Algae and foam during fishless cycle

[luke4868]

Hello!

About 2 weeks into a fishless cycle, and rapidly over last 2-3 days a white foam, oily water surface, and algae bloom seems to have happened.

I’ve just done a 50% water change (with tapsafe and some algae preventer) which hopefully helps but I have a feeling it won’t be going away quietly.

Any ideas whats causing it and what else I might be able to do too help?

 

[ember04]

Well I can help a bit with the foam, sometimes with certain filters like sponge filters or if you have an air stone, the anomia in the tank can form a foam on the top, it's a great visual way of telling that there is anomia present.
On the side of the algae, early tanks can have algae problems, if there's nothing else in the tank consuming all the nurturance in the water then algae can take hold. I would reduce teh hours the tank has light I would have it set to 6 hours for now and increase it later on.
I would also recommend adding live plants if you can even some floating plants like salvia or frogbit maybe water lettuces would help loads
hope that helps
ember

 

[PheonixKingZ]

What are your water parameters? Why is your water level so low?

The “foam” is actually bubbles caused by the low water levels.

 

[Essjay]

If this is a fishless cycle, leave the lights off. With no fish or plants they don't need to be on and light will only encourage algae to grow.

 

[gazeddy]

i concur with Essjay above however i like seeing algae forming during any cycle (been a long time since ive ever done a full fishless cycle spare filter media in all my tanks to make sure i dont need to). having algae growing tells me im well on my way to being ready for fish

 

[luke4868]

Thanks all. What would be best course of action once the cycle is ready for stocking?

Just give the glass and gravel a good clean and hope it stabilises?

I’ve turned light off for now.

Water params:
Ammonia 1ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm+
Nitrate: 160ppm+

 

[Essjay]

Once the tank is cycled - that is, once a 3 ppm dose of ammonia is cleared to zero ammonia and zero nitrite in 24 hours - a very large water change is done then once the water is at the right temperature, fish can be bought. The water change needs to be as large as possible to remove all the nitrate made during cycling - and to remove any anti-algae chemicals which may have been used.