Is this normal?

[evallej]

I'm new to the hobby, just started my very first 55g tank. Right now I'm using an emporer 4000 bio wheel filter and a bakpak protien skimmer. I have 50 lbs of live sand about 45lbs of live rock 3 fish, 3 snails plus a brittle star. The tank has been up for 2 weeks now. I started reading about cycling the tank and everything that it involved, so when I went to the aqaurium shop they recomended TLC to help with the cycling. So i bought it, put it in the tank, waited 7 days and started noticing my rocks started to turn a dark brownish color, that same day i took a sample of water to get tested they said everything was fine, my ph was a little low, but nothing to worry about and I had slight traces of ammonia, again nothing to worry about. Well i repeated the steps like the bottle said (after 7 days repeat process) now i'm noticing a lot more brown on the rocks, spotting on the glass. Ive tested the water and everything seems fine. Can anyone tell me if I'm okay? Should I worry?

[tony]

looks like diatom

if so, yes that is normal

best thing to cycle a tank with is patience. i would be skeptical of any chemical that claims to speed up the cycle.

[tony]

moved this from the lounge to general reefkeeping for you

[aquasport24]

dont add any more fishes for now,let the cycle goes thru. if anything maybe add some more CUC..

[Bill S]

Please, read THIS thread. It's a week old, but very appropriate! Make sure you read ALL THE WAY TO THE END. The cheapest thing in this hobby is patience. It's free, and will save you a TON of money!

http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=41100

[ismvel]

I was in the store the other day looking around and TLC was offered to me as being the next best thing, I was asked as to what I dose in my tank. What works for me may not work for everyone else....and vise versa. I am a strong believer in not dosing anything I don't: 1) test for and 2) is offered as the miracle potion for anything. The only thing I put into my tank is B-Ionic for Alk and Calcium.

That being said, I have been very fortunate to not have any hitchikers that are harmful to my tank, I will cross that bridge when I get to it. But agree with everyone else here. Patience. With first tank in Missouri I did some research..quite a bit actually, and then listened to someone who was MORE clueless to me at a horrible store and stocked a tank with things I shouldn't have and dosed with Prime...what a disaster, since then, I have had 3 other tanks, I have let the cycle run its course adding nothing (chemical wise)...and the cycle has run me an average 5 - 6 weeks...

That is how my journey has been thus far.....everyone's will vary...Good luck, welcome to maast, learn much along the way and enjoy the hobby.....

[devonian]

as said many times, TIME is the best thing when starting up a tank, when you rush things, you will kill things

simply wait; I have waited almost 2-3 months before even putting anything into my tanks excpet for live rock, ...