Algae during cycling....uh oh....

[punkserb]

OK, i have a 5 gallon that is cycling. before, i had just one java fern and the nitrites just refused to go up.

so i went all out. i went to the LFS and got 2 potted plants and another java fern! now i have a lot of plants, nitrites are sky-high (off the charts). and any ammonia i add is immediately devoured by the ammonia -> nitrite bacteria. i also have nitrates in the 20 ppm level.

now this brow looking algea is growing on the glass and some very green algae growing on the plants and on concentrated parts of the gravel.

i'd love to get an otto to clean it but the tank isn't cycled, nitirite would kill it right away.

so now what? should i just keep wiping it off the glass? do a water cahnge? i heard i shouldn't change water at all while cycling.

and when will these #($#()@#* nitrites go down!!!!!!

thanks for any help.

 

[clutterydrawer]

If it's any consolation (which I doubt ) the nitrite spike part of the cycle is generally regarded as the longest part. so you just have to wait. sorry! It'll be worth it in the end. how long have they been high?

i didn't do water changes during a fishless cycle i ran on a friend's tank because I figured it would dilute the ammonia/nitrite leaving less food for the bacteria, and thus prolonging the cycle. I guess if you want to get rid of the algae you're just gonna have to scrape it off! good luck.

 

[Underdog766]

When you change the water while its cycling you will just make your cycle last longer. It takes two different types of bacteria to cycle a tank, and depending on how long the tank has been sitting it can take awhile to cycle it. All you can do is wait for the nitrite bacteria to eat it up.

 

[punkserb]

aawww crap i wish i had read the responses. i got impatient and just did a 50% water change! hahaha.

i'll give it an hour to filter through and all the stuff then check my levels again. i did the change bacue i was really scared because of the nitrites. they were high only for 3 days or so, but the scale's largest measurement on my strips was a "regular" pink for 10 ppm. mine was very DARK pink, so i think my nitrites could have been well at 20 ppm.

my brain told me something had to be done! stupid brain!

well thanks for your responses guys, i scrubbed off the algea with my finger and now some is out and other is floating around but the filter should clean it up.

 

[clutterydrawer]

it's normal to get really high nitrites, even off the scale, it's cos of the sudden large amounts of ammonia. ah well, just keep on as you were dping and DON'T do any more water changes!

 

[punkserb]

hahaha gotcha! thanks!

i can change the water when i get fish though right?

 

[clutterydrawer]

remember to do a big water change just before you get your first fish too, to get rid of allthe nitrates that have built up during the cycle.

 

[punkserb]

great! would 50% be sufficient? or more like 80-90? i don't want to accidently remove too much...

 

[superpenguin22]

dont worry.

 

[punkserb]

i got fish today. 1 betta and 2 ottos. one of the ottos went straight to thge plant algea upon entering the tank, the other i'm worried about. he is just standing there at the bottom under a plant near the roots.just won't move. i hope he's just shy.

the betta is doing fine!

this is so cool! i have fish now and they're so nice! i just wish the lazy otto was more active, really hope there's nothing wrong.