03-14-2009, 06:54 PM
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it went through a phase of algae growth, where it grew in fairly thick and red. Not hairy, but more "dusty" if that makes sense. Every couple of weeks, I'd go in with an old tooth brush and scrub it all off (right before doing a water change). That lasted for a couple of months, and it finally stopped. It was probably a combination of "new tank syndrome", as well as something the concrete was doing to the water (maybe?).
One thing I'll note, thats interesting about this tank, is that it stays at pretty much 0 nitrates all the time. It's lightly stocked, 3 small/medium sized cichlids, fed every couple of days, but still I'd expect some level of nitrates in here. They rose to probably 5 at the peak, a month or so after I set it up, but then fell back to zero and haven't showed up since. Regardless of nitrates I do weekly water changes of 15 gallons, and I rinse out the sponges and carbon from the two AC110's (change carbon once a month). I didn't think freshwater tanks grew the denitrifying bacteria that can exist in saltwater tanks, but if so, I bet that's what it is, and the background provides a nice place for that bacteria to exist (in and behind it, where there is extremely low to no water flow).
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