algae already?

[Elle2]

Hi,

I am in day 8 of my cycling and it seems that I have a very trace amount of green film forming on my glass. Is it possible that I would have algae already?

I have two live plants but have not added any fertilizer for them yet (though I was planning on it) and I did have one plant that died after about a week.

I have low light (15 W).

Today was the first day I showed nitrate if that makes any difference.

Thanks,

Elle

 

[Paradisio]

Im just a newbie (so take what I say as a grain of salt), but it seems you need a higher wattage bulb. That should help the plants grow and perhaps neutralize some algae growth.

The plants seem to help speed up cycling a lot, so try to keep them healthy ;p

Got any pics?

 

[malkore]

I'm guessing a 20gallon tank? Yeah, its not real common to see any true algae with that little light, especially without adding ferts.

Fishless cycle?

 

[Jchillin]

Although you are in the first few days of cycling, you have plants in the tank which is a little more complicated so your thread was moved into the planted tank forum.

Paradisio may be a newbie but on the right track. When you have plants at the beginning of your cycle, the plants are trying to use up all of the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate they can...unfortunately, algae doesn't have to try as hard. What size is your tank and do you have any livestock?

 

[Elle2]

Yes its a 20 Gallon. I am fishless cycling with a shrimp.

I hope to have mores plants so I will likely look into getting a new light- who knew they would cost almost as much as my entire kit! (well, probably most of you). But for now I made a point of asking for low-light plants. The two ferns seemed to be doing ok although I noticed today one of them has a leaf turning brown (the corkscrew grass died quickly) so I was going to add some fertilizer tomorrow but then noticed the green film and didn't want to feed any algae that might be growing.

If the plants speed up cycling I'd be happy to add more.