Is it unusual for new tanks to not go through algae cycles? Or rather, a small algae cycle? I had a little bit of diatoms but after adding three hermit crabs it was gone within a day. I do have tiny bit of green hair algae but you can barely see it and it doesn't seem to be spreading. Just wondering if I'm just lucky or if it's actually a good thing to establish algae early on.
Algae Stages of Cycle
- Thread starter Vinh
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all ive done for about 8 yrs is get into algae posts the web is littered with them, its like an obsession. this is my take
the cycles range based on variables such that there is wide diversity in outcome among tanks, some with none, some neverending despite all means.
there are predictable places and times that certain genera w show up like the diatoms of early import, some GHA and some cyano all common reef fare.
whether or not its bad or good is independent of tank cycling, that's for bacteria. algae is optional, and we can make it a cycle or not, its also possible to simply disallow it at every interval through various means, have no algae the whole history of the tank. all common problem algae tanks opt out of that option.
b
the cycles range based on variables such that there is wide diversity in outcome among tanks, some with none, some neverending despite all means.
there are predictable places and times that certain genera w show up like the diatoms of early import, some GHA and some cyano all common reef fare.
whether or not its bad or good is independent of tank cycling, that's for bacteria. algae is optional, and we can make it a cycle or not, its also possible to simply disallow it at every interval through various means, have no algae the whole history of the tank. all common problem algae tanks opt out of that option.
b
that is no prob for sure, and neither is a bit of algae or green hair algae at that. I just like to go crazy and zap it purely because its fun to work around living materials doing so, but a reef barren of all algae or other invaders isn't balanced, it wouldn't support grazers. I think the biggest takeaway is if you ever see it going downhill maybe take some decisive action then, but as stated this is all normal and the rocks that are not colonized by coralline (an algae excluder) or corals will have these trade offs over time as they mature.
