Algae bloom (Tank has 1 month of cycling)

[Valdiviuh]

Hello everyone, I’m having an algae bloom of what appears to be hair algae. I have been cycling the tank for 1 month with new rock, sand, media, the works, It seems to only be on the surfaces closest to the surface(lights). I will have pictures attached, Hopefully it can be identified more specifically but can anyone recommend a plan of action in removing it? Or should I leave the tank untouched for now? Any recommendations are appreciated thanks

 

[capNemo]

Assuming there isn’t life in the tank and a big nutrient issue going on, just do a 3-day blackout to see if that makes a dent. I speak from going through this same experience and reading the many threads on R2R.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

How were you cycling the tank? Were you adding food to the tank? Its very fast for that algae to grow, normally don't see algae until 2-3 months.

What are the parameters (ammonia, nitrite,nitrate and phosphate)?

Ensure the tank has enough flow. Since you have no livestock, as mentioned above, you can turn the lights off for now until you get livestock.

 

[eliaslikesfish]

Have you had the lights on the whole time during your cycle? that could be another reason why… When I cycle I don’t turn on the lights until I add my first livestock

 

[Solo McReefer]

Hello everyone, I’m having an algae bloom of what appears to be hair algae. I have been cycling the tank for 1 month with new rock, sand, media, the works, It seems to only be on the surfaces closest to the surface(lights). I will have pictures attached, Hopefully it can be identified more specifically but can anyone recommend a plan of action in removing it? Or should I leave the tank untouched for now? Any recommendations are appreciated thanks

Cool

Add the CUC now

Reefcleaners.org

 

[Valdiviuh]

How were you cycling the tank? Were you adding food to the tank? Its very fast for that algae to grow, normally don't see algae until 2-3 months.

What are the parameters (ammonia, nitrite,nitrate and phosphate)?

Ensure the tank has enough flow. Since you have no livestock, as mentioned above, you can turn the lights off for now until you get livestock.

the rock was cycled from different tank to begin with (I don’t know if this plays a factor), I created a new scape with it & I covered most of it in E-Marco-400, let it cure & Then regular procedure to start the new tank, I turned the skimmer on around the beginning of week 2 & Have been putting microbacter, I had not been putting food until maybe 2 days ago because I have a conch & starfish but I already had the bloom happening.

I haven’t tested yet since I was giving time for it to cycle so I don’t know any of my parameters.

I started the blackout this morning & I’ve read should go for 3 days if I’m not mistaken

 

[Joe31415]

How were you cycling the tank? Were you adding food to the tank? Its very fast for that algae to grow, normally don't see algae until 2-3 months.

But the lights are on. Don't most people cycle the tank with the lights off? There's no real reason to have them on at this point and they're causing (or at least contributing to) the problem. If OP wants them on, they might turn off the UV to see if that helps. Without corals, I don't think UV would even be necessary.

My suggestion is to shut off the lights and finish cycling. Or leave the lights on if you want. I think the majority of people end up going through the ugly phase and the sooner you push through it the better. Those few months of seeing an abnormal amount of algae can be rather discouraging.

 

[Valdiviuh]

Have you had the lights on the whole time during your cycle? that could be another reason why… When I cycle I don’t turn on the lights until I add my first livestock

I have had them on the whole time yeah, I began the blackout period today so we’ll see

 

[Solo McReefer]

I don’t know if this plays a factor

It plays a factor

Big one

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

the rock was cycled from different tank to begin with (I don’t know if this plays a factor), I created a new scape with it & I covered most of it in E-Marco-400, let it cure & Then regular procedure to start the new tank, I turned the skimmer on around the beginning of week 2 & Have been putting microbacter, I had not been putting food until maybe 2 days ago because I have a conch & starfish but I already had the bloom happening.

I haven’t tested yet since I was giving time for it to cycle so I don’t know any of my parameters.

I started the blackout this morning & I’ve read should go for 3 days if I’m not mistaken

If the rock is cycled, then the tank is cycled. Especially if you have livestock that is alive, the tank is cycled, you can add fish if you like.

 

[Solo McReefer]

Don't most people cycle the tank with the lights off

Dunno why?

I want to jumpstart coralline on the rocks as soon as possible. And coralline is growing without light

That hair algae doesn't really grow where there is coralline, it can't get a good foothold

Hair algae likes bare rock

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

But the lights are on. Don't most people cycle the tank with the lights off? There's no real reason to have them on at this point and they're causing (or at least contributing to) the problem. If OP wants them on, they might turn off the UV to see if that helps. Without corals, I don't think UV would even be necessary.

My suggestion is to shut off the lights and finish cycling. Or leave the lights on if you want. I think the majority of people end up going through the ugly phase and the sooner you push through it the better. Those few months of seeing an abnormal amount of algae can be rather discouraging.

I just turn my lights on while cycling, but they can be left off since nothing alive in the tank. It doesn't matter either way.

But if you cycle with the light on, there are no nutrients in a cycling tank, so algae should not grow (yet).

But it takes nutrients plus light to create algae. OP has a conch in the tank and has been feeding it all this time, this is where the algae comes from, not from cycling with the light on.

 

[Valdiviuh]

If the rock is cycled, then the tank is cycled. Especially if you have livestock that is alive, the tank is cycled, you can add fish if you like.

That was my initial thought but since I had the rock out of water for a few hours and covered it with the e-marco, I thought the bacteria would die off.

I also saw what you said about the algae coming from having the livestock in there, so best course of action is probably manual removal & a CUC ? is there anything you’d suggest

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

That was my initial thought but since I had the rock out of water for a few hours and covered it with the e-marco, I thought the bacteria would die off.

I also saw what you said about the algae coming from having the livestock in there, so best course of action is probably manual removal & a CUC ? is there anything you’d suggest

The tank is cycled, and you have algae, so is time for a clean up crew (cuc), different snails and hermit crabs will eat at the leftover food and algae. Start doing regular weekly water changes to remove waste. Feed smaller amounts often so that food is not missed and left to decompose in the water, decomposing food is the biggest contributor to algae.

Besides that, it just takes time, the first few months of a salt tank is dealing with and controlling algae. Nitrate and phosphate testing is important to get through the algae phase.

 

[Solo McReefer]

probably manual removal & a CUC ? is there anything you’d suggest

3 Turbo snails
5 astrea snails
10 ceriths
5 blue leg hermits
1 Small peppermint shrimp

Reefcleaners.org, as posted above

Put some cheap tester corals in now

A Ricordea, zoa frag, GSP, etc