Help! Live rock turning white!?

mxmarks · 02/20/2008, 08:35 PM

It's been 4 days that my live rock has been in my tank. The lights are all set with an automatic timer (2 daylight and 2 actinic).

I haven't done a water change yet because Im still attempting to aquire everything I need to do so (need a heater, airstone) but I sware where I used to have green and purple coraline algae it is now turning white!

There is what I suspect to be some brown algae growing on it now, which I know I can get rid of, but the fact that I used to have such cool colors and now seems to be TOTALLY going white on me is upsetting.

Is this possible? Am I just being paranoid and it was most likely there to begin with?

I've only had the rock in a week so have been checking the nitrates every other day, to see when the spike happens. This is fully cured rock in a tank that was empty before hand. It a 75 gallon tank.

Yesterday I added some calcium to the tank, as I read that helped. Please let me know if this is really happening, or if I'm going nuts!

Aquarist007 · 02/20/2008, 08:50 PM

its probably corraline algae dying off from the live rock. It will come back after a couple of months when your tank parameters have stabilized

Aquarist007 · 02/20/2008, 08:53 PM

you won't need to add or dose anything in your tank for the next couple of months. Regular water changes will take care of calcium, magnesium, alkalinty and ph levels.
right now just monitor ammonia and nitrate levels so you know when your tank has cycled.

demonsp · 02/20/2008, 09:01 PM

Cut main light time back and bring up slowly to reduce alge blooms and reduce coraline die off.

mxmarks · 02/21/2008, 01:14 PM

Ive started cutting the light time back. So I shouldn't worry too much?

After the cycle is over the coraline will start to grow back, and my CUC will take care of the brown algae?

seapug · 02/21/2008, 01:33 PM

Dying coralline algae usually points to an Alkalinity problem, which is common with new tanks. I'm an advocate of doing water changes and using baking soda to maintain alkalinity on a cycling tank to prevent this from happening, but as mentioned above, it will regrow once things have settled.

dileggi · 02/21/2008, 01:34 PM

I wouldn't worry much at all. Any chance the white looks like a glossy white?

As for the coraline, with proper levels it will grow back in time. Sometimes within a few weeks to a two months you may notice it coming back.

As for the brown algae, this is normal. Diatoms from the curing of rock and possibly live sand if that's what you used. Part of the cycle and the CUC should clean it up.

My hermits and and astrea snails cleared my sand and rocks up once they were added. The astrea also did a great job on the glass as well.

mxmarks · 02/21/2008, 05:39 PM

I never knew a Flyers fan could make a Washington Caps fan feel so much better!

Thanks for the advice and good luck with the rest of the season!

fattyratrat · 02/21/2008, 05:49 PM

I think the brown algae may be that kind that is caused by exess crap settling in the rocks (forgot the name of it). Try sticking a powerhead right towards a rock... if a bunch of white dusty stuff comes out, you need more flow in your tank to get rid of that...

dileggi · 02/21/2008, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mxmarks
I never knew a Flyers fan could make a Washington Caps fan feel so much better!

Thanks for the advice and good luck with the rest of the season!

LOL! At the rate they're going, we're going to make the other 29 teams happy all season long! Good luck to you as well!

Aquarist007 · 02/21/2008, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by seapug
Dying coralline algae usually points to an Alkalinity problem, which is common with new tanks. I'm an advocate of doing water changes and using baking soda to maintain alkalinity on a cycling tank to prevent this from happening, but as mentioned above, it will regrow once things have settled.

agreed alkalinity levels of 11-12 can be inducive to corraline growing

02/20/2008, 08:35 PM	#1
mxmarks Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Liverpool, NY Posts: 122	Help! Live rock turning white!? It's been 4 days that my live rock has been in my tank. The lights are all set with an automatic timer (2 daylight and 2 actinic). I haven't done a water change yet because Im still attempting to aquire everything I need to do so (need a heater, airstone) but I sware where I used to have green and purple coraline algae it is now turning white! There is what I suspect to be some brown algae growing on it now, which I know I can get rid of, but the fact that I used to have such cool colors and now seems to be TOTALLY going white on me is upsetting. Is this possible? Am I just being paranoid and it was most likely there to begin with? I've only had the rock in a week so have been checking the nitrates every other day, to see when the spike happens. This is fully cured rock in a tank that was empty before hand. It a 75 gallon tank. Yesterday I added some calcium to the tank, as I read that helped. Please let me know if this is really happening, or if I'm going nuts!

02/20/2008, 08:50 PM	#2
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	its probably corraline algae dying off from the live rock. It will come back after a couple of months when your tank parameters have stabilized __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

02/20/2008, 08:53 PM	#3
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	you won't need to add or dose anything in your tank for the next couple of months. Regular water changes will take care of calcium, magnesium, alkalinty and ph levels. right now just monitor ammonia and nitrate levels so you know when your tank has cycled. __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

02/21/2008, 01:33 PM	#6
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	Dying coralline algae usually points to an Alkalinity problem, which is common with new tanks. I'm an advocate of doing water changes and using baking soda to maintain alkalinity on a cycling tank to prevent this from happening, but as mentioned above, it will regrow once things have settled. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

02/21/2008, 01:34 PM	#7
dileggi Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: S. Philly PA Posts: 1,171	I wouldn't worry much at all. Any chance the white looks like a glossy white? As for the coraline, with proper levels it will grow back in time. Sometimes within a few weeks to a two months you may notice it coming back. As for the brown algae, this is normal. Diatoms from the curing of rock and possibly live sand if that's what you used. Part of the cycle and the CUC should clean it up. My hermits and and astrea snails cleared my sand and rocks up once they were added. The astrea also did a great job on the glass as well. __________________ Eric "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist." - Usual Suspects Current Tank Info: 90g w/30g sump; skimmer; 2x175w MH & 2x super white actinic...3g w/.5g fuge 1x150w MH Viper

02/20/2008, 09:01 PM	#4
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Cut main light time back and bring up slowly to reduce alge blooms and reduce coraline die off.

02/21/2008, 01:14 PM	#5
mxmarks Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Liverpool, NY Posts: 122	Ive started cutting the light time back. So I shouldn't worry too much? After the cycle is over the coraline will start to grow back, and my CUC will take care of the brown algae?

02/21/2008, 05:39 PM	#8
mxmarks Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Liverpool, NY Posts: 122	I never knew a Flyers fan could make a Washington Caps fan feel so much better! Thanks for the advice and good luck with the rest of the season!

02/21/2008, 05:49 PM	#9
fattyratrat Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 278	I think the brown algae may be that kind that is caused by exess crap settling in the rocks (forgot the name of it). Try sticking a powerhead right towards a rock... if a bunch of white dusty stuff comes out, you need more flow in your tank to get rid of that...