Is this normal?

[Balz]

Well things are going well... tank has been set up for 4 weeks now, have some green algae growing in the display tank but nothing crazy. Have about 50 lbs of LR and 30 lbs base. Water parameters have been NH3 = 0, NO2 = ~.02, NO3 = 2-5. The display tank has been going just like all the reading I do says it should. But not I have this stuff growing in my fuge

I'm thinking this is cyno, which I have read is a normal part of the cycle. But it looks like its killing my cheato. Should I take the fuge out and clean everything? I have't seen anything like this in the display and don't want to. Or maybe this is all part of the experiance and it's nothing to bother with? BTW I have only done 2 five gal WC since I added the LR 4 weeks ago, and the only thing in the display is one blue legged hermit crab that came with a piece of LR I got off a friend a week ago.

 

[383camaro]

Yea looks like cyano. Its normal in a new tank. Its most common in areas of low flow. I would siphon off what you can during your next water change, and be sure to use quality water for your top off and salt water. (Ro/di)

 

[Balz]

The flow through the fuge is pretty low (I have it regulated by a ball valve), the tank was set-up with RO/DI and that's what I use for my top off and WC. The lighting on the fuge is a sylvania 5000K 13 watt cf, it's billed as a "full spectrum" light, could this be contributing to the problem? I've read 6500K is best but couldn't find that @ Lowes.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

yep, perfectly normal in the beginning stages (or first year or so for that matter) of a tank. Tis cyanobacteria (AKA cyano or red slime alga) like camaro said.

Just keep your nitrates and phosphates down, and make sure you are using water with very little or no TDS and it should go away on its own in time.

 

[Balz]

What about flow through the fuge, low, med, high? I've been thinking low to increase contact time. Also is it worth it to clean out the fuge? I've created a pretty modular system and taking the whole thing out for a good once over is not an issue, or is it just futile and let it clear up on it's own.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

flow through a fuge is generally sposed to be low. You're fine IMO, just give it time. I've got a HOB fuge and it always has a bit of cyano and other things in it...i dont bother cleaning it really. If you clean it out now, it will only come back at this point. I just leave the alga phases alone. I've found that it takes more work to try and get them gone, but the more you try, the more they grow lol...then i found that if you just leave the stuff alone and wait, it usually dies out much quicker than it would have if you'd have tried taking it into your own hands.

For the light, 5000K is prolly fine for the fuge, but 65K will be better...gives faster growth to the chaeto i believe. Same with corals, but then you lose a LOT of color in the corals and they look more like they would out in the wild IMO. Its surprising what we can make corals look like just by adding blue's and purple lights

 

[Balz]

Thanks for the advice, I'm taking it this should not affect me moving in a clean up crew in a week or so (granted parameter continue to be stable)? Plus is it normal for the cheato to get covered by the cyano?

 

[PatMayo]

You can get a good fuge light here. It's most likely just what your looking for. It's what I use in my sump to grow cheato.

http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/page/001/PROD/Reflectors/1P381651

Here is a good thread regarding fuge lights.

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

Regards,

Pat

 

[Balz]

Thanks Pat, good info, looks like i'm on the right track, just got to get the cheato to out grow the cyano now

 

[sir_dudeguy]

ya it wont harm your clean up crew. Just as long as all your water params are fine, they'll be fine.

 

[rustybucket145]

flow through a fuge is generally sposed to be low.

Totally a matter of opinion. I have pretty high flow through my fuge and literally you can scoop out a handfull of pods from the glass at anytime of the day/night. I have close to 17x turnover rate going through it. No Cyano, no nusiance algae, the mud stays clean.... well, as clean as mud should stay.

I'd pump the flow up some. What will it hurt? You said you have a ball valve... open that thing up you'll be amazed at what will happen.