Tank's Not Cycled, Algae Growing, No Clean Up Crew

[mellanby]

Hi all - total saltwater newbie here, but the posts are great and have helped me enormously! It's really teriffic the way everyone pitches in to help!

I've got a 24 gallon Nano cube, with about 22 lbs of live rock, 22 lbs of live sand. My tank has been running for about 2 1/2 weeks and here are the params as of yesterday (3/26):
PH 8.0 (low - can I add a buffer to bring it up?)
Amm. 0
Nitrates: 20 (WAY high - this was down to 5 on 3/23, and jumped like crazy to 20!)
Nitrites: 5.0 (Way high - dropped to 3.0, then started climbing again)
SG: 1.023

My fishstore says I'm in the "toxic tank of doom" stage of the cycle.

I've also started getting brown algae on my live rock and the walls of the tank. If I cant add cleaning crew until my cycle has finished, how do I get rid of the algae, or do I just let it grow until I can add the crew?

The majority of my live rock has been covered with a layer of white - but I read on another post that this was normal. One of my rocks didn't go white, and is absolutly brimming with tiny featherdusters on it. Is it normal to have that?

Thanks!

 

[SkiFletch]

Let it grow until the cycle completes. Blue and Red leg hermits will do WONDERS on the algae. I just went through this myself, patience my son, all will be well

Feather dusters are fine, dont worry about them either. They are beneficial filter feeders

 

[maidenfan]

i'm at the same stage as you the algea is quite normal for a cycling tank is called diatoms let your tank finish it's cycle the start practising water changes and get used to keeping your water parameters level then think about your clean up crew. i'm sure the others on here will chip in with there help and support.

read the pinned topics at the top of the board they are excellent

 

[mellanby]

I work in front of a computer all day, then I come home and read the posts on the forum on the computer at night! The posts are great, and if it wasn't for them, I'd have a ton more questions!

The LFS says my tank is completely normal for how long (or short, actually) it's been going, just wait it out, but it's nice to bounce my questions off of all of you as well. There will be more questions, so be prepared to see my name here alot. Especially looking forward to meeting Steelhealr!

 

[steelhealr]

Welcome aboard mellanby....

All is normal with your tank. Wait until the numbers normalize and do not add anything until they are zero. Your cleanup crew will take care of the algae when they are added.

The 'white stuff' is coralline dieoff and that, too, is normal. BTW, I have the exact same tank as you and I have a startup manual on here if you search it out. SH

PS..there is absolutely NO reason to add anything to your tank with regards to buffers or supplementation. All one has to ask is "why?"...why would you want to? always have a reason to do something to your tank. We don't dose our tanks to achieve textbook numbers. If you ever DO dose your tank, be sure you test the chemical parameter you're dosing for before and after. Blindly dumping things into a nano tank is a surefire way to get into trouble. SH

 

[Aquascaper]

Blindly dumping things into a nano tank is a surefire way to get into trouble. SH

Or in any tank for that matter, reminds me of a lovely saying:

"If you add one drop of sh*t to a vat of wine you end up with a vat of sh*t,
If you add one drop of wine to a vat of sh*t you still have a vat of sh*t"

Basically, one drop of the wrong thing can turn your tank to sh*t, it's very easy to screw up your water and very hard to un-screw it.

 

[mellanby]

Thanks very much Steel and Aqua, for the words of wisdom. Steel, I've been reading a few pages of your startup thread every night, which is why I only had a few questions today, instead of a million! Very well done, and written so a newbie, like myself, can understand.

so I guess not only do you have to buy the tank, LR, various add-ons, and of course fish, but a digital camera as well, huh?

any idea why my one live rock didn't get the die-off while the rest did? This rock is absolutly thriving - little living things all over it! Will the high nitrates/ites kill it off?

 

[SkiFletch]

Luck of the draw on the LR... Sometimes certain pieces do better than others. Most LR hitchhikers can survive the cycle that dieoff induces. The only exceptions are small shrimps and crabs sometimes sign off during the process. Your copepods and other small organisms will be fine though

 

[mellanby]

Udate on water params:
all tests today were within the parameters except for Nitrates which are at 10. Per the advise read on various posts, I will be removing bio-balls and sponges from the back of tank and adding some LR rubble back there. Since I don't have any rubble, I'm assuming that if I get some from the LFS and add it, the tank will begin cycling again - correct?

The brown algae is really starting to cover the glass of the tank. I'm going to have some happy snails once it's time to add them!!

 

[maidenfan]

hi,
ive been told that you can rub the algea off your glass and just rub your finger through the substrate to disturb it on the surface still got it on my rock but like you said clean up crew will sort that, 10 on your nitrates is not majoraly high i'm sure it will come down in time. putting rubble in your filter will of course help which is what i plan to do with my external filter

things all seem well though

 

[Aquascaper]

Since I don't have any rubble, I'm assuming that if I get some from the LFS and add it, the tank will begin cycling again - correct?

Depends on how much die-off there is on the new stuff really. If it's not too bad you may see a small spike but as the tank is almost cycled the Ammonia will be quickly converted to Nitrite and then on to Nitrate by the existing bacterial colonies so the end result may be a spike in your Nitrates. Resist the urge to add cleanup crew, etc. until you've added all your live rock and let the tank settle back down and you'll be fine.

 

[steelhealr]

Mellanby..yes... most people wouldn't think so, but, a digital camera should be a 'standard piece of equipment' to purchase when setting up a marine tank. It is invaluable when you run into problems and need advice. SH

 

[Aquascaper]

It is invaluable when you run into problems and need advice.

And don't forget capturing those majical moments like when your hermits go belly up and can't find their feet