New tank cycle algae

Hey everyone this will be a totally newbee question

My tank is almost 2 months old and just added 2 fire clowns 2 days ago.

I have a 75 gal 3 gal refugium with cheto and 2 lb LR / DT 20lb LR with 60 lb of sand 10lb of base rock. I made a 5 gal wc with city water (our water is very good but....) I had a small ditom break out in a low flow area. I noticed a black/dark green feathery algae starting to seed over the sand. I had the lights on for 10 hrs a day 2 days before I added the clowns.
With in two days the black/dark green algae blew up all over the sand and rocks and the ditom's also grew like crazy.
After reading these forums I did a 10 gal WC with RO used a turkey baster to clean as much as I could (think I just spread it) also put the lights on a timer for 6hrs a day. I also cleaned up the cheto since it was also covered with this. Dark green stuff all over the tank. (no cuc yet)
http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac178/VisserDavid/Aquarium 2010/hairstuff.jpg

The question is - did I do the right things and how long will it take for this stuff to clear up? should I add a CUC this week or still wait 2 weeks?
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
30 ppm nitrate

Thanks for reading my novel

 

tank1970 - getting away from the tank water was a good move
as was reducing the nutrients with water changes IMO

if it where my tank, I would have had at least a partial CUC in before the fish
as the fish create extra nutrients and if you already have algae, then thats only going to go in one direction IME

also consider running a reactor with GFO in your system, as this can also help remove Phosphates and thus help to prevent normal tank cycling algaes, reaching annoying proportions.

Steve

 

Thanks Steve what is a GFO? Still learning the lingo

Why is my fish store guys telling me to wait to add a cuc - I read other post and a book I have that that should be the first live stock I should add. They were telling me that b/c the tank is still not stable that I should wait 2 weeks.

saying it"s the normal cycle process should i just wait and see or will this algae take over and choke out the good stuff?

 

GFO - is Granular Ferric Oxide and Phosphates will bond to it, and wont be released
Rowaphos is the product I use, but there are other quality options you could go with

Im not sure why the LFS person is saying dont add CUC
many people add the snails and hermits etc, before adding fish, as they create a lesser bioload and thus help to mature the tank for the fish and at the same time, adding them before the algae reaches epic proportions gives them a chance to keep on top of it IME

Many tanks go through a period of various algaes IME
so its not certain it will reach epic proportions , but IMO, its best to take proactive steps to ensure that it does not

Steve

 

Thanks again ;D

Ok I should add some CUC then.
On the GFO would I need a mechanical filter to use it? or would useing RO water and Cheto take care of it?
Is limiting the light a good thing? should I lower it to 3hrs a day? will it effect the two clowns?

 

reducing the light is OK IMO, the fish wont be that bothered
1 trick you have up your sleeve with a tank and no corals is to deprive it of light totally
(even with corals you could, but its better IMO when there are no corals)

1 week, no lights, throw a blanket over the tank so not even natural light gets in
when you lift the blanket in a weeks time, the rocks would look like new IME

But thats a worse case scenario option

CUC - yes add some snails and possibly hermits
GFO - your best option is to run it in a reactor, as GFO works best if its allowed to tumble slightly, rather than be packed tight in a mesh pouch in a cannister

reactors are just cylinders with tops on and a water pump like a Maxi jet is used to pump water into the cylinder and thus over and around the GFO, and then back into your sump

Steve

 

Big thanks again

Ok so I will drop the light to 3 hours for a week and add some snails. I have some reservations on hermit crabs with corals - need to do more research.
Maybe a shrimp?

My refugium has a lot of flow (needed for cheto) would that work?

 

define a lot of flow?
you want slow flow through a fuge IMO as you need to give the Chaeto time to remove the nutrients from the water

shrimps are not much help in the battle against algae IME
A selection of different snail types may be a better option for you then



Steve

 

Definitely contact reefcleaners.org, as they have amazing deals. They offer quick CUCs or if you want something more custom, then they have a form to fill out and they will email you a complete custom CUC.

Oh did I mention, amazing customer service?

And if that wasn't enough, they are a sponsor here, and it's good to support those guys.

 

I was told that the cheto needed to have a rolling effect so I have the refugium as the first chain from my pump (280 gph) down then pushes up and over the cheto.

Ok will stick to my first thought on snails