Hi All.

[cryogenic]

Just like to say hello to everyone. Setting up my first reef tank
and i am at the cycling stage at the moment probably about six
weeks in ,thinking about putting a cleanup crew in when all the water tests are ok,but at the moment my tank is suffering from BROWN ALGAE over the live rock and glass i have read that this is normal in a new tank .do i let it run its course or help it on its way Thanks in advance Geoff.

 

[kamil5000]

Tank cycling takes only 3 weeks. Your tank is ready for your first livestock - but test for Amonia & Nitrite first just to make sure they are both at zero.

The brown algea you have is Diatoms and it will run its course on its own.

You probably already now this - but do not add too many fish at once. You need to add one, wait a week or two, then add another, wait and so on. As the denitrifying bacteria needs to catch up on your bioload.

Also, welcome to the addiction of saltwater.

Good luck
Kamil

 

[Fast Fred]

And welcome to our addiction.

 

[Avi]

Well, it's high time for some water testing...ammonia, nitrates, alkalinity, pH, calcium, for example. That should tell you for certain, whether it's time.

 

[SerLunchbox]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[staman]

I too just started on the quest for a reef tank. Ive had aquatic turtles for a year and done well so I think im ready. I just purchased a 75 gallon tank. The next purchase will be a protein skimmer. I dont want to set up a fuge/sump yet so i was thinking of buying an aquaC remora Pro.. Do you think its a wise purchase? I might get a skimmer that can be HOT or sump driven if i get the courage to drill my tank/tackle the sump in the future. I was thinking of going with an eheim canister for biological filtration. Again is this a wise choice?

--staman

 

[kevin21]

[welcome]

 

[Avi]

staman...I would consider setting up a sump from the very beginning if you can. Drilling wouldn't be necessary if you go with hang-on overflows...I have them and I am very satisfied with them. You might see a lot of people recommending that you drill, but I can say that the hang-ons, if you get the kind that I've been using, are very reliable and trouble free.

I wouldn't use a canister....I use them on all of my freshwater tanks so it's not that I don't think they're a good option for that, but if you have sufficient amounts of live rock and a good quality protein skimmer in a marine setup, the canister wouldn't add anything to your system, particularly if you have a sump/refugium, but even if you don't.

 

[Fast Fred]

I agree with Avi. Do the sump from the start if you can. There are a lot more (and better) skimmer choices if you do.

 

[dchao]

AVI:

Which overflow are you using?

LifeReef.com?

http://www.lifereef.com/siphon.html

 

[mg426]

Go with a sump if you can.You will most likely want (need) one sooner or later. Hang on overflows work fine for me as does the remora skimmers

 

[Avi]

dchao, I have no personal experience with the Lifereef overflows, but from having read a lot about them in these RC forums, I'm sure they're very good. I use two Amiracle overflows....here's what the look like:

http://www.aquacorals.com/Pics/DryGoods/Overflows/AmiracleOverflowSetTh.JPG

You can probably see that they essentially work on the same principle as the Lifereefs do...with a U-tube. There are other kinds of overflows that don't use the U-tube, but I suggest that you stay with the ones that do.

When I first set up my reef, the overflows did make noise...any overflow, including built-ins or on a drilled tank can depending on the water dynamics of your system - but with a very simple fix that cost about $5 they've been literally silent ever since.