Live rock is turning color, please help (pics)

[stradt03]

I got 80 lbs from lr.com about 4 days ago then another 40lbs showed up today, I placed the new stuff in teh tank and noticed a HUGE difference in color between the two shipments of rock, the new stuff was bright purple and the old stuff was still purple-ish but nowhere near as bright. It looked as if there is a light brown/tan coating on the rock....is this normal?....diatoms?......rock dying?

edit*****due to the forum auto abbreviations you will have to copy the links into your browser...thanks*****

first pic is of old rock:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stradt14/detail?.dir=19ac&.dnm=7237.jpg

second pic is of the new stuff....in real life it is much brighter than the first batch or rock.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stradt14/detail?.dir=19ac&.dnm=5ea2.jpg&.src=ph

third is of the tank and rock...nothing special
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stradt14/detail?.dir=19ac&.dnm=6b34.jpg&.src=ph

150 gall.
4th week of cycling process.

thanks alot

Jason

 

[Salttanker]

What type of lighting are you using currently? You may also want to make sure your calcium is in check, which helps the Coraline algae grow.

Mike

 

[stradt03]

lighting is 2 36" 50/50 actinic coralife 6000K bulbs.

what level should the calcium be at to promote the growth?

thx

 

[seaham358]

Its a new set up and the rock was just shipped in?? your going to have die off on the rock its normal. Seeing the tank is new your calcium should be ok for now with fresh saltwater in the tank.
Let the tank cycle first and then worry about prober calcium and alkalinity levels. IMO you dont want to be using additives while the tank is in cycle.
Read up on coraline algae on the site, there are tons of post on this subject....
Sit back and don't worry while the tank cycles only keep track of that for now, that will be enough..
test kits needed to start...
ammonia,nitrite, nitrate, calcium, alkalinity and PH. If you start seeing algae issues the phosphates would be a good one to pick up.

 

[stradt03]

well teh tank has been cycling for three weeks now, the ammonia spiked at 1.0 and is currently at 0.4 (since I've put the PR in, so I believe its on the decline....i hope

 

[seaham358]

If the Lr was shipped in you may get another cycle from the die off. so don't think its over yet..

 

[stradt03]

yeah the rock was shipped over night from LR.com

 

[malkore]

it sounds like maybe the first shipment got a little too hot in transport, and had more die off than the second shipment.