Cycling and algae growing

I currentally have a cycling 29 gallon tank with a small ammount of live rock added every so often. I have only seen alittle bit of diatoms growing on the rocks and after I added the live sand yesterday I just noticed alittle bit of green algae on the glass. This means I am doing ok right? ;D

 

Add everything you have to add at once and leave it alone until the cycling process is complete. Everytime you add or do something to your tank will delay the cycling process. Be patient!

 

I'd do that if I could afford to pay 6.99 for live rock :-/ at the lps. I have to wait till I can order some from a reputable seller.

 

Wow, $6.99 for live rock? That must hurt! At least you don't have a huge tank. You can go online and buy from someone personally. I bought over a hundred pounds on craigs list for $100. Check the site out some time if you haven't already craigslist: orange county classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events I think you have to check by county or your closest location. Try google. It's a great site

 

Will the algea grow on live rock in a cycling tank?

I am doing the same thing as the original poster is doing.....adding live rock slowly.

I have about 7 pounds in there right now and I was told by a local fish store to add a few shell fish to help with the cycling.

I added a green emerald crab today.

The reason I ask is because he will need to to eat the algea off of the rock and if it stops growing (lots of it on there now) he will run out of food.

I keep the light on for several hours a day, so that should help the growth.

I really need him to eat alot and molt because he is missing two claws and a leg (but I still saw him eating).

 

Well, if you are still cycling your tank, I would not add any more inverts. They are pretty sensitive to ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. The only invert I have seen live through pretty much anything is a coral banded shrimp.....but I digress. If you want to keep a single fish in there to help with the cycling, that's great. I belong to the one fish cycling camp.

Also, I would not run your lighting (daylight) during this time. I would just run actinics. Also, no skimming during the cycle. And no carbon. The environment actually needs to fester a bit to get going.

If you want to choose a fish to cycle with, damsels are hardy. I like the yellow-tail because they are, well, purrrrrdy. I like them. I still have mine. I am a sucker for damsels. A clown would work too, but they are a little weaker and may not survive. And more expensive.

I don't see a problem with adding a little LR at a time. Just don't go double live gonzo. You want the system to catch up with any die off. A mini-cycle (or cycle extention) may occur....but with LR, I consider it inevitable. You can avoid the entire situation by using base rock. Some don't like doing this just because they welcome the hitchhikers on LR. I am one of those guys. I like surprises.

 

6.99 is a good price, it is 8.99 here
guess I need to relocate

 

Garf liverock gets to 5 dollars a pound, man made rock. And every time you buy something from them, they give you their grunge to seed it. Pretty good deal, I recently ordered a crapload of stuff from em. Shipping was just 12 dollars

Worth checking it out, as it will add good stuff to your tank and is very reasonable. Geothermal Aquaculture Research Foundation


-G

Correction: I just checked at its 4 dollars a pound

 

It was priced 9.99 up here...
They sold it to me for 7.99...
Because of shipping to Canada This was the least expensive way....

rosereef - I found every time I added something - even little like a coral it was setting off a new bloom... Patients! < I am not one to even say that:-[>

Enjoy watching your tank... something new will happen or show its little head...

P.S - Watch for Hitch hiker crabs !

 

So I should take out my carbon filters then?

I had two damsels that died off a few days into my cycle...not sure why. There was no evidence of ammonia, nitrate or nitrite during thier brief life in my tank. All they did was hang out on the bottom of the tank, gasping (I airated the tank a few times to see if that would help).

I think I am going to wait another week to add a fish to the environment since the first two died quickly.

Will the algea grow under the actinics?