cycling a tank

Question
    Thanks for your prompt reply.  I have a freshwater tank and was advised to use 3T of salt per 10 gallons of water by allexperts.com & Petsmart.  Just recently my fishkeeper friend advised me to lower that to 2T.  Of course, that is just the amount at startup--when I do a 25% water change I just add 1-1/2 t of salt.  If that is still too much, how much salt do you recommend? I have an airpump & air stone functioning already, & I do use a gravel vacuum each time I change the water.  The brown algae just wipes off the glass easily--it doesn't need a razor blade, it is quite soft--but it seems to be imbedded in the gravel & the gravel doesn't look any cleaner after vacuuming.  I use a little brush I purchased for fish to scrub off the big rocks and decorations.  I did move my tank to another room when I started the cycling process 3 months ago.  I think it gets a little less light from the windows now, & no longer has a plant light located nearby.  Right now I have the fish tank light on for 12 hours a day & that's what I did at the previous location.  What is brown algae caused by?  Too little light or too much light or something else?  I have been told that I need both more & less light to cure my problem.  I have tried both & I haven't been able to tell any difference.  
    I don't use any chemicals in my tank, just de-chlorinator, & Proquatics calls for 1 t for 10 gallons, so when I do a 25% water change I add just 1/4 t.  I actually have 2 filters in my tank--one regular one that hangs on the side of the tank & one biofilter that also hangs on the side.  I thought the good bacteria that I am trying to cultivate would be gone if I change the filter too often.  The directions on the box say to change the filter once a month, & that's what I've been doing.  I have never rinsed the carbon, just the "filter sleeve" & then poured in the carbon.  Should I rinse the carbon after it is in the filter, before I put it back in the tank?
    I'm not sure what the product called "Cycle" does for the fishtank.  Does it instantly establish the good bacteria (nitrates) that I am trying to get by cycling the tank?  What does Cycle do when you add it weekly?  
    I think I am already doing everything you suggested, except perhaps lowering the salt and rinsing the carbon & using Cycle.  Do you think those 3 things would be the cause of my losing fish constantly for the past 14 years & for losing 5 danios in the past 3 months?  If so, I will make those 3 corrections post haste.  Thanks.  
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Followup To
Question -
I've had a 10-gallon tank for 14 years.  I have never been able to keep fish alive for very long except for danios & golden apple snails & occasionally a few "lucky" community fish.  I feed them sparingly, keep the temp at 78 degrees, keep the salt at 2 T per 10 gallons, & change the water correctly every 2 weeks.  I have several successful fishkeepers among my friends & they don't mess with the pH in the water & neither have I.  In April, all my fish had died, again, & a friend convinced me I should start from scratch & cycle my tank.  I followed the directions in a very good fishkeeping book.  I cleaned everything thoroughly,including soaking all the rocks & plastic plants in mild bleach solution, (don't worry I rinsed them well & air dried them) bought new gravel & a biological filter, set it up & bought 3 danios.  I also bought testing kits, not strips, for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.  Two weeks later brown algae appeared.  I have never had it before.  During the past 3 months I have done a 25% water change at least every 2 weeks, not once have the tests shown any ammonia, nitrites or nitrates in the tank, I have purchased more danios because 5 have died, and the tank is covered with brown algae.  This week I took a sample of the tank water to Petsmart.  They said the water was perfect--no ammonia, no nitrites and a tiny bit of nitrates.  I also took along my testing kits & they tried them on some really bad tank water, along with their testing kits, & my testing kits worked perfectly--they are not defective.  At that time I bought an oto in an attempt to get rid of the brown algae also.  I am totally frustrated because my water never showed any increase in ammonia or nitrites the way it is supposed to, & I lost 5 really tough fish.  And my tank is totally covered with a layer of brown.  I don't know where to go from here.  Do I need to find a new hobby?
Answer -
Hello,

Wow, you are having terrible luck. However, I have gone through a very similar situation to this so I'll see what I can do.

First of all, you say you have 2 tbsp of salt per 10 gallons of water. You are raising marine fish correct? If not, add less salt. If you are- I have never had a marine tank so I will try to help but you may also want a marine caretakers advice.

Second, if your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are good, then those are scratched off out list.

Third, the brown algae. Brown algae is not necessarily a bad thing, but too much of it is. It could be taking all the oxygen out of your tank. If you haven't already done so, buy a pump and airstone. Also, a gravel vacuum is usful in getting it off the rocks, and a small razor blade will get it off the glass. You can leave it on your decorations because if you take it off your gravel and glass there should be a small enough quantity remaining that it won't harm your fish.

Fourth, I actually change 10% of my water weekly, instead of 25% every two weeks. I find this works well because you change not to much, but you change it more frequently.

Fifth, make sure your filter is always clean and that you rinse all carbon before putting it in or the dust will get in the water.

Sixth, if you use chemicals in your water make sure you are reading the doses VERY CAREFULLY! This was my problem. I was putting chlorine remover in 5 mL per 10 gallons in the tank, when it was supposed to be 5 mL per 10 gallons you are adding. I was poisoning my fish by doing this.

Seventh, make sure you don't have any chlorine in your water by using a chemical remover, or leaving it in an open bucket for 24 hours, allowing the chlorine to evaporate. You should also use a product like Cycle by Nutrafin weekly if you do indeed have fresh water. If not, find a similar product for marine water. Maybe Cycle works for marine, but again, I am not sure.

I hope one of these methods helps you, because I have been through all of them!

Anyway, best of luck!

From Stephanie  

Answer
That is a lot of questions packed into a small amount of space... first, I don't think you need to use that much salt ever. I think a tbsp per 10 gallon, and 1/2 with each new 10 gallon addition.

The brown algae is just algae, I am not sure the cause of your brown algae because I haven't seen the tank, and unfortunately a picture won't help. Gravel vacuuming is not supposed to suck it up, its supposed to clean the stuff out of your gravel, turn the rocks over and move them around so that the algae eventually is buried and dies.

If your algae doesn't need a razor, just use a sponge. I do recommend a razor for algae that has been there for a long time, because it usually hardens.

Your light is more then likely not a problem, unless you are using UV lights, which replicate the sun, then don't worry. If you are using UV lights, and don't have any live plants, you may consider changing them.

It is vital to rinse the carbon in a strainer under tap water BEFORE it goes in your tank! This is very important and could easily kill your fish if you don't.

Change your filter when its dirty, if thats once a month then great, but always keep an eye on it to see if it needs it sooner. Cycle will add beneficial bacteria to your tank, as well as kill harmful ones. It is an amazing product. I recommend a capful (about 5 mL) every week per 10 gallons of water in the aqaurium.

Sometimes losing fish is an unidentifiable problem. However, it may be caused by not rinsing the carbon. Salt may also be the cause. I don't even use salt, so maybe you would consider trying reducing the dose slowly until there is none. Its easier not to have one more thing to fiddle with. Not using Cycle isn't killing your fish, but using it will do exactly what you are trying to so I hope you consider it.

I hope this helps again. Unfortunately I will be on holidays for about 10 days now, so if you can wait that long- my e-mail address is ferret63@telus.net for any followups. Please keep in mind I am giving you that address for personal use only. If you do not use it, do not give it out either. Thanks a bunch.

Good luck.

From Stephanie