Good algae??

[tinman]

Ok this tank has been set up for 8 days. The ph has been a steady 8.2, ammonia is at 0 and nitrate is very close to 0. Is it posable this tank has cycled. I added a filter element from my FW tank(been up for 1.5 years) to the filter of the SW tank the first day. Then added 2 damsels the second day and took the filter back out. Also I have this brownish gold algae growing on the LR. It has a few red hairs. it seems to be spreading to my base rock too. Is this good algae or one of the bad kinds.....pic attached of algae

 

[Morticus]

I am pretty sure what the top dogs will tell you is that it is 'brown algae common to new tanks and will go away in time'.

 

[RMPD109]

The brown algae is most likely diatoms. It is common in new tanks just like morticus stated above. It is caused by silicates not excess nutrients and will burn off on its own.

Your cycle has probably not yet started good. The cycle should consist of an ammonia spike then a nitrite spike and then a buildup of nitrates. When the ammonia and nitrites are at zero you should do a large water change to reduce nitrates. At that time you have a completely cycled tank.

Check the articles section for two seperate articles.
1- fishless cycling
2- How ammonia converts to nitrate