Tank Cycle

Wildshot83

AC Members
Aug 20, 2004
30
0
0
42
Minnesota
Ok set up my tank about a week and a half ago and am using LR to cycle the tank. So testing my water today, because I'm seeing a lot of brown alage grown on the rock over the last two days. Ammonia is reading slightly below 0.25 ppm, nitrite isn't showing up, and nitrate is reading between 0 and 2.5 ppm closer to 0. Been running a 65 watt 10000k pc for 12 hours a day and am starting to see the LR get it's color back. Should I just cut back on the light and do a water change or am I just going to have to live with the alage till the tank cycles and I can add some cleaners? On a side note, my skimmer is pulling out a lot less gunk then it has in the last week, turn it off or leave it on?
 
um, zebra danios are fresh water. and nitrifying freshwater and saltwater bacteria are different.
 
I've actually heard that cycling with the lights on or off works. I've left the lights on in hopes that any interesting hitch hikers on the LR survive the cycle. So far I've only found one hh, it looks like an anemone or a polyp of some sort. I found him rolling around on the sand in the current then he disappeared for a few days. Found him again today and stuck him up on the rock work. He's moved around and seems to be comfortable in his little spot. It's roughly the size of a pencil eraser, reddish to pink in color with a white disk in the center. It has small tenticals that it retracts if disturbed. I'm leaning tword it being an anemone due to the fact that it moved around a little after I put it on the rock. Anyone have pics of apistia I'd like to try and advoid a swarm of them if thats what this happens to be.
 
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