Base Rock

[bobbbm]

Cindy at JC Aquatics was nice enough to get me 50LBS of Carrib base rock to top off my tank the stuff is great but man it is white. How long should it take to start to purple? Is that purple up stuff out of the question?

 

[billsreef]

Don't bother with the purple up. Just keep up your alk, calcium and magnesium levels and the purple stuff will grow

 

[onegreenray]

you need to seed it with some live rock. buy a few pounds of live rock from someone local or the pet store and add it to the display tank.

then it can take from 6 months to a year to really get encrusted. that is depending on you calcium levels and such.

one question are you using a sand bed or bare bottom? if a sand bed ask around and see if you can get a couple of cups of sand from other members to help kick start the sand bed. everyone has different little critters living in there sand so the more you have the faster the tank will cycle and help break down waste.

 

[bobbbm]

Ohh sorry ray I wasnt clear... I have around 80 LBS of live rock already and a refuge with a DSB as well as 2" of live sand in the tank I am just being Inpatient

 

[pyro383]

give it 3 months

 

[onegreenray]

ya time is the only pain at this point. i agree with what bill said then. lol

 

[notyet]

i've heard some people say that you can speed the process by turning off your skimmer and then scrubbing some of your existing coraline algae with a toothbrush to loosen some spores up... do that, wait an hour or so, and then turn your skimmer back on...