pH and Nitrites - Page 2

[Gozer_1]

Very true about coraline. My coraline algae does best in the shady areas of the tank. I purchased a nice rock with good coraline on it only to find it bleaching out after a couple weeks. When I moved the rock lower to a more shaded place the coraline snapped right back. The rock was also home to a nice size colony of feather dusters. They have thrived since being moved to the shade. As for cycling in the dark, I don't think it would matter as long as it's just some rocks and sand. I believe some light would be beneficial though. Your coraline is not really gonna take off until after you're cycled and stable. I've actually been looking into coraline algae lately. Mine has never been really strong. I started using Purple Up and had little results until I resupplied my stock in SeaChem Reef Trace. The combination of the two seems to be really doing the trick. The fact is, you're gonna have issues when you start out. Seems everyone goes through the brown algae stage then the green, then macro until finally everything reaches a balance. It could take months for a tank to really come into it's prime. I'm just glad I haven't had to deal with aiptasia anemones. (Knock on wood)

 

[bhcaaron]

Why would macro be a problem? I'm actually going to buy macro algae; Maiden's Hair, Turtleweed, Lettuce, Chaetomorpha, and shaving bush.

 

[Gozer_1]

I personally believe Macro belongs in the refugium only and only if you really want it there. I would never intentionally put macros in my display. They can grow like crazy. A reef tank is enough work on its own without spending a bunch of time trimming algea. A few are OK and can look nice but mostly not worth the effort IMO. I do have some red macro going that I let go but it is very slow growing. So I guess it really depends on personal taste and a willingness to maintain. My live rock came with the red as well as some slow green macros (no idea what they are) so I guess as long as they grow slow it would be OK. I think mine would grow faster if I had a stronger light. I wouldn't plan for any Macros until your tank is cycled and growing and you find out what you already have on your rock. If you get wild rock, you will get some macro, and once macros get ahold they are very difficult to get rid of. Not sure about aquacultures live rock. I got mine from Haiti. I try to buy aquacultured but wild rock is the most diverse. So yeah don't buy hitchhikers till you know what's already there.

 

[bhcaaron]

Wow! More to think about! See what you did!!! lol I've actually recently been wondering about that (hitchhikers and all). Did you see my Tampa Bay Saltwater thread? go to the site and look at the LONG list of hitchhikers!

 

[Gozer_1]

Oh man the one little peice of rock I mentioned ended up having dusters, dusterless, caulerpa, some red bubble like algea, I believe 2 or 3 baby starfish that never come out, 4 or 5 snails I have yet to identify, some small OK bristle worms, some weird pink crystal looking things that mostly died off after I got it, and who knows what else. That rock is only about 3 by 5 inches and maybe an inch thick. (Its also FijI rock and looks kind of weird in with the Haitian. (no not the Heroes Haitian )

 

[bhcaaron]

What one little piece? Heroes Haitian?

So I'm guessing you just bought another piece of rock or, it just arrived? I learned that mixing the types of rock is good since it mixes and adds to the quantity and diversity of living organisms including bacteria that are needed. Its kind of an upgrade to your live filtration.

 

[Gozer_1]

Nah I've had the rock for about a month now. I suppose it would help to mix it up with different rocks but at the same time having all one kind is natural. The FijI Rock looks a lot different too so I think mixing it up might give it a hodge podge look unless planned out properly. I have all the rock I really need so I'm pretty much set with Haitian.

On the show Heroes there is a Haitian character by the way.

 

[bhcaaron]

Ah... I used to be a TV junkie. I'm not that much anymore. I hardly turn on the TV now, especially since I'm always learning about my future fishies on-line now.

 

[Peterpiper]

When things aren't falling off anymore? Lol

One thing I did actually read is when there is a fresh ocean smell to the rock and no longer a foul odor.

No good! tried it and nearly drowned

 

[bhcaaron]

OMG! ROTFL! PeterPipper! ahahahahaha