New to SW aquariums
- Thread starter mallery8p
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So I've been doing some reading about cycling my tank, sounds like I need to keep a source of ammonia in my tank at all time during the cycle since I don't have fish in it, to keep the bacteria that feed on ammonia alive. Is this true
Joeganja
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U just started the tank it will be high. It's normal don't worry about it. Just add a couple of damsels they'll take it feed them let them poop and slowly adjust by water changes. Run carbon, change filter pads frequently.
tyler1503
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Algae is normal during a cycle and during the few months following it. It will most likely get much worse before it gets better, but with the right steps taken it will get better. You have to find the source of the algae, too long of a light period each day/bad lights, too many nutrients (phosphate and nitrate), not enough flow or most likely a combination of these are the most common causes in my experience. Do you plan on a clean up crew? If your ammonia has dropped and is holding at 0 for a few days in a row it's time to consider adding one 
They will make short work of the algae.
Nitrite is believed to be harmless in marine tanks. There's an article out there detailing the experiments with results. I don't have a link though sorry.
Also, please don't use fish to cycle the tank.
You know when you go into a freshly cleaned bathroom and the bleach/ammonia smell is really strong and sometimes it hurts to breathe? That's what a cycling tank is like for fish 24/7.
I would just grab some table shrimp and use them. They're already dead so there's no suffering involved, it's cheaper and it's 1,000,000,000x easier to take out of the tank than even the slowest damsels.
Good luck!
They will make short work of the algae. Nitrite is believed to be harmless in marine tanks. There's an article out there detailing the experiments with results. I don't have a link though sorry.
Also, please don't use fish to cycle the tank.
You know when you go into a freshly cleaned bathroom and the bleach/ammonia smell is really strong and sometimes it hurts to breathe? That's what a cycling tank is like for fish 24/7.
I would just grab some table shrimp and use them. They're already dead so there's no suffering involved, it's cheaper and it's 1,000,000,000x easier to take out of the tank than even the slowest damsels.
Good luck!
Last edited:
tyler1503
2500 Club Member
There's hundreds of different species you could add.
I would look into turbo and cerith snails for algae, nassarius snails for uneaten food and maybe an emerald crab for algae, detritus and uneaten food too (I've never used them as I'm not much of a fan of crabs, but plenty of people have great success with them). And my favourite clean up crew members are shrimp for uneaten food
Do a bit of research into what you like best and what sounds best for your tank as like I said, there's hundreds of things you can add.
Lawnmower blennies are great algae eaters but I would wait till the tank is a little older before adding one. While the tank has algae now, it's possible once it dies back you won't have enough algae to feed one. Most of them will take prepared foods, but they still need a constant algae supply to graze on.
I would look into turbo and cerith snails for algae, nassarius snails for uneaten food and maybe an emerald crab for algae, detritus and uneaten food too (I've never used them as I'm not much of a fan of crabs, but plenty of people have great success with them). And my favourite clean up crew members are shrimp for uneaten food
Do a bit of research into what you like best and what sounds best for your tank as like I said, there's hundreds of things you can add.
Lawnmower blennies are great algae eaters but I would wait till the tank is a little older before adding one. While the tank has algae now, it's possible once it dies back you won't have enough algae to feed one. Most of them will take prepared foods, but they still need a constant algae supply to graze on.
Joeganja
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Some clownfish, chromis, do not add any tangs or angelfish or butterfly or triggers. I would have only clownfish, gobies, damsels, chromis, cardinalfish.
