Help with my new BioCube

[the architect 7]

Hey every on I’m brand new to saltwater aquariums and have been trying my best to do as much research as I can. I have just set up a 29 gallon bio cube about 2 ½ weeks ago. I have what was said to be cured live rock from Indonesia. I filled it with ro water I got from local water store. I bought the red sea Nano starter kit. I also took out the bio balls and put a CPR sr3 protein skimmer in its place. My problem right now is that my water is green like really green and algae grows on the glass like crazy. I wipe it off and in an hour or ½ hour its back. Is this because my tank is cycling and this is part of it. Should I just be patient and maybe it will go away on its own? I have my lights on for 10hrs a day on a timer. Please guys any help I can’t find the right answer wen I have been goggling it lol. Also on my live rock there is old dead tube looking things am I supposed to scrape it off or will it be ok to leave on.

[jimmy_beaner]

I've never had green water... shut your lights off and cover the tank and it should die if it's algae. Might take 3-5 days.

[the architect 7]

will it just come back

[Army_JAG]

cut back your lights from 10 hours, it could just be part of the cycle. I suggest that you leave them on for 8 hours a day, if the water does not clear up in a week cut it back to 5 hours a day until it does. I would also try upping your water changes, maybe to 20% a week until it changes. can you give us some test results, nitrates and nitrites? do you have any coral or fish? what kind of lights do you have? what is your specific gravitiy at?

[the architect 7]

I was told I shouldn’t do any water changes during my cycle? Is that wrong? It’s only been going for about two weeks with live rock I added two pellets of fish food to start the cycle what I was told to do from the store I bought the tank. My salinity is at 0.025 and my temp is 76 I’m using the red sea test kit that came with my starter kit so I don’t know how good it is. My nitrites are 0.1 my nitrate is 15 and my ammonia is at 0.25 and no i only have one hermit crab in the tank nothing else

[mike5051]

You're cycling. You don't need the lights, and you can cover the tank like others suggested. I wouldn't change the water though. Let your ammonia get down to zero, and then do a partial water change. Oh yeah! Welcome to Reef Central!:dance:

[Dan49]

Are you sure your water is ro? Till I bought a home ro-di system I purchased distilled water from a grocery store.Also you might want to get a clean up crew going,

[the architect 7]

thanks for the welcome mike. and thanks everyone for replying. will turning the lights off hurt the hermit crab? and is it to soon to add a cleanup crew?

[the architect 7]

well te green water was clear wen i wole up and i left the lights on for 8 hrs today. my water is crystal clear i uess it was just a phase lol