Tank cycling question

basssnake · 10/06/2008, 08:49 PM

My massive new 180 setup(true 180 gallon tank, 100 gallon rubbermaid plastic stock tank for a sump, and 45 gallon sump for a refugium) is now cycling. A brown film is starting to coat the sand and rocks.

First question, should i not be running the lights at all? Or some? I am only running one fixture at this point which is a 400watt 14k metal halide. I have been running it about 6 hrs with the idea of keeping light to some macroalgae in the main display. Should i shut the lights down for awhile or lessing the time? please explain.

2nd question. Do i need to try and clean any of the brown film off the rock or sand, or is leaving it the right thing to do?

basssnake · 10/06/2008, 09:49 PM

Anyone have any input for me??

lancer99 · 10/07/2008, 06:30 AM

If possible, it's better to leave the lights off while the tank is cycling, so that things like hair algae can't get started before you add your clean up crew. It might be better to sacrifice the macros...although they may also survive until the tank has cycled.

It's normal to get brown films, cyano, etc. while the tank is cycling, and some times for a few months afterwards. Usually patience is the key, and they will go away on their own as your tank gets balanced.

-R

basssnake · 10/07/2008, 09:17 AM

Thanks lancer.

Anyone else have some input?

landlord · 10/07/2008, 09:48 AM

The brown is either diatoms or dinoflagellates. Both of which are known to occur during the cycling phase. Keep up your water changes, skim a little wetter, lessen your photo period, turkey baste the rocks.

Whatever you do - Let the cycle complete. Try hard not to become impatient with it. It is a battle that you can win but additional bioload won't help, not to mention how depressing / frustrating it is to fight algae blooms in a tank full of the corals the YOU paid big bucks for.

basssnake · 10/08/2008, 02:06 AM

Well, i haven't done a water change yet, so what water change schedule should i be on with this new setup? I have chaeto algae and red mangroves in the sump right now, if that makes any difference on the water changes. Please detail what exactly i should be doing and for how long. I am experienced in maintaing a system, but not really setting up a new large system(most of my systems i bought setup and just broke down and moved to my house). thanks

landlord · 10/08/2008, 04:45 AM

I have always treated a cycling tank just like my display. Albeit, none of my tanks were on the size scale but IME 15% weekly water changes, increasing the output of the skimmer to pull out at least a quart of skimmate per day.

I tried hard to go at the algae whenever I was at home with a turkey baster to keep it in the water column. This enable it to get to the sump for export via protein skimming, etc.

I do not think that the chaeto and mangroves are going to provide enough export capabilities to combat this algae by themselves, I could be wrong though.

--landlord

basssnake · 10/09/2008, 01:43 PM

anyone else have any input to add??

basssnake · 10/16/2008, 06:38 AM

Still waiting on more input........i have checked the nitrates in my new setup and they seem to be dropping without any water changes...........

10/06/2008, 08:49 PM	#1
basssnake Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 838	Tank cycling question My massive new 180 setup(true 180 gallon tank, 100 gallon rubbermaid plastic stock tank for a sump, and 45 gallon sump for a refugium) is now cycling. A brown film is starting to coat the sand and rocks. First question, should i not be running the lights at all? Or some? I am only running one fixture at this point which is a 400watt 14k metal halide. I have been running it about 6 hrs with the idea of keeping light to some macroalgae in the main display. Should i shut the lights down for awhile or lessing the time? please explain. 2nd question. Do i need to try and clean any of the brown film off the rock or sand, or is leaving it the right thing to do?

10/07/2008, 09:48 AM	#5
landlord Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Alexandria, KY Posts: 1,937	The brown is either diatoms or dinoflagellates. Both of which are known to occur during the cycling phase. Keep up your water changes, skim a little wetter, lessen your photo period, turkey baste the rocks. Whatever you do - Let the cycle complete. Try hard not to become impatient with it. It is a battle that you can win but additional bioload won't help, not to mention how depressing / frustrating it is to fight algae blooms in a tank full of the corals the YOU paid big bucks for. __________________ Forget the Turtle Man, you got the Coral Man Live Action Fragging! Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon SPS Reef (Sump, Fuge, Skimmer, CX reactor, Chemical filtration, Overflow) by Lifereef, 2x400W 20K Radiums on IceCaps, 2x39W T5 "For fun", RK2, 4x Tunze 6055, Aqua Logic 1/3 HP Chiller, DIY RO/DI ATO 2-Part via Litermeter. Lotsa Clownfish

10/08/2008, 04:45 AM	#7
landlord Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Alexandria, KY Posts: 1,937	I have always treated a cycling tank just like my display. Albeit, none of my tanks were on the size scale but IME 15% weekly water changes, increasing the output of the skimmer to pull out at least a quart of skimmate per day. I tried hard to go at the algae whenever I was at home with a turkey baster to keep it in the water column. This enable it to get to the sump for export via protein skimming, etc. I do not think that the chaeto and mangroves are going to provide enough export capabilities to combat this algae by themselves, I could be wrong though. --landlord __________________ Forget the Turtle Man, you got the Coral Man Live Action Fragging! Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon SPS Reef (Sump, Fuge, Skimmer, CX reactor, Chemical filtration, Overflow) by Lifereef, 2x400W 20K Radiums on IceCaps, 2x39W T5 "For fun", RK2, 4x Tunze 6055, Aqua Logic 1/3 HP Chiller, DIY RO/DI ATO 2-Part via Litermeter. Lotsa Clownfish

10/06/2008, 09:49 PM	#2
basssnake Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 838	Anyone have any input for me??

10/07/2008, 06:30 AM	#3
lancer99 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Falls Church, VA Posts: 1,100	If possible, it's better to leave the lights off while the tank is cycling, so that things like hair algae can't get started before you add your clean up crew. It might be better to sacrifice the macros...although they may also survive until the tank has cycled. It's normal to get brown films, cyano, etc. while the tank is cycling, and some times for a few months afterwards. Usually patience is the key, and they will go away on their own as your tank gets balanced. -R

10/07/2008, 09:17 AM	#4
basssnake Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 838	Thanks lancer. Anyone else have some input?

10/08/2008, 02:06 AM	#6
basssnake Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 838	Well, i haven't done a water change yet, so what water change schedule should i be on with this new setup? I have chaeto algae and red mangroves in the sump right now, if that makes any difference on the water changes. Please detail what exactly i should be doing and for how long. I am experienced in maintaing a system, but not really setting up a new large system(most of my systems i bought setup and just broke down and moved to my house). thanks

10/09/2008, 01:43 PM	#8
basssnake Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 838	anyone else have any input to add??

10/16/2008, 06:38 AM	#9
basssnake Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 838	Still waiting on more input........i have checked the nitrates in my new setup and they seem to be dropping without any water changes...........