Paul and Lisa's 24 G Aquapod

[tennisstar28]

Hey Guys,

This is our new aquapod, we just set it up last week. Got a GREAT deal on it. It has a 1x150 watt 14,000K metal halide light on it. It is still in the cycling process but just wanted to post the first pic on it. Only has a couple pieces of live rock in it for now.

[mattpenn]

how much longer on the cycle?and what are you putting in it?

[tennisstar28]

Hey Matt,

We are having a bit of a problem on it. It seem that we have a really bad algae bloom and when I turn on the lights the algae keeps covering the whole tank. So we figured we give it another week. Not sure what to put in it first, maybe a cheap damsel or chromi to help it cycle a bit? This is pretty much Paul's project and not mine, he is the one figuring out what he wants to put in it.

[MikeAtJax]

with live rock it will cycle on it's own, no need to put a fish in that you do not want.

Looks good.

[tennisstar28]

Thanks, will post more pics when there is a bit more progress.

[Loverotties]

Let it cycle on it's own and do your wc then.

[tennisstar28]

I did a 5 gallon water change this morning before work. How long will it need to cycle, I have never had this bad of an algae bloom. I turn the lights for a minute and there is green algae covering the glass, rocks and sand. Is this normal, never had this with my 90 gallon when we first started on it.

[mattpenn]

if the tank is new just empty it and start all over with some of the water from the 90g when you do a water change.

[tennisstar28]

When we started the tank we used half of my 90 gallon water and half new water. So I am not sure what is going on. When I do water changes shoud I get the water from the 90 and put it in there instead of mixing new water?

[protege]

If you make new water, make sure to let it circulate for 24hrs before adding it to the tank. You don't need lights for the cycle, you can leave them off and this will help keep the algae down. On my nano, I had it covered for 2 weeks with a blanket while it cycled.

You will still get some algae blooms. Do you have a skimmer? If you are using LR to cycle the tank, a skimmer will help remove some of the nasties as they die off.

[tennisstar28]

It has been cycling for two weeks now, yes there is a skimmer on it, not very good but will do for now. I guess I will leave the light off, I think that is what mainly is causing the algae. So what should I add first to the tank? A cleaning crew?

[OneDummHikk]

Lisa, what happens if you try to wipe the algae off? Does it just blow away or is it stuck to everything (hard)? Can you get a closer picture? Its hard to see it in that picture.

If you can wipe it off, it is a diatom bloom and part of the cycle. Silica is the normal food for diatoms.

[tennisstar28]

Hey Randy the algae just wipes off and then comes back within a matter of minutes when I turn the light back on, I thought it was part of the cycle but I have never seen it this bad before, maybe b/c I had power compact lighting before and this is a metal halide light. As you can see in the pictures I posted , I just turned the light on light 20 minutes ago and I have green algae build up on the sides already.

[OneDummHikk]

That looks like diatoms. If it is in high flow areas more than low flow areas, and wipes off with your hands, then it is more than likely diatoms. And they feed off of silica. Wipe them off, siphon them out, and you remove the food source - silica. The diatom bloom I had in my 12G tank lasted about 2 weeks, with me wiping it off every day. Keeping the lights off will just make it take longer. Leave them on, keep them wiped/siphoned out, and it will clear itself up.

Did you use Ca based sand or Silica based sand? Silica based will be beach sand, play sand. To test it, put some in a bowl, add some vinegar. If it bubbles, its Ca based. If it doesn't, then its silica based sand.

[mattpenn]

what would happen if you take all the rock out and do a water change and put the rock in later maybe something on the rock is causing a algae bloom.