Cycling Tank

So I'm new to this... just have what I think should be a quick question:

I have a 40 gallon tank, 10 gallon sump, 40lb live sand, 20lb live rock. My sand was all white and pretty and now it's got a nice brown layer on top of it and bubbles from time to time... there's a lot more bubbling today than yesterday.

Is this just the bacteria/etc breaking things down?

There's also a thin, barely noticeable film on the glass of the tank... again.. I think from what I've read this is normal but just want to make sure..

Thanks!

 

Those bubbles are the end result of photosynthesis brought on by microalgae in your tank, the end result being oxygen, thus air bubbles. The film is also micro algae, diatoms more than likely and possibly cyanobacteria, all evident normally in a new tank set-up.
Everythings normal thus far from what you have told us.
Good luck!

 

If your cycling the tank shut the lights off. You don't need to be running them right now, all your doing is adding fuel to algae.

 

What did you use to cycle your tank? The LR and LS? Check your water parameters...see where your nitrites and nitrates are. It sounds like you're doing fine.

 

I've put LR, LS and 2 red legged hermits in there.

Lots of macro algae (I think) is starting to grow just out of the reach of the hermits on the tank and they're doing a very nice job of keeping my sand clean.

I bought some tests before for Ammonia and for pH. My Ammonia still says 0 and my pH is around 8.1 or so ( a little low ). My gravity is also a little low (according to a website I saw about it. I'm currently at 1.022 (or so).

I haven't tested Nitrates or Nitrites yet... but shouldn't my Ammonia spike before I will even see either of those two in the tank?

 

Don't I want algae at this point??

 

You shouldn't really put any hermits in your tank until the cycle is finished. If it has then my appologies! You will need something to kick off the cycle, some people go for a couple of damsels whilst others (including myself) just dropped a few cooked shrimp in and waited for it to decompose. Just leave the tank to do its thing and you may get another bloom once the diatoms dissapear. Sit tight, do nothing and all should be well. Just to let you know that my tank was covered with diatoms, all over the sand, rock and glass. Then like magic it completely dissapeared....quite cool really

Good luck