HELP!!!!!!!!

[Coral Hind]

Gilbert,

 

When seeking advice online you will always get differing ideas or points of view as there are different ways to arrive at the same outcome and differing levels of experience.

 

This is what I would. I would keep the skimmer going 24/7 as it helps to remove particulates, odors and some of the stuff that is dying off the rock. Some people will turn it off at first as it allows the ammonia to rise but you are past that stage. You already have the basic bacteria and nitrogen cycle established as you can see the nitrates are rising.

 

I would use the filter sock and clean it at least once a week. The sock will also help to clear the water and remove anything before it can start to break down.

 

If you have no corals in the tank then I would not worry about a water change right now.

[zygote2k]

A 10% w/c certainly isn't going to hinder biological processes. I recommend anybody start doing this from day 1. Weekly 10% works great at keeping water chemistry balanced. Weekly testing for the 1st 6 months is encouraged as well.

Running the skimmer doesn't hurt from Day 1 either. Skimmers tend to have a "break-in" time and aren't really performing 100% for a while after turn on.

I've always seen filter socks as detritus traps and nitrate farms. You can use them as long as you're religious about cleaning them. I've seen many water spills due to clogged filter socks.

[Coral Hind]

A 10% w/c certainly isn't going to hinder biological processes. I recommend anybody start doing this from day 1.

 

 

Why would you change 10% of the water the first day? The water would not have gone bad that fast.

 

People do water changes to restore trace elements and to remove nitrates. Right now there is no need for Gilbert to worry about that as the current nitrate reading is not high at all and there are no corals in the tank.

[zygote2k]

I meant from week one. Mostly as a way to get into a routine more than anything else.

[Gilbert]

okay so this is what my water test right now,

 

ammonia o.25

nitrite 0.1

nitrate 10

 

is this right?

[Gilbert]

yesterdays test

 

ammonia 0.25

nitrite 0.1

nitrate 5

[zygote2k]

It's not a matter of it being right or not, it's just evidence of your tank cycling.

Generally you can reduce nitrate by water changes.

[Gilbert]

okay, but since I'm cycling my tank, I'm not suppose to do any water changes right?

[Coral Hind]

It isn't that your not "supposed" to a water change, and doing a water change is not bad as some have recommended it to you. I just feel it isn't needed yet so just sit back and relax some. Think about your stocking list, read up some, amd ask more questions.

 

Let the tank do its thing a little more first. Once the nitrate-reducing bacteria grow in population inside the sand bed and rock the nitrate may start to fall on its own.

[trockafella]

Honestly, you need to relax and let things take there natural course, while your waiting do what coral hind said, read up on things, read several different books.. Testing everyday is fine, but it truly just take time.. The diatoms blooms, the nitrite & ammonia will pass, you just need to leave it alone and let it take its course... Patience young grasshopper..!!

 

 

[Gilbert]

looking at my fish tank, I see more green algea not really so much of the brown diatoms. I hope this isn't wrong, what happened to the brown stuff? How long does the diatom bloom normally take?

[trockafella]

The time its present can really vary, there isnt a set time they usually last.. I would say if it goes away pretty quick thats a good sign your moving in the right direction.. it goes away because its used up those nutrients ( i think).. Now green hair algae is a whole new realm, it will continue to grow due to phosphates etc being to high.. Having a refugium can and will help with that.. You want to find something to use those nutrients as fuel in a designated area, ie refugium.. The refugium will be a good friend to you, there easy to set-up and keep..

[JMsAquarium]

looking at my fish tank, I see more green algea not really so much of the brown diatoms. I hope this isn't wrong, what happened to the brown stuff? How long does the diatom bloom normally take?

 

Nothing wrong with what you are describing. Diatom blooms vary from tank to tank, so there is no definite time per se. For now, I would keep doing what you are doing and let nature do its job Sit bak and relax.

[Gilbert]

okay so these are picture that were taken justa few minutes ago. just want everyone to check out whats going on with my fish tank. the green algae is starting to really take over in my tank, and if you look closely on the picture with the close up on the rock, there seems to be some dark brown lumps on the rocks and i saw a small brown spot inside the glass tank. should i go ahead and put like hermit crabs, snails, etc to start cleaning up the tank? and thats my sump setup, tank water feeds into the filter sock along with polyfilter right below the sock, then the other side of the sump is my skimmer, chiller and pump. well give me a lot of feed back please. let me know if this is suppose to look like this. started the tank on march 6th.

[JMsAquarium]

So, yes the green algae is hair algae. It is common in new tanks and feeds mainly from stuff like phosphates and other things in the water column.

If you are feeding dry foods like flakes, pellets and the likes, maybe reduce a little the amount and it will help starving the algae. Also the best way to get rid of it is by having other types of algae competing for the same food. A refugium where you put macro algae is a great and simple way of achieving this. A refugium can be as simple as one of the partitions in your sump with a light over it (preferably on the 6500 K coloration, and the bulb and fixture can be bought for cheap at Home Depot Lowes), a bucket, a 10 gal tank, etc..

 

The little green balls, is also an algae called valonia, also called bubble algae. some crabs eat them

 

The brown spots do look like diatoms. Diatoms do go away with time, as they are very common while the tank is cyling and during the first few months afterwards.

 

In a nutshell, what is going on is normal and expected :-)

 

JM

[Gilbert]

so i can't put any cleaner creatures in there just yet right?

[JMsAquarium]

Hi Gilbert,

 

Has your nitrogen cyle completed? What are your current readings when you test amonia, nitrites and nitrates? Unless your tank has cycled, do not put any clean up invertebrates such as snails, crabs etc... They will not survive. Post back your test results.

 

JM

[Jon Lazar]

so i can't put any cleaner creatures in there just yet right?

 

Most people recommend not adding livestock, including snails and hermits, until ammonia is zero. Leaving the lights off in the mean time will keep the algae from getting out of control until you add snails and hermits.

[JMsAquarium]

Leaving the lights off in the mean time will keep the algae from getting out of control until you add snails and hermits.

 

+1

[Gilbert]

okay, so I have live sand in my fish tank with live rock that all has good coraline algae all over it from a previously established tank. Can I just add macroe algae in the tank, and that'll kind of act as the refugium itself?

 

 

[Gilbert]

?

[Inspector]

Everyone has given some realy good advise. One of the main tips is; be patient, good things happen slow. Sounds like you have given your tank all it needs to cycle and become healthy. Now, allow it to. The more time you allow the tank to establish itself, the healther it will become on it's own, allowing it to handle the bumps in the road. For now, test and wait for the readings to zero, then add your clean up crew. IMO

[trockafella]

okay, so I have live sand in my fish tank with live rock that all has good coraline algae all over it from a previously established tank. Can I just add macroe algae in the tank, and that'll kind of act as the refugium itself?

 

 

 

 

You need to put the macro in a seperate refugium, you dont want it in your display, unless thats the look your going for.. It needs to be in a sepertate refugium with its own light..

[gmubeach]

DO NOT PUT MACRO In your display it will grow faster then corals and take over!

[Gilbert]

i just tested my water, so it reads

 

ammonia 0.25

nitrite 0.1

nitrate 5

 

these are the same reading i've had for a couple of weeks, is this right?