Lights on - BAD algae

[adicus]

Now that I have the lights on, what BAD algae should I be on the lookout for. It's been about 1.5 days (8 hr. shift) and all my pale rock has turned to different shades of brown. I've also got some green and purple forming.

Interesting is that most of the rock appears to be sweating bubbles. They look like little balls of mercury, but as the force of the water changes, they float to the top and burst. ANYthing I should be concerned about?

 

[TimSchmidt]

Well here is a link to some common algae. You want coralline algae ( I would guess the pink stuff, can't tell without pics), macro algae (calpura or chaeto are common ones), umm and maybe a few more. Diatoms (probably the brown stuff in your tank) normally not good, green hair algae, red hair algae, slime, cyano, and a lot more odd names are bad. While cycling you don't REALLY need lights on. I left mine on for three reasons:

1. Wanted to see if any temperature swings would occur.
2. I have fish only with live rock lighting and it doesn't help algae too much
3. I'm lazy sometimes :lol:

No clue on your bubbles. Could it be just micro bubbles of air as the water soaks into the rock (only a good theory if it wasn't LR to begin with).

 

[mrfipp]

The brown is almost positively diatoms, as Tim suggests. If this is the case, they will even themselves out, and essentially disappear. I use lights when I cycle. Time is the cure for most of the life forms that invade, flourish, die off, and then regulate to a normal level. Cyano bacteria will inevitably even out too, as water quality improves. The bubbles are either simply air pockets trapped in the porous rock, or the bubbles are probably formed by pockets of gasses created when bacteria convert something out of your water, to a gas. All of these things are normal for cycling, just be patient, and let them work themselves out with time and regular water changes.

 

[SaltWaterNewb]

Just remember, even though the ammonia cycle is over, your tank will continue to cycle for MONTHS. It will be safe for live stock but there are still going to be lots of changes going on while the tank matures and stabilizes. You will probably end up with several types of algae and probably all at the same time before it is all said and done. I know that I have diatoms, green hair, and some cyano all at once. Most of them are gone now but there is still some stuff going on. Def. enough to keep the snails busy. I also had the bubbles for a while but they went away.