Algae or Bacteria? Curious what this is

[WallysWorld]

I’m cycling an 85 gallon system. I’m 19 days in. Started with mostly dry reel reef rock, Fritz bacteria and Algaebarn Nitrocycle. Ammonia has been at zero for several days. Nitrite and Nitrate are high, nitrite >1ppm, nitrate >25ppm. I’ve been doing the cycle with lights off.

These spider web like filaments started showing up yesterday. They are growing quickly and are in both display and sump.

Im thinking bacteria due to absence of light, but just curious what it is. Don’t think I should be concerned, but curious what you guys think.

 

[MnFish1]

I’m cycling an 85 gallon system. I’m 19 days in. Started with mostly dry reel reef rock, Fritz bacteria and Algaebarn Nitrocycle. Ammonia has been at zero for several days. Nitrite and Nitrate are high, nitrite >1ppm, nitrate >25ppm. I’ve been doing the cycle with lights off.

These spider web like filaments started showing up yesterday. They are growing quickly and are in both display and sump.

Im thinking bacteria due to absence of light, but just curious what it is. Don’t think I should be concerned, but curious what you guys think.

In this case, a picture is worth a thousand words. Some bacteria do indeed form thread-like projections. What is your PO4? PS - your nitrite might be an interference from your nitrate. This would be a case where I think a 50% water change (or more) might be helpful.

Many people would suggest that your cycle is 'completely'.

@brandon429

 

[WallysWorld]

In this case, a picture is worth a thousand words. Some bacteria do indeed form thread-like projections. What is your PO4? PS - your nitrite might be an interference from your nitrate. This would be a case where I think a 50% water change (or more) might be helpful.

Many people would suggest that your cycle is 'completely'.

@brandon429

Had to repost photo, it didn’t attach first time..

 

[MnFish1]

FYI - I'm assuming you mean the greenish threads? - When I re-read your post - I see you said 'MOSTLY dry rock'. I am going to change my opinion - that looks like a thread algae of some kind. I had chaeto in an experimental tank - with the lights COMPLETELY off for 2 weeks - and some algae was still on the rock (though some died). In any case - I would see if you can 'pull it off' - if you can its not bacteria. If it just disintegrates - it could be dead algae or a bacterial colony (but I doubt that)

 

[WallysWorld]

FYI - I'm assuming you mean the greenish threads? - When I re-read your post - I see you said 'MOSTLY dry rock'. I am going to change my opinion - that looks like a thread algae of some kind. I had chaeto in an experimental tank - with the lights COMPLETELY off for 2 weeks - and some algae was still on the rock (though some died). In any case - I would see if you can 'pull it off' - if you can its not bacteria. If it just disintegrates - it could be dead algae or a bacterial colony (but I doubt that)

Thanks. And I wouldn’t consider cycle complete and ready for livestock until nitrite comes down. Patience is the game here!

 

[mdb_talon]

To me it looks like bacteria outbreak especially with no direct lighting. Algae can survive periods without light, but should not see rapid growth of it like that.. Would suck it out.

Other than that i would say you are ready for livestock.

 

[MnFish1]

Thanks. And I wouldn’t consider cycle complete and ready for livestock until nitrite comes down. Patience is the game here!

1. I mis-stated something earlier - a high. NITRITE level can cause a FALSE high NITRATE test (depending on the test you're using.
2. You need to get test kits that allow accurate measurements a Nitrite of >1 could be 1.1 or it could be 200 (doubt that). a nitrate of >25 could be 25.1 or 150.
3. Without knowing the exact measurements its impossible to say FOR SURE - that your tank is safe for livestock. So - I would recheck - or get different tests.
4. Nitrite is considered basically non-toxic in a marine aquarium - so depending on THAT level - once you get a correct value - your tank is probably cycled.

I wonder if you somehow mis-dosed or overdosed the nitrocycle - and your nitrites and nitrates are showing high because your ammonia rather than starting at the recommended 3ppm was really 10 ppm - which indeed can 'delay' a cycle. I also am not sure I trust the tests

PS - You can also dilute your samples - so you can get the actual numbers. For example - take 50% tank water and 50% RODI (not tap water) - and then measure - and keep doing it until your numbers are in range - then multiply by the number of dilutions to get the actual number. For example. Your first nitrite is >1. Dilute tank water 1:1 with RODI. You measure - nitrite is still >1 - Do it again with Tankwater 1:3 RODI. Now the nitrite is 0.6 You multiple 0.6 x 4 - the nitrite in your tank is 2.6

 

[WallysWorld]

Thanks. I may have over dosed ammonia, but I was pretty careful and at the time I thought I dosed about half the instruction dose.
I’m going to do a ~25% water change and ad more bacteria. Hopefully will prevent a cycle stall.

 

[MnFish1]

Thanks. I may have over dosed ammonia, but I was pretty careful and at the time I thought I dosed about half the instruction dose.
I’m going to do a ~25% water change and ad more bacteria. Hopefully will prevent a cycle stall.

I'm sure you will get some responses saying 'there is no such thing as a cycle stall'. IMHO - if you don't want to check your tests (which I think is the best plan) - I would do a 50-100% water change (matching salinity and Temp) - and consider your tank cycled.

 

[WallysWorld]

I'm sure you will get some responses saying 'there is no such thing as a cycle stall'. IMHO - if you don't want to check your tests (which I think is the best plan) - I would do a 50-100% water change (matching salinity and Temp) - and consider your tank cycled.

I did a nitrite test with newly mixed saltwater. Result was zero, made me feel better.
I’m a bit of a distance from my LFS, so no swimmers until next Saturday at this point. Monitoring levels for another week won’t hurt.
Thanks for advice.

 

[Garf]

I’m cycling an 85 gallon system. I’m 19 days in. Started with mostly dry reel reef rock, Fritz bacteria and Algaebarn Nitrocycle. Ammonia has been at zero for several days. Nitrite and Nitrate are high, nitrite >1ppm, nitrate >25ppm. I’ve been doing the cycle with lights off.

These spider web like filaments started showing up yesterday. They are growing quickly and are in both display and sump.

Im thinking bacteria due to absence of light, but just curious what it is. Don’t think I should be concerned, but curious what you guys think.

I’ve had this bacterial web stuff or something similar. It doesn’t like light and grew in my sump emanating from a rock I used from a running tank, to cycle my dry rock. Didn’t appear to cause any harm.

 

[WallysWorld]

Just an update here. Bacteria (or what ever the spider web looking stuff was) is gone. Melted away almost as fast as it appeared. Chalking this up to just weird stuff that happens during cycling!