"Lighting" during cycling...?

[llebcire]

My 75 gallon is starting week three of "live" cycling tomorrow, fish are doing great (3 small Damsels), and I have only been using the light for feeding and minimal viewing (Helios 4x55w 50/50, model HS-48220).

My ammonia spiked around 1.5 and is dropping, so of course the nitrites are stabilizing, currently around 2, been there since Sunday.

I have a small quantity of LR and about 40lbs of "dead" that I hope will grow, (spent $600+ setting up, more LR later), and I ASSume that its inhabitants need light to prosper?

My understanding is that too much light now will feed brown algae, but should I be giving the tank several hours a day now with the intention of substantially more when the nitrites drop to stimulate green algae and remove the nitrates?

Thanks!

(This is quite the informative forum...really feeds my OCD...much to my GF's chagrin...!)

 

[kreblak]

I'm not really sure I heard a question in there, but I can inject a little wisdom. Don't worry about lighting and brown algae (diatoms). Diatoms are a part of your tank's maturation process, and will go away on their own provided that you don't stimulate their growth with phosphates and silicates in the water. City water is notorious for containing phosphates, so you may wish to start using reverse osmosis (RO) water for top offs and water changes.

From your post I gathered that you wanted green algaes to move in and rid you of nitrates. Let me say this: No, you don't want green hair algae. If you are going to cultivate caulerpa or another macroalgae, then that is just fine and dandy. Green hair algae is BAD NEWS. Corax and I have a major case of it, and it is a royal pain in the a$$ to remove, as well as being ugly.

The best ways to remove nitrates from your tank are a DSB and water changes. A DSB (deep sand bed) is a 4-6 inch deep layer of fine sand most folks on this board use for their substrate. Since water doesn't flow well into the lower layers, the oxygen depletes rapidly and is not replenished. There, a type of anoxic bacteria will grow that converts nitrate (NO3) into nitrogen gas (N2), which will bubble harmlessly to the surface over time.

Oh, and welcome to AC!