Live rock & green water help

john rochon · 11/12/2012, 07:24 AM

I need some advice. I setup my tank in June/2012.
I purchased a box of ''live rock'' from a local store. I have a feeling
that this rock was sitting in those boxes WAY to long. The 50lbs
was supposed to be cured but I do not trust this LFS person much.
Now I've been battling GREEN WATER BLOOM for 4 months. I've
done many full tank water changes. Theres 3 smaller fish in there and only a few corals. I use RO/DI water,skimmer,carbon etc..
Of course the water returns to green after 4 days from the water change.
My suspicion is that the rock I purchased was probaly close to dead.
Should I pull most of it and ''cook'' it? desperate.

BigCountry74 · 11/12/2012, 07:46 AM

does the water smell also?

maybe run/filter some cheap carbon (in bulk lol) and see if that helps cure it.

john rochon · 11/12/2012, 08:18 AM

nope, water smells normal. I know its a PHYTO BLOOM but what a pain.
Just wondering if I should cook rock ans start over?

brandon429 · 11/12/2012, 08:33 AM

We get green water threads in the presence of great rock so that's not a proven cause although possible.

If they sold you bad rock it will be verifiable without doubt

Talk measurements...nitrate, phosphate etc
The smell test indicates no sulfides

We beat green water in large tanks no prob using uv and peroxide, sometimes uv alone.

Green water is one of the invaders nobody debates uv will correct if sized correctly. Other organisms might be in question but green water isn't one

All you have to do is hook up a pond uv, they can be borrowed and rented from contacts at lfs. You can't use one too large, only too small.

If your test params and tank pics show bad rock we'll know.

brandon429 · 11/12/2012, 08:36 AM

There are cases where simple import was the problem. Keeper had a tank running normal, testing normal, then boom one day...seen many threads like that

Any one of a number of algae types can bloom but not sustain indefinitely on the nutrients other organisms have access to in our tanks.

Sometimes just killing the target cures the problems, but we need test results to show.

NvyroMental · 11/12/2012, 06:12 PM

I would discourage against cooking the live rock, as it will only hinder the "curing" process. We want to speed up the culturing (curing) of the rock with beneficial bacteria. I would continue frequent water changes; limit feeding as much as possible to avoid excess nutrients; reduce lighting intensity for a short period if possible. Test the water parameters after a couple weeks, because ultimately the test kits will show you what you have excess of. Do you have a sump/'fuge and a good clean-up crew?

john rochon · 11/12/2012, 06:38 PM

I've decide to cook the live rock. My gut feeling tells me that the rock
was probaly out of water/light for a long time. It might have been in
the box but there was/is to much die off IMO. I've changed over
400 g of water with no effect. [125g tank] So I'll keep cleaning the rock
for now and add it slowly after a month. I had very few corals and a few fish.

11/12/2012, 07:24 AM	#1
john rochon Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: canada Posts: 2,082	Live rock & green water help I need some advice. I setup my tank in June/2012. I purchased a box of ''live rock'' from a local store. I have a feeling that this rock was sitting in those boxes WAY to long. The 50lbs was supposed to be cured but I do not trust this LFS person much. Now I've been battling GREEN WATER BLOOM for 4 months. I've done many full tank water changes. Theres 3 smaller fish in there and only a few corals. I use RO/DI water,skimmer,carbon etc.. Of course the water returns to green after 4 days from the water change. My suspicion is that the rock I purchased was probaly close to dead. Should I pull most of it and ''cook'' it? desperate.

11/12/2012, 07:46 AM	#2
BigCountry74 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,761	does the water smell also? maybe run/filter some cheap carbon (in bulk lol) and see if that helps cure it. __________________ 135g mixed reef (retired) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2132815 Current 40g reef http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2483250 Current Tank Info: 40g bare bottom reef

11/12/2012, 08:18 AM	#3
john rochon Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: canada Posts: 2,082	nope, water smells normal. I know its a PHYTO BLOOM but what a pain. Just wondering if I should cook rock ans start over?

11/12/2012, 08:33 AM	#4
brandon429 Registered Member. Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,460	We get green water threads in the presence of great rock so that's not a proven cause although possible. If they sold you bad rock it will be verifiable without doubt Talk measurements...nitrate, phosphate etc The smell test indicates no sulfides We beat green water in large tanks no prob using uv and peroxide, sometimes uv alone. Green water is one of the invaders nobody debates uv will correct if sized correctly. Other organisms might be in question but green water isn't one All you have to do is hook up a pond uv, they can be borrowed and rented from contacts at lfs. You can't use one too large, only too small. If your test params and tank pics show bad rock we'll know.

11/12/2012, 08:36 AM	#5
brandon429 Registered Member. Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,460	There are cases where simple import was the problem. Keeper had a tank running normal, testing normal, then boom one day...seen many threads like that Any one of a number of algae types can bloom but not sustain indefinitely on the nutrients other organisms have access to in our tanks. Sometimes just killing the target cures the problems, but we need test results to show.

11/12/2012, 06:12 PM	#6
NvyroMental Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Kansas City Posts: 51	I would discourage against cooking the live rock, as it will only hinder the "curing" process. We want to speed up the culturing (curing) of the rock with beneficial bacteria. I would continue frequent water changes; limit feeding as much as possible to avoid excess nutrients; reduce lighting intensity for a short period if possible. Test the water parameters after a couple weeks, because ultimately the test kits will show you what you have excess of. Do you have a sump/'fuge and a good clean-up crew?

11/12/2012, 06:38 PM	#7
john rochon Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: canada Posts: 2,082	I've decide to cook the live rock. My gut feeling tells me that the rock was probaly out of water/light for a long time. It might have been in the box but there was/is to much die off IMO. I've changed over 400 g of water with no effect. [125g tank] So I'll keep cleaning the rock for now and add it slowly after a month. I had very few corals and a few fish.