A week into cycle- brown/green spots on sand and rock?

[Dtilton]

Hi all- I'm a week into cycling my 90g w/ 29g sump and today I suddenly,overnight, have lots of spots of brown/rust and brown/green spots on the sand and on the live rock resting on the marco rock. I started last Tuesday, added a few pieces of dark purple live rock and a cup or so of live sand from a fellow reefer, added a raw cocktail shrimp and a little bit of frozen brine shrimp that I have for my discus tank. Running 2x54w t-5 actinic 5-6 hours a day, 2x250 MH maybe an hour a day so we can see the tank, and at night LED blue moonlights, again,so we can see the tank. A 6,500K flood on the fuge,with a few pieces of marco rock ,5 inches of sand, and some cheato. Ammonia is slowly going up- about .50 now -and nitrites are about .25,and PH is about 8.4 and temp fluctuates from 78-80 night/day. Is this normal? I'm not worried, just curious what it is and what to expect next....

 

[smcnally]

Yup, totally normal. It is diatoms and 'should' go away in due time. Your rock will start browning up and then it will start getting all pretty with time. A few snails or conchs will keep the sand mixed up and pretty but don't put them in until your ammonia cycle is through.

 

[JayM]

if you have detectable ammonia, you can pull out and discard the cocktail shrimp.....

 

[Dtilton]

Thanks Steve..... should I add snails? There doesn't seem to anything moving around in there, and we look at it a lot... Jay- thanks for the tip- that's kinda nasty and again,we can't see anything with the naked eye on the shrimp or anywhere in the tank, and it smells, so we know it's doing its thing!

-Danny

 

[smcnally]

You don't want to add anything until your ammonia cycle is through. Once it is through I would add in some snails and a few fighting conchs.

 

[Dtilton]

Fighting conchs! Sweet! Friday night fights at my house!

Thanks Steve! Appreciate the info.

-Danny

 

[maurod]

Danny, that one bit of live rock looks great
Worth every beer you paid for it

By the way, this is probably the best thread ever on what to expect when you are expecting a reef tank.....

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=239848


M

 

[Dtilton]

Mauro-

I was keeping your ID a secret-"fellow reefer" so when I'm over run by nasties you can still keep a good rep on the boards! That piece does look great- and so do the others you donated to the cause! Thanks for the link- that's really cool! Save me from posting 100 questions in the next few weeks... Aren't you glad I don't just keep PMing you! -Danny

 

[maurod]

My pleasure man. Any time.