Algae control/nitrogen cycle

Amatuer21 · 11/11/2012, 03:09 PM

I have a newer tank(75g) trying to establish itself. Not sure if it has completed the nitrogen cycle yet. Has been running for 3weeks. I am noticing what i think is green hair algae growing on my sandbed and tank glass. I have a magfloat to keep the glass clean but how do i clean the sandbed without having to do a water change and possibly interupt my cycle? How do i know when my cycle is finished?

godsdoc · 11/11/2012, 06:01 PM

Continue testing the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. You should have an ammonia spike followed by a nitrite spike and a nitrate spike (usually due to the high nitrite levels which cause false nitrate readings) before the cycle is over unless you added live rock and sand which can make the cycle shorter and not as much of a spike in the readings.
As for the algae I wouldn't worry about it too much but would definitely shorten the time you have your lights on which should help. If hair algae is growing it can be caused from a few issues one of the common ones is using tap water. If you are using tap you should consider getting an ro/di unit or purchasing ro water or saltwater from your LFS (make sure they use ro water when making their saltwater).
For hair algae I have found that manual removal along with identifing the cause and eliminating most of the possible causes is the quickest way (but a pain to pull it all out).
If you are going to pull it out make sure you get all of what you pull out or it will just reseed itself.
Good Luck, fight the green monster.

Amatuer21 · 11/11/2012, 09:11 PM

Thankyou godsdoc. Ive been using ro from a machine that looks a soda machine ha. I actually just purchased a 5 stage ro/di system from BRS so im anticipating its arrival sometime this week. I had a 56 and 20 gal sump runnin for about a month prior to switching to the 75 and 30 gal sump which i am using now. I have over 100lbs of liverock from another reefers tank. Seeded my sump with another reefers live sand so idk if i completely jump started my cycle and am past it or still waiting idk. I would be amazed if i didnt already pass the cycle considering everything that i have in my setup. But i am excited to save money in the long run from not having to drive to that ro machine and counting quaters lol

SantaMonica · 11/14/2012, 10:26 PM

Cycle is probably almost done. When nitrIte is zero, you are probably there.

hollister · 11/14/2012, 10:30 PM

Do you have good water flow? Whats used for flow? Your tanks breaths at the surface , taking in oxygen and releasing nitrogen. This works best with good water movement.

11/11/2012, 03:09 PM	#1
Amatuer21 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Cuyahoga Falls Posts: 1,303	Algae control/nitrogen cycle I have a newer tank(75g) trying to establish itself. Not sure if it has completed the nitrogen cycle yet. Has been running for 3weeks. I am noticing what i think is green hair algae growing on my sandbed and tank glass. I have a magfloat to keep the glass clean but how do i clean the sandbed without having to do a water change and possibly interupt my cycle? How do i know when my cycle is finished?

11/11/2012, 06:01 PM	#2
godsdoc Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 49	Continue testing the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. You should have an ammonia spike followed by a nitrite spike and a nitrate spike (usually due to the high nitrite levels which cause false nitrate readings) before the cycle is over unless you added live rock and sand which can make the cycle shorter and not as much of a spike in the readings. As for the algae I wouldn't worry about it too much but would definitely shorten the time you have your lights on which should help. If hair algae is growing it can be caused from a few issues one of the common ones is using tap water. If you are using tap you should consider getting an ro/di unit or purchasing ro water or saltwater from your LFS (make sure they use ro water when making their saltwater). For hair algae I have found that manual removal along with identifing the cause and eliminating most of the possible causes is the quickest way (but a pain to pull it all out). If you are going to pull it out make sure you get all of what you pull out or it will just reseed itself. Good Luck, fight the green monster.

11/11/2012, 09:11 PM	#3
Amatuer21 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Cuyahoga Falls Posts: 1,303	Thankyou godsdoc. Ive been using ro from a machine that looks a soda machine ha. I actually just purchased a 5 stage ro/di system from BRS so im anticipating its arrival sometime this week. I had a 56 and 20 gal sump runnin for about a month prior to switching to the 75 and 30 gal sump which i am using now. I have over 100lbs of liverock from another reefers tank. Seeded my sump with another reefers live sand so idk if i completely jump started my cycle and am past it or still waiting idk. I would be amazed if i didnt already pass the cycle considering everything that i have in my setup. But i am excited to save money in the long run from not having to drive to that ro machine and counting quaters lol

11/14/2012, 10:26 PM	#4
SantaMonica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santa Monica, California, USA Posts: 2,511	Cycle is probably almost done. When nitrIte is zero, you are probably there.

11/14/2012, 10:30 PM	#5
hollister Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,037	Do you have good water flow? Whats used for flow? Your tanks breaths at the surface , taking in oxygen and releasing nitrogen. This works best with good water movement.