Algae (I think) while cycling.

[Benskoln]

Hey there,

I have a new tank I started cycling two days ago without fish. It’s 55 gallons, has a few small plants, and some driftwood. I am adding seachem stability daily for a week per the directions and have fertilized twice so far and have been running the light 11-12 hours per day.

Today (again, only day 2) I’m getting greenish color though it’s not opaque. Assuming this is an algae bloom? Is it possible this has happened this quickly and is just a sign that the cycle is nearing completion? Should I do anything or just wait it out? I will get my water tested in a few days.
Thanks!

 

[GlennO]

Probably some algae induced by the additional nutrients. I would cease fertilising until after the tank is cycled. In the meantime there will be enough nutrients for that small amount of plants, I assume that you are adding ammonia? In the first 6 months or so you will get various types of algae and diatoms coming and going. Nothing to be concerned about. You could reduce the lighting to about 8 hours as well.

 

[Zer0Fame]

Heya,

that looks like a low-light setup and you have only 4 plants in there.
There is about a 95% chance you don't need to add any fertilizer at all. And certainly not daily.

Daily dosing is something I only recommend if you're running very strong lights and CO2.

Do a huge water change, think 80 - 90%, do not add any fertilizer and do a cylce of your choice.

If your Echinodorus really need some fertilizers at some point, I would rather work with root tabs, which do not provoke algae, unlike water column fertilizing.

 

[Benskoln]

Thank you both! I’m actually using a higher light then the photo indicates as it was cycling off when I took it. Plan had been to fertilize twice per week.

Im not adding ammonia. Have been doing a small amount of fish food and the bacteria. Could you elaborate on whether I should add ammonia?

Thinking I’ll reduce light to eight hours from 12 and hold on fertilizing. Then plan on getting the water tested in another couple days and go from there. Sound reasonable?

 

[GlennO]

No you can cycle with fish food. The fish food will generate ammonia as it decomposes so there’s no need to add pure ammonia as well. However it’s easier to manage ammonia levels if you’re adding it directly.

You'll find it much easier if you get a master test kit so that you can do the testing yourself.

 

[Zer0Fame]

Thank you both! I’m actually using a higher light then the photo indicates as it was cycling off when I took it. Plan had been to fertilize twice per week.

Hey,

for those plants and the plant mass, high lights and extensive fertilizing is not necessary.
Most likely even counterproductive.

 

[FishDin]

Fertilizing and using a lot of light when cycling is a recipe for algae problems. As stated, stop fertilizing. Also dim the light if that is an option and only run it for 4-6 hours a day for now.


Your cycle is NOT nearing completion on day 2. It will take several weeks. You need an API master test kit or similar to cycle your tank. You have to test the water frequently while cycling. You need, as a minimum the ability to test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate

Also, I suggest you read up on the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle a tank.

Seachem Stability and products like that are hit or miss. They work sometimes, but you still need to understand the nitrogen cycle. Be wary of advice from the fish store. I would check here to confirm (or not) what they recommend.

 

[Benskoln]

Really helpful. I’ll pick up a kit and start testing. I have read up on the cycle and understood that it should take weeks. The emergence of the algae so quickly, though, threw me and I was trying to understand it. Will definitely stop fertilizing and reduce lighting.

 

[Zer0Fame]

Yep, especially while cycling. Algae are truly aquatic and most of our plants are not.

So while your plants are thinking "Alright let's adapt slowly, shall we? There are some nutrients" the algae are more like "YEAH PARTY! Free food for everyone!"

Even in high-light scapes, think 40 lumens per liter plus, with 30mg/l CO2, I fertilize extremely sparsely the first 2-3 weeks. Think 0.5 mg/l NO3 and 0.05 mg/l PO4 per day maximum.
In normal light conditions, I add a tiny bit of micronutrients here and there, but that's about it. And that's for triple to five times the plant mass you have.

 

[Benskoln]

Got it. So now that the algae is there is it likely to resolve on its own with the reduction in light and elimination of fertilizer? I know you mentioned a big water change before…think it could resolve without that?

 

[Zer0Fame]

Usually that does the trick. Might take some patience now though. Once the algae is there, it takes some time.