Real reef rock

[Moneymike1]

Anyone here ever used the real reef rock? It's a man made type of live rock.

 

[Phranque]

I've got about 30lbs of it in my 28 nano, and, personally, I like the look of it & no pests/unwanted critters to worry about.

 

[Moneymike1]

I currently have it in my tank now and I'm wondering when it seeds my base rock what color the rock will change to? Will it match the real reef rock?

 

[Psychocircus91]

It won't turn your rock purple. Microscopic bacteria will spread. That's it. Good stuff nonetheless

 

[Moneymike1]

Ok sounds good to me haha how will I know if it's starting to work?

 

[Psychocircus91]

Ok sounds good to me haha how will I know if it's starting to work?

Is your tank cycling? It will speed up your cycle. If you added it to an established tank, it'll just look nice

 

[Moneymike1]

Tank has cycled. Rock is starting to grow a brownish green stuff on it. Could this be algae? It's only on the live reef rock? Not wanting my whole tank to turn green. Have two clowns currently in the tank.

 

[AquaRick]

The brown algae are probably diatoms. They'll go away soon enough once they consume all the silicates in your tank.

If you're noticing a lot of algae, you may be over feeding.

 

[Moneymike1]

The brown algae are probably diatoms. They'll go away soon enough once they consume all the silicates in your tank.

If you're noticing a lot of algae, you may be over feeding.

Ok not noticing a lot which is good! Feeding once every other day. Not to worried bout that however my nitrates are up to 20 ppm which does worry me.

 

[Moneymike1]

Any ideas how to get the nitrates down? I did a water change but didnt seem to help to much according to the test kit.

 

[Psychocircus91]

what filtration are you running

 

[Moneymike1]

Running a canister filter, protein skimmer then have that live rock for biological filtration.

 

[Psychocircus91]

Running a canister filter, protein skimmer then have that live rock for biological filtration.

Many people recommend against canister filters and call them nitrate factories, but perhaps someone with more experience with them will chime in

 

[Moneymike1]

I wonder if I can remove the sponges and us the canister for only chemical filtration? Wonder if this would cut down on nitrates?

 

[Dimdim]

They are trate factories no doubt. Im running a power filter on my nano ten gallon thing harbours trates like mad! My trate levels are always between 5 and 10. I went and built a very powerful nano airstone skimmer to comply as i dont have a sump to move water id ditch the canister filter IMO an ac 110 is easily converted into a refugium and way better bang for your buck on a sw reef

 

[Moneymike1]

This is what I have growing in the tank. It's only on the live rock not any of the glass or substrate.

 

[Psychocircus91]

Diatoms. Normal

 

[Supa Belle]

I have a sump and a canister filter with built in UV light. My water is clearer and cleaner looking and since I added the canister my nitrates have dropped a lot! But I'm running my canister filter in my sump not from the top of the tank. And my sump has a refugium.

 

[mr_X]

You could use the canister, but wash it out weekly.

 

[Moneymike1]

Ok sounds good ill prob stick with the canister for now since I just have fish but we will see when I start to add corals.