bleached live rock???

[purplexfiles]

Our new tank is nearing the cycling phase. We have live sand, 50 pounds live rock. Originally, the rock was fairly colored. Now, after three weeks it seems to be bleached--very white. We went thru the usual algae blooms. We have only cleanup crew, no fish.
Water parameters:
PH 8.0
Trate: 10
Ammon 0
Trite 0
AlK 8

 

[Scuba_Dave]

What do you have for lights?

 

[purplexfiles]

We have VHO and Metal Halide. We have been running the lights--is that our mistake?

 

[jeffb3t]

Give it some time and you will have some nice pinks and purples showing. I had some colorful rock fade when I set up my newest tank and after a few weeks it is starting to come back.

 

[purplexfiles]

Thanks, we'll wait for color!

 

[boxfishpooalot]

If there is no living things in it, its going to internally clean itself and turn white.Wich is good, the whiter the better, although corraline is a sighn of healthy aquarium. Colored rocks(other than corraline corvered) like brown fuzzy ones with green/brown/red ect algae growing on it are unhealthy and indicates a tank leading to Eurtrophication(sandy,silty, algae overburden trophic state) Wich would not keep corals alive very well, imo.

Even if nitrates are there, it indicates that the color that was there previously was eaten by bacteria and processed into nitrate. Eventullay when you add food inputs, with the livestock, your phosphates will rise, nitrates and depending on your filtration/ bottom sand media(or no substrate-bb) you will begin to see color again.

Enjoy it while it lasts