Algae Growth

PWillis

About how long after a tank is started does algae start to grow? Had my tank setup for like 3 weeks now and still no sign of algae growth yet...

Also when doing water changes, what is the best method? I simply start my gravel vac and clean some gravel until I get about 30% of the water out, drag in the garden hose, top it off and then add the water treatment to the amount I just added to the tank. Is that an okay method or do I need to get a better method? This will soon be a cichlid tank... (hopefully)

d0r0g0

I'd say that's a good thing!

mollies

if theres no fish i dont think you will have any algae growth unless you dont have a filter.

stephanieleah

more than likely you'll get a diatom bloom after a few weeks or when you add fish as things stabilize. This is different than algae but you'll probably see it first. Yes, I agree that until you add fish you likely will not see algae. Algae comes as a sign of imbalance between light, nutrients, and co2, and nothing in your tank as yet is producing co2, you don't have excessive nutrients bc no fish or ferts are supplying it.

i think your water change system sounds find except i like to control the temperature when i add new water and keep it at 2 or 3 degrees within the range of my tank temp. a little cooler induces spawning behavior, but i just check it by hand. i also usually add water conditioner as i fill rather than afterward.

PWillis

Guess I needed to mention that there were 5 Goldfish in the tank, now just 4. Those are going bye-bye soon. They have been in there about 2 weeks.

karjean

In my tank, it took approximately 5 weeks before any signs of diatom appeared. Within 1 1/2 week, it was all over the tank. Since i did scrape it off the glass and did a 25% w/c there is not too many of it anymore.