Have been cycling for 3 days now and already have algea

Well like my title said I have been cycling my tank for 3 days and already have some brown slime on my base rocks and powerheads and even the sand is it a part of cycling should i already do a water change?

 

not yet... how big is the tank? what are the water parameters? did you use ro/di?

 

Nah, just let it roll.- Paul

 

It's diatom algae. Part of the cycle. Not necessary to do water change.

 

nothing to worry about, just part of the cycle. I wouldn't do a water change until your nitrites read zero and your nitrates start to go down, it will prolong your cycle if you do one now.

 

Remember, just take your time no need to rush. Let the cycle take its course and all will be fine.

 

couple of things to remember during cycling (and much of the following 6 months!)
leave the lights off till your ammonia and Nitrites have spiked and then returned to 0.
you will have at least 3 or 4 seperate algea blooms of various types (diatoms, cyanobacteria, annoying brown/green fuzzy, etc...) they are all part of the process

basically, be patient, go slow and let it grow to a fairly natural state of equalibrium, and dont freak out before consulting 3reef for an explanation of anything you dont understand
Good Luck and looking forward to the eventual pics

 

The algea on my powerheads and overflow blox should i let it be or can i clean it. I want a healthy tank but also understand that it needs to cycle so what to do

 

You can clean your glass and equipment, but the diatoms will most likely show up on them again. I'd only clean them off if it was effecting flow. It's best to let the diatoms starve off after they consume the available silicates in your tank. When the tank is ready, the clean-up-crew (snails and the like) will take care of all of the ugliness.

 

Just leave it alone. The ocean was not made in three days and what you're trying to make is a mini ocean essentially. Just let it go through the stages and don't do anything drastic.