Why?

[Ubergroover]

I watch my tank pretty closely. When I went to bed everything was status quo. Got up went to work and when I got home I noticed a ton of tiny bubbles all over the rock. Tank has been up for 3 weeks, added a couple snails and hermits after my water change two days ago. Is it possible the rock is starting to develop bacteria that is converting the nitrates? Kinda baffled as I think it may be a bit early to develop that. I dont think is bad, just trying to understand whats happening. Diatoms are in bloom. No power head either.

 

[bios]

You see it over the rocks were lights act as the diatomee using it for the photosintesys release oxygen in the water

 

[Ubergroover]

Ahhhhhhhhh! Thank you!

 

[simo]

So should the lights be off then ?

 

[bios]

Absolutely no, as it is the normal process of cycle
No light no life

 

[randy4083]

That's crazy I've never seen that before and I've cycled 3 tanks

 

[Ubergroover]

today

 

[wkscott]

That's crazy I've never seen that before and I've cycled 3 tanks

He mentioned that he has no powerhead. With more circulation in the tank, the bubbles won't stick around long enough to be noticed.

 

[randy4083]

I'm just talking about the bubbles I've never seen bubbles like that before in a tank while cycling a tank

 

[wkscott]

I'm just talking about the bubbles I've never seen bubbles like that before in a tank while cycling a tank

Anytime you have algae growing in a tank, be it new or old, you will have those tiny oxygen bubbles forming as part of the photosynthesis process. In a tank with good circulation, the tiny bubbles are swept into the water column and rise to the top of the tank before you ever even notice them

 

[randy4083]

I've seen stuff at the top of the tank because I have flow but there just really small and they don't get on the rocks like that and when I did my cycle I didn't have flow like that because I run a hob filter and I don't have a sump so the only flow that I had during the cycle was from my filter and I didn't get bubbles like that

 

[wkscott]

I've seen stuff at the top of the tank because I have flow but there just really small and they don't get on the rocks like that and when I did my cycle I didn't have flow like that because I run a hob filter and I don't have a sump so the only flow that I had during the cycle was from my filter and I didn't get bubbles like that

This also depends on your light intensity, photo period, and the amount of oxygen that the tank's water contains. Lower light intensity produces oxygen at a slower rate and if the water already has a lower oxygen level, the bubbles may not actually appear. The oxygen may be absorbed directly into the water.
In any case, as long as there is light and nutrients available, algae will be producing oxygen, whether you actually see it or not.