NO ALGAE IN SIGHT
Moderator: Mustafa
NO ALGAE IN SIGHT
I set up and started cycling my 5 gallon tank on September 8th and have the light on for 12 hours a day. There is super shrimp macroalgae and a moss ball in there. Not a speck of algae has formed yet. Is this normal? Should I throw an algae disc in there to get things going? Thanks.
Re: NO ALGAE IN SIGHT
Hi! Did you put in the macroalgae and moss ball on September 8th or later?
Algae disks do not produce algae, in fact there is very little algae in them, and that little bit is dead and ground up. It is mostly fish meal and fillers.
It can take 4 to 8 weeks for algae to grow on surfaces, so you're still doing ok. Also, plants like macroalgae and mossballs can eat up nutrients in the water so there is less left for surface algae, which means you may not see many algae at all in the end. In your case I think you're ready to add snails and shrimp since it's already been several weeks, especially if your plants have been in your tank for longer already.
Algae disks do not produce algae, in fact there is very little algae in them, and that little bit is dead and ground up. It is mostly fish meal and fillers.
It can take 4 to 8 weeks for algae to grow on surfaces, so you're still doing ok. Also, plants like macroalgae and mossballs can eat up nutrients in the water so there is less left for surface algae, which means you may not see many algae at all in the end. In your case I think you're ready to add snails and shrimp since it's already been several weeks, especially if your plants have been in your tank for longer already.
Re: NO ALGAE IN SIGHT
Thanks, John. Yes, I added the moss ball and macroalgae on September 8th. As of today (10/13) there is still no algae growth at all. Should I test for ammonia? Should I order my shrimp now and put them in when they arrive or wait longer? How do I know when it’s safe to add shrimp? Thanks!