Cycling Question: Is Foam An Issue

Cycling my first tank! Filled with Reef Crystals saltwater last Tuesday evening, so today is day 7.

Target salinty = 1.026

Test results with API 's Master Test Kit:

Day 5 (Saturday, 10/8):

• pH: 8.0
• Ammonia: 1 ppm
• Nitrite: 1 ppm
• Nitrate: 10 ppm (probably between 5-10 ppm)

Day 6 (Sunday, 10/9):

• pH: 8.0
• Ammonia: 1 ppm
• Nitrite: 2 ppm
• Nitrate: 10 ppm

Day 7 (Monday, 10/10):

• pH: 8.0
• Ammonia: 1-1.5 ppm
• Nitrite: 2-5 ppm
• Nitrate: 20 ppm

I'm guessing it's cycling fine. (However, I will be adding/replacing about 5lbs of Pukani rock (probably tomorrow or the next day)... because in taking a calculated risk of putting all the original dry live rock in a Brute 32g filled with RO/DI water to measure water displacement I washed away a fair amount of detritus. I ordered the extra 5lbs of rock out of an abundance of caution.)

But I seeing a fair amount of foam that started appearing on Day 5. I noticed it within a couple of hours of having topped off the sump with RO/DI water. It had been fairly contained in the the drain (1st section) of the sump. Today I see funky water floating on the surface of the middle section (which is to be the fuge area).

Is this foam an issue? If so, what's to be done about it? Replacing the sock may have helped some. Please see photo.

 

Looks like normal sea foam, which is caused by air getting mixed with the water either in the drain or at the outlet. Either way, it's harmless. The only bad effect is spray from the bubbles bursting which can cause salt creep around the tank frame.

 

I guess air is a good thing. Now to see if I can find a way to contain the salt.

Thank you!