Anything else that could be done? I was told NOT TO VACUUM THE OUT that they are just going to come right back so not to waste my energy and just do what this hobby teaches best....TO BE PATIENT and it will go away on its own. I just feel like I'm neglecting it hahaha. But everything is great including my livestock and levels so I must be doing something right wink wink

 

[The Flying Turkey]

I can say my diatoms have gone away and my base rock is white again, and my live rock looks purple again. So all the brown is gone. But the green hair algae is still there. I have peppermint shrimp and snails but no hermits. I'm thinking of picking up some hermits this weekend to see if they put a dent in the hair algae.

Also I received a free sample of Nualgi and I am considering using it in the next week or so to see if it helps with the hair algae.

 

[jrbates08]

This is my problem now. Don't know if it's bad enough to "jump on" or if it's going to go away on its own like I've been told 1 million times lol I just feel like I'm neglecting it. But I was also told everything takes longer the bigger the tank....so someone speaking from a 14g biocube vs a 125g may have different experiences

 

[Dalmatia]

For the hair algae just use h2o2 (hydrogen peroxide) 1ml for every 10g of water every day till it goes white and disappears (maybe a week or so)

 

[Dalmatia]

Won't harm your coralline, fish, inverts, corals.......... Reef safe 99.9%

 

[The Flying Turkey]

For the hair algae just use h2o2 (hydrogen peroxide) 1ml for every 10g of water every day till it goes white and disappears (maybe a week or so)

Is this the regular 3% solution you get in the brown bottle from the drug store?

 

[Dalmatia]

Ya,, that's the it

 

[StikHedRon]

I don't see any power heads in your tank? The red stuff is cyano and is a bacteria that could be caused by a bacteria imbalance due to your cycle and "new" tank. The HA is from phosphates, did you start with dry rock? If so your just getting die off from that and that is fueling alot of algae issues. Lots of water changes, run some GFO or any phosphate removing media and maybe try a bottle of bacteria like Dr Tims one and only or MB7....

 

[The Flying Turkey]

I don't see any power heads in your tank? The red stuff is cyano and is a bacteria that could be caused by a bacteria imbalance due to your cycle and "new" tank. The HA is from phosphates, did you start with dry rock? If so your just getting die off from that and that is fueling alot of algae issues. Lots of water changes, run some GFO or any phosphate removing media and maybe try a bottle of bacteria like Dr Tims one and only or MB7....

I've got a Jebeao WP25 in the back of the tank. I actually think it's too strong a pump for my setup as I have to keep it on the slower setting or I get massive sand storms.

I used 50 lbs dry rock from Florida and I seeded it with 10 lbs of live rock. Like you said that may be where the phosphates are coming from. I need to pick up a phosphate test kit to confirm.

I dumped a bottle of Dr. Tims in a couple of weeks ago.

I'm running Chemi-Pure Elite through a Kent Reactor. It has ferric oxide to help remove phosphates and silicates.

 

[jrbates08]

I think he was talking to me lol. If so, I have 2 k3's but just took them out 3 days ago because one stopped working and hubby is rigging something up with them. Will everything be ok in the meantime? Could this be from removing the powerheads? Can this build up happen this fast?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Ok, I see Cyano and no flow in the tank.

 

[jrbates08]

Reefing Madness we had to take them out 3 or 4 days ago cuz one broke and hubby is rigging something up. But can cyano develop in just 3 to 4 days of just not having any powerheads? We still have flow from the return jets but of course it's only on the right side of the tank and then the flow of the returns on the left side but again not strong enough for the whole tank. Will it be ok for 2 more days or does this stuff let loose quick? Once I get the powerheads back in, should I vacuum the cyano out or treat it? I don't like using chemicals in the tank just because we have been so successful doing everything naturally but if I must, I will. I'd like to add livestock soon. As long as the params stay the same. They're perfect as of yesterday. Haven't checked today