Salt water cycle

[exeori]

I'm about 1 week into the cycle and I've started to find green hair algae growing on rocks and my sand bed. I haven't got a phosphate test kit yet but I think there is something wrong? Is this a normal part of the cycle or a sign that my levels are just finding their balance? Also how long before I can add the CUC. Thanks!


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[Silent_FatPanda]

I ran into the same issue when I was cycling my tank. Started to have hair algae growing on my LR and sand. I left the lights off and made sure the blinds were closed and that seemed to solve the issue. As for the CUC I added mine after a month when I figured out how to keep the Salinity stable. You want to make sure that there is something for them to clean up as well, so use your better judgement. Good luck!


Humanity is akin to the ocean, a few drops of dirty water will not cause it to loose its beauty.

[exeori]

Thanks!


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[melosu58]

Originally Posted by Silent_FatPanda

I ran into the same issue when I was cycling my tank. Started to have hair algae growing on my LR and sand. I left the lights off and made sure the blinds were closed and that seemed to solve the issue. As for the CUC I added mine after a month when I figured out how to keep the Salinity stable. You want to make sure that there is something for them to clean up as well, so use your better judgement. Good luck!


Humanity is akin to the ocean, a few drops of dirty water will not cause it to loose its beauty.

Good advice. You really dont need the lighting during your cycle.

[Reefing Madness]

Gotta watch not using lights, as you go along and then turn them on later after the cycle you will then run into Diatoms, instead of having them during the cycle, then you will have to wait them out, as there aren't many critters that will eat those, and they eat the silicates out of the water, then die off.

[Chefjpaul]

I ran a ton of gfo during my last cycle. I figured why not just beat out the phosphate locked in the rocks right away.

No livestock to affect.

So far, this tank hasn't had any algae issues, (only time was caused due to my excess nutrients).

I don't run any phosphate removers currently.


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