Tank has cycled but now.......

[Whatnow]

Okay the tank can get rid of a ammonia dose of 3 ppm overnight along with the nitrites all the way to 0 ppm. But now I'm going do a 25% water change, but I have left the light on for the past few days for about 8 hours a day. Now the problem is I'm guessing brown algae ????


Question is why? is this normal under a lot of light? getting a few snails and a couple pieces of live rock this weekend... 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrites, 20ppm nitrates and ph 8.0
Will this bloom get worse, die out or what should I check?? felling confused but happy tank is cycled

 

[t1ger86]

What power heads are in the tank? Mine had this a bit when I had low flow and not enough cleaners

 

[Duke4Life]

CUC time.....

 

[Whatnow]

well have no cleaners going to get some this weekend and have 2 hydor 850 powerheads like my tag below states.

 

[melypr1985]

Diatoms. It's completely normal for a newly cycled tank. Get your CUC in there and they will go away.

Edit to say: increased flow will help as well

 

[Whatnow]

should I start my skimmer after my water change or wait till I stock a few animals?

 

[melypr1985]

should I start my skimmer after my water change or wait till I stock a few animals?

Go ahead and start'er up.

 

[Whatnow]

Diatoms. It's completely

And thank you
what kind of CUC should I get for a 75 gallon tank cause I'm going to my LFS Saturday to pick up a CUC & a couple pieces of live rock...

 

[melypr1985]

I have a 75 gallon and have (cant remember how many) a mix of nassarus snails, turbos, a conch, staghorn hermit crab, 3 emerald crabs, serpant star, a small urchin and a fire shrimp. I wouldn't get all that right away unless you plan to feed them directly.

 

[Reefrookie220]

Start with a dozen hermits and mix match about the same with snails. Add more after your first fish. Add to many at once and they won't have enough to eat, then the weaker ones are toast.

 

[Lenny_S]

+1 on the CUC and some diatoms are normal in a newly cycled tank... but that is a pretty heavy coating of diatoms. Diatoms feed off of silicates, that heavy a coat of diatoms seem to indicate a high amount of silicates in your water. Might want to run a silicate/phosphate binder for a bit too.

 

[Whatnow]

so about 20 or so mix of crabs and snails would be good and how often do hermit crabs need extra shells in the tank I've heard they attack snails for their shells sometimes

 

[Pete polyp]

so about 20 or so mix of crabs and snails would be good and how often do hermit crabs need extra shells in the tank I've heard they attack snails for their shells sometimes

They do and no amount of extra shells will stop it

 

[melypr1985]

They do and no amount of extra shells will stop it

Yup. I just replace snails on occasion. It's a fact of life and snails are cheap

 

[melypr1985]

oops. double post

 

[Whatnow]

also have a line on a RO system from a government auction guy (my parts supplier) wants $300 for it but the thing is like 3'x4' and supposedly does up to 300gal a day won't believe it till I see it though...lol

 

[Duke4Life]

Have a QT setup for fish? If not I'd highly suggest 1.

 

[Whatnow]

I've got a 30 gallon but not set up and sold my hob filter for it....

 

[Reefrookie220]

+1 on the qt. Its something I've never done in the past and it cost me some serious $$$ when it became an issue.

 

[Whatnow]

would a small biocube make a good Q.T? and do I have to keep a Q.T setup or how do you deal with one..