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cycle, algae and cleanup


mrhoddy

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Right, ok im a newbie asking the normal newbie stuff!!!! Ive had my 24G tank, with 9kg of LR and LS three weeks now and have seen the ammonia and nitrite readings fall back to zero again, (nitrate was at 10 but did a 10% water change so its currently back to 0). Rightly or wrongly I have left the lights on for about 10hrs during this time, i have no skimmer but carbon and polyfilters added two days ago.

 

I have looked at various posts regarding algae and im confused - ive had and still got, brown algae, hair algae, cyano (well its red and velvety) on LR and grassy/fern type algae (on sand). Posts ive read indicate that this goes away and is part of the cycle process, so:

 

1) Will this algae go away on its own now that the readings are at zero, how long might this take?

2)Should i decrease the lighting time to help its demise?

3) I think im ready for cleanup, is this the step i need to clear it up?

4)My LFS said that i shouldnt add any hermits yet because they would starve as there is no fish waste to feed on (so they said get a fish) is this correct?

 

Thanks for now

 

HODDY

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1) Will this algae go away on its own now that the readings are at zero, how long might this take?

 

No, they will not go away on their own.

 

2)Should i decrease the lighting time to help its demise?

 

You could, but see below.

 

3) I think im ready for cleanup, is this the step i need to clear it up?

 

Yes. Get your cleanup crew. I suggest: 5-10 astreas, 4-6 ceriths, 7-10 blue leg hermits. You could also get a 3-4 turbos, depending on the mass/stability of your rockwork (they tend to bulldoze things around). You can get more/less than what I have suggested, but I have listed what I would buy if it were my tank.

 

4)My LFS said that i shouldnt add any hermits yet because they would starve as there is no fish waste to feed on (so they said get a fish) is this correct?

 

They are wrong. Either they really don't know they are wrong, or they are trying to sell you a fish. You can buy a fish if you like, but you don't need one. To my knowledge, there are no aquarium animals that eat fish waste.

 

Things that eat 'detritus', such as hermits, cucumbers, stars, and ceriths, eat the bacteria & other microorganisms that are decomposing the waste, not the waste itself.

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Thanks for that Mr Fosi, i was set at getting some cleanup today but as i said the LFS tryed to get me to buy a chromis/clown etc instead and said that the tank want ready for the cleanup.

 

Will go tomorrow and get some, have a list already as to what i was going to get and is simmillar to those suggetsed so cheers for the reassurance. I hope the algae will start to sort itself out when i add the crew

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To my knowledge, there are no aquarium animals that eat fish waste.

 

Certain tangs are known to be coprophageous. Not that you can keep them in a nano reef, but they are.

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Things that eat 'detritus', such as hermits, cucumbers, stars, and ceriths, eat the bacteria & other microorganisms that are decomposing the waste, not the waste itself.

Cleaner shrimp eats fish waste. Seen it many times. Nassarius snails consume almost anything thats on the sand and as was noted above some tangs are detritus consumers. Hermits are more opportunistic omnivores but mainly herbivores.

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Coprophagous is a great word.

 

I'll have to take your word of the tangs, nassnails, and cleaner shrimp. I haven't ever seen that, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.

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Coprophagous is a great word.

 

I'll have to take your word of the tangs, nassnails, and cleaner shrimp. I haven't ever seen that, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.

This is how we all learn. It is such a wonderful tool and is IMO the reason wh this hobby is getting alot better then what it was years ago.

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Coprophagous is a great word.

 

I'll have to take your word of the tangs, nassnails, and cleaner shrimp. I haven't ever seen that, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.

 

LOL! Yeah, I would have looked up how to spell it online if I hadn't been at work when I posted that. Coprophagous isn't a word you want to look up on your work computer. :lol:

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