Cooking Live Rock...

[Ohiomom]

although I am not really "new" to the hobby I think we can always learn something new. I am about 4-5 years into my tank and have really never had an algae problem until now. I have been battling hair algae for longer than I care to mention and just can not get rid of it. Yes I use Rodi water, and all reading are 0 except for nitrates which are between 0-5 at the most and yes I know the algae is consuming it so it may not show up. I only have one fish in a 75 gallon now and will not be adding anything until I figure out the issue. Phosphate readings are also not conclusive which again I don't think means much. Lights are only a month old so I know that isn't it either.

My assumption is that there is a lot of nitrates bound up in the rocks and that I may benefit from cooking my live and basically rotating occasionally from then on. Any benefit or am I going down the wrong track I am out of ideas.

[James404]

I wouldn't cook it, two questions though. What method are you testing for PO4, and are you runnig any GFO and/or carbon? If you aren't running GFO in a reactor that would be the first thing I would suggest.

[Ohiomom]

Sailfert test kit..what I could find locally. No reactor and not sure I want to get one of those either money is tight right now. I do not use carbon I had/have in the past and did not see any significant difference. I am kind of at the place right now where I am tired of throwing money at my tank with out seeing a difference..bad part is it was beautiful until this point. Very frustrating.

[Angel*Fish]

Can you ramp up the skimming? Are you using any chaeto or other competing algae? Have you checked tds lately on the water?

Is the one a fish a giant grouper? if so, that is your problem

[Ohiomom]

Yep Marie..the grouper can not even turn around in the tank he just kind of hovers..lmao.

TDS is going to be checked today..may need to change some stuff. (going to flush the system) As far as skimming my skimmer is a cheap one but seriously I get half a cup of gunk every 3-4 day and with little bio load I think it is a lot.

[Angel*Fish]

Well I'm stumped - for what that's worth. I'm sure I don't know any more that you do, just thought I'd throw those ideas out there. That is interesting that you're getting lots of gunk with low bioload.

What kind of hair algae is it? Some people call bryopsis hair algae. If it's bryopsis, apparently now days it can begotten rid of by lowering the magnesium in your tank or something like that. I just started back in the hobby -- it used to be you'd almost have to throw the rock out (or cook it).

Good luck! And good luck with that grouper, too lol Here's a pic of me releasing mine back to the wild after he outgrew my 40g. my hair was shorter then.