hair algae breakout in fuge and nitrites issue

Simon68 · 07/10/2008, 09:57 AM

My tank is cycling for about 6 weeks now.
Ammonia 0
Nitrites .25
Nitrates 0

In my fuge, I have 15 lbs of live sand, 15 lbs of live rock and a chaeto ball. It's being lit 24/7. I am having a massive hair algae breaout all over the walls of the fuge, the chaeto ball is growing and is a dark green, which I know is good.
There is also what looks like red algae as well along the walls and on some of the rock in the fuge.

For the most part the DT is clear of this, there are some spots of hair algae in the DT, like on a powerhead and some isolated on a rock or two, but mostly it's all in the fuge.

Is this normal, should I shut the lights to the fuge or is it rather the fact that this is in the fuge is the reason it's not in the DT and therefore good?

Also, my nitrites seem stuck at .25 anything to do with that or just wait it out?

stingythingy45 · 07/10/2008, 10:21 AM

Not sure why you cycled a tank with chaeto in the fug.

But as long as it survived guess it's ok.
How did you cycle the tank...fish,dead shrimp,fish food?
What are you testing with?

Simon68 · 07/10/2008, 10:54 AM

Is there a reason not to cycle with Chaeto?
I am cycling with live rock, I have 150 lbs of live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater. Pretty much cured so never had a big ammonia spike at all. Highest ammonia got was .50 and has been steady at 0 for awhile.
Testing with API.

stingythingy45 · 07/10/2008, 11:06 AM

Well,this is just my theory.
If you cycle a tank with chaeto then a lot of nutrients will be used by it.These same nutrients that become ammonia thus feeding bacteria and triggering/maintaining the cycle.You see,when hobbyist use say a dead shrimp,fish food or a live fish there's a sustained presence of nutrients introduced into the water.Also I'm not sure how chaeto would fare if your ammonia levels got extremely high.Again,this is JMO.

Personally I think your tank is cycled and would try to add a few hardy snails and crabs.Maybe a turbo snail and a couple of Blue legged hermits.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 07/10/2008, 12:55 PM

Don't worry about the nitrite It may just be testing error, and even if it were 10 ppm, it is not appreciably toxic. I don't recommend even testing for it except for fun. It is never a concern in a reef tank.

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.htm

07/10/2008, 09:57 AM	#1
Simon68 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bergen County, NJ Posts: 230	hair algae breakout in fuge and nitrites issue My tank is cycling for about 6 weeks now. Ammonia 0 Nitrites .25 Nitrates 0 In my fuge, I have 15 lbs of live sand, 15 lbs of live rock and a chaeto ball. It's being lit 24/7. I am having a massive hair algae breaout all over the walls of the fuge, the chaeto ball is growing and is a dark green, which I know is good. There is also what looks like red algae as well along the walls and on some of the rock in the fuge. For the most part the DT is clear of this, there are some spots of hair algae in the DT, like on a powerhead and some isolated on a rock or two, but mostly it's all in the fuge. Is this normal, should I shut the lights to the fuge or is it rather the fact that this is in the fuge is the reason it's not in the DT and therefore good? Also, my nitrites seem stuck at .25 anything to do with that or just wait it out?

07/10/2008, 10:21 AM	#2
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	Not sure why you cycled a tank with chaeto in the fug. But as long as it survived guess it's ok. How did you cycle the tank...fish,dead shrimp,fish food? What are you testing with? __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

07/10/2008, 11:06 AM	#4
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	Well,this is just my theory. If you cycle a tank with chaeto then a lot of nutrients will be used by it.These same nutrients that become ammonia thus feeding bacteria and triggering/maintaining the cycle.You see,when hobbyist use say a dead shrimp,fish food or a live fish there's a sustained presence of nutrients introduced into the water.Also I'm not sure how chaeto would fare if your ammonia levels got extremely high.Again,this is JMO. Personally I think your tank is cycled and would try to add a few hardy snails and crabs.Maybe a turbo snail and a couple of Blue legged hermits. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

07/10/2008, 12:55 PM	#5
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Don't worry about the nitrite It may just be testing error, and even if it were 10 ppm, it is not appreciably toxic. I don't recommend even testing for it except for fun. It is never a concern in a reef tank. Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.htm __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

07/10/2008, 10:54 AM	#3
Simon68 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bergen County, NJ Posts: 230	Is there a reason not to cycle with Chaeto? I am cycling with live rock, I have 150 lbs of live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater. Pretty much cured so never had a big ammonia spike at all. Highest ammonia got was .50 and has been steady at 0 for awhile. Testing with API.