Cycle Question

[Neil H]

Hi Guys,

I am 2 and a bit weeks into the cycle of my tank...

tank is 450L with a 100l sump, with a Reeftek TS2 and DSB.

temperature is constant at just under 25 deg, trying to get this up to 2 exactly.

i am running 2 x T5's for about 10 hrs a day, and run a light in the sump at night.

I have about 60kg "live" bio rock from someone els's system, and about 15kg of live rock, (mix of kenyan, figi and Mal).... plan to up the live rock KG as the budget allows.

At the moment the tank does not have any sustrate although i will be adding reggies play sand when i get a chance later this week, but this will be for asthetics alone !

so after all that, the question....

last night i noticed what appears to be dark brownish green spots of algea, between 5 and 8mm in diameter.... mostly on the glass bottom, and on a few of the rocks? Is this cyano bacteria? is this a normal part of the cycle? is this good or bad?

 

[Bayls]

The algae will go from brown to red to green. All good and part of the cycle!

 

[Neil H]

Which part of the cycle is this?

 

[jacquesb]

Neil - this happens about 2 to 3 weeks into the cycle... perhaps slightly later.... Another 3 weeks or so, and your tank should be fully cycled..

 

[Neil H]

Is it too early to add the cleanup crew ??

 

[jacquesb]

I would suggest wait another week or so before adding cleanup crew.

 

[Andreas]

hi Neil, i think that it will be better to not run you lights for 10 hrs.the excessive nutrients and light will further promote algea to grow.

 

[Mekaeel]

Reduce your photoperiod to about 4-5 hours a day during the coarse of the cycle.Then pick it up to about 10 hours a day.

 

[Neil H]

Thanks Chaps !

i do not have chaeto in the sump yet .... once i have this will it help to reduce the excess nutrients?

 

[Andreas]

100% right. Chaeto will absorb it and grow!