Cycle question

[Merrell056]

Hi everyone. I have a 28 gallon JBJ nano tank that I have setup and started cycling. I started it on 1/1/13 and used 1lb of cured live rock and about 20 lbs of dead rock. I also used Caribsea Carribbean live sand and water from a well established system with no issues.

The tank chemistry is as follows:

pH 8.0
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrite 3ppm
Nitrate 160ppm

I don't have any other test kits yet. They're still being shipped by Amazon. My salinity is 0.126.

I am already starting to see a diatom bloom in the tank which I think may be abnormal. I run the lights about 8 hours a day and it is not near any windows. This is the HQI model so it is a 10k Metal Halide light.

Should I be seeing a diatom bloom already? I also have sponges, little worms (spaghetti worms?) and even a feather duster growing. The more important question is when should I add a CUC? I wasn't expecting the algae so early but I don't want to kill any inverts by putting them in too early.

Thanks for the help! This is my first marine aquarium and I've already spent hours in front of it just taking pictures with my dslr. Thank you to everyone on this forum that has answered questions for me in the past year. I finally have a running aquarium!

 

[EllieSuz]

I think you're right on track. It's not abnormal to have a diatom bloom in a new tank and the best medicine is to wait it out. Keep testing and once your ammonia and nitrites are gone and the nitrates are on their way down, you can add a small CUC.

 

[Dr. Reef]

ur on track but its too early for cuc. ammonia and nitrites have to be dead 0 and nitrates that high will kill ur cuc as well.
nitrates have to be below 20 and ideally 0.

 

[Dr. Reef]

ur on track but its too early for cuc. ammonia and nitrites have to be dead 0 and nitrates that high will kill ur cuc as well.
nitrates have to be below 20 and ideally 0.

 

[BAGGERZ13]

Did you fill the tank up with tap water? That could be the source of your algae problem also with 160 ppm nitrate....that would be my guess to why your having such an algae bloom already. But it is not abnormal for you to have an algae problems just having set up your tank.

 

[Merrell056]

I used RO/DI premix from another, well established tank. It was from someone's system that is over 300 gallons.

Thanks for the replies everyone! I don't want to add the CUC too early. I don't mind the algae. Just wanted to know if this was abnormal or not.

Should I continue to run my lights 8 hours a day?

 

[ag09g]

I agree with everyone else about waiting until your ammonia/nirite hits 0 with the CUC.

as far as the lights, its up to you. Less light will mean less algae, but with my diatom bloom they kinda burnt themselves out after a week or two and disappeared, I kept my lights on about 8 hours a day through the whole cycle.

 

[ag09g]

I agree with everyone else about waiting until your ammonia/nirite hits 0 with the CUC.

as far as the lights, its up to you. Less light will mean less algae, but with my diatom bloom they kinda burnt themselves out after a week or two and disappeared, I kept my lights on about 8 hours a day through the whole cycle.

 

[Merrell056]

Thanks ag09g. I'll keep them on for 8 hours and see how it goes.