No ugly phase- good problem to have?

Keko21 · Oct 11, 2022

Set up my 90 Gal a bit over a month ago. Everything cycled wonderfully, I have 3 shrimp in there and 3 more fish in QT. Using a reefmat for my filtration, reef octopus 150 skimmer which is currently breaking in, but also hooked up to a C02 scrubber, refugium has chaeto which is looking great so far, I know I put pods in there but have yet to see one anywhere, parameters look pretty good: temp 76*F, pH: 8.1, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5-10, Ammonia .02 total (may have overfed my shrimp one day). Not sure on Phos- test kit coming in today. Water and tank is immaculate- not a trace of algae and I have been running my lights for a little over a week (50% blue 17% white). Tank was set up with dry rock and live sand.
Is it odd that there is no sign of algae yet? I kind of want it to show up so i can get a CUC in there and I know it's a sign of tank health. So either my filtration is on point right now and this is just a blessing or.....I should have some diatoms showing up soon?

Mr. Mojo Rising · Oct 11, 2022

oh its coming....

KK's Reef · Oct 11, 2022

It's only been a week with lights. It's coming. It's actually there, just can't see it.

Lost in the Sauce · Oct 11, 2022

Put away the party plates for a bit, it's coming!

Keko21 · Oct 12, 2022

Spoke too soon! Is this the start?

MaxM · Oct 12, 2022

It'll get a lot worse before it gets better

Roatan Reef · Oct 12, 2022

Brian_68 · Oct 12, 2022

MaxM said:
It'll get a lot worse before it gets better

Yeah my dry rock tank took close to a year to settle in. I agree it will soon hit.

Lost in the Sauce · Oct 12, 2022

Keko21 said:
Spoke too soon! Is this the start?

You seem really excited for nasty *** algae to start popping up everywhere. There isn't a definitive start and end date. One day, you'll look at the tank and go " What in the ........ Is that?????". Ta-da, it has started. Many months to a year of wanting to tear your hair out, you'll look at the tank and think "wow, is looking Great." Then a few weeks later, back to "itssss backkkkkkkk" then eventually you'll realized it's stabilized. If you're looking this hard for algaes, strap in, you're in for some FUN!