# my first saltwater tank!



## thechief (Jan 1, 2012)

hey guys i just got my tank that i was asking questions about last week setup a few days ago and figured i would post some pictures up im cycling the tank right now with the green chromis and after my tank is cycled i will be giving them to a friend but yeah i also have one question i really want a CUC but im not sure if i can have anything like that in the tank while it is cycling if there are any if you could let me know that would be great. also im getting more live rock next week sometime just so you know haha if you guys want more pictures or have any questions then just ask let me know what you guys think thanks


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

CUC if put in now would not survive the Cycle in your tank. Best to wait until your Ammonia and Nitrites are 0 and Nitrates are under 40.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

looks to me like it needs some macro algaes.

But that's just my .02


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## thechief (Jan 1, 2012)

beaslbob said:


> looks to me like it needs some macro algaes.
> 
> But that's just my .02


That's the purple algae right? Its growing more of that everyday its getting some awesome colors is there anyway to speed it up or you just have to wait?


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## thechief (Jan 1, 2012)

Reefing Madness said:


> CUC if put in now would not survive the Cycle in your tank. Best to wait until your Ammonia and Nitrites are 0 and Nitrates are under 40.


Okay thanks for the info I did a test yesterday and ammonia was 0 nitrites were 0 and nitrates were 20 what does this mean?


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

thechief said:


> That's the purple algae right? Its growing more of that everyday its getting some awesome colors is there anyway to speed it up or you just have to wait?


two types of "purple algae" growth is possible. One is corraline algae the other is cyano bacteria. Both can be purple with corraline being a smoth hard calcium based algae and cyano bacteria being a bacteria that grows fuzzy and blows off easly with a turkey baster blast. Cyano is a bacteria that also has photosynethic plant life parts that consume nutrients like plants.

to get corraline to spread keep calcium up through the diy two part and use bluer lighting like actinic.

To kill of cyano I kill the lights until it dies off then adjust lighting, feeding, and macros to the cyano does nto come back.

Macro algaes are a form of algae that is neither corraline nor corraline. They are "organized" and can even look like Freshwater plants. So instead of just covering the rocks they look like stems and leaves flowing in the current. some must looke like brillo pads also (chaetomorphia). The benifits are the consume ammonia/nitrates/phosphates and co2 to balance out as stabilize the tank.


my .02


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

thechief said:


> Okay thanks for the info I did a test yesterday and ammonia was 0 nitrites were 0 and nitrates were 20 what does this mean?


0 ammonia/nitrItes plus some initial nitrates is an indication of a planted silent cycle. Whatever ammonia is being generated is being consumed by the algae but the algae is not consuming nitrates for nitrogen. If true and with limited feeding/bioload ina few weeks nitrates should drop down while ammonia/nitrItes remain low or 0.

my .02


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

thechief said:


> Okay thanks for the info I did a test yesterday and ammonia was 0 nitrites were 0 and nitrates were 20 what does this mean?


If you used Fully Cured Live Rock, it means your cycle is complete.


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## thechief (Jan 1, 2012)

Reefing Madness said:


> If you used Fully Cured Live Rock, it means your cycle is complete.


Sorry for the noob question but what how do you know if your live rock is fully cured?


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Well, normally your LFS will tell you. How long has you rtank been set up now? Longer than a week with no signs of Ammonia or Nitrite? Did you test in the first few days of the cycle at all? You may not see one. i'd wait a few more days, just to be onthe safe side, if in a few days you still see no signs, I'd throw in a CUC.

The colored algae you see, if you can easily wipe it off with your finger, thats most likely cyano (red) and brown looking algae would be Diatoms. The hard Algae with Pink, Purples, Red's and Greens is Coralline Algae, which is what we desire in our tanks. No need to try and rush this along, once it takes hold you will be cussing the day, you have to scrape this stuff off, it just doesn't wipe off. But, in order for this stuff to keep hold in our tanks, the ALK and calcium must be kept up to par.


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