No Algae After Day 8 of Cycle??

CMO · Jan 23, 2018

So I'm on day 8 of cycling my new tank with the red sea reef mature pro kit. All of my parameters are spot on per the instructions except no algea growth which the instructions say should have started around day 4-5. I've followed the instructions precisely. All rock and sand were dry and clean to start if that matters.

Is this normal or should i see some algae by now?

Thanks

Instigate · Jan 23, 2018

I've never used that kit but I don't think I got the first diatom bloom till several weeks in, maybe a month or more.

Nick30G · Jan 23, 2018

I cycled my tank not long ago by dosing ammonia and using Bio Spira (fishless) which worked great for me. I kept my lights off the entire cycle and never got any algae either. I only got a little tiny diatom bloom a week after I got my fish and then all the diatom where gone within a few days. Algae does not indicate the cycle is done or beginning, keep watching your test kits and that will tell you when you are cycled.

Chris Villalobos · Jan 23, 2018

I know the quarried stuff is pretty sterile. That can be a plus or a minus depending on how you cycle your tank.

BRS just did a great video on cycling their tanks with dry rock. Basically it takes 90 days with 30 of it in total black out, then only ambient light then finally low light and a fish on the last stretch.

Basically you want bacteria and coralline algae in the display and macro algae in the sump.