Help With My Rock

[Devin98]

I need some help here, I started my tank with Walt Smith Live Rock 50lbs of it, however when I received it I think it was on the runway in the sun for a little to long as it seemed all dead, I cycled it in a tub for about a month with my EuroReef skimmer until the Nitrates reached zero.

I have had the tank setup for about 6 months now and everything was going fine for the first 2 months but for the past four my rocks became covered by this algae and I am getting no coraline growth at all.

I took about 15lbs of well aged live rock from display tanks from two local fish stores that very solid purple with coraline they seem to have remained purple.

The algae is not a big problem as I can manage that pretty easily but the coraline growth is something strange.

I also have this strange problem with my Digitata, for the first few months it was growing like crazy and had amazing polyp extension however for the past 4 months I get great color but hardly no growth and no polyp extension during the day but at night it is amazingly fuzzy.

I just tested everything again tonight and here is where my tank stands

Alk - 12DKh
Ph - 8.1 (Tested At Night)
No3 - 2ppm
Po4 - 0ppm
Ca - 450ppm

Tank is a 50Gallon
2 x150W DE 20K XM
2 x T5 HO Blue
Deltec PF501 CA Reactor
EuroReef RS80 Skimmer
15 Gallon Sump No Fuge

Any ideas?

-Devin

 

[sharuq1]

Lovely hammer coral.

Is the algae you are talking about that red stuff? It looks alot like cyano on the picture. Tell us about your flow in the tank.

Also, as to the digi, perhaps it has decided there is too much light in its current location?

 

[Devin98]

The cyano is a problem but I can deal with that waiting for more phosban for my reactor. Its the green/brown thick algae.

 

[Devin98]

anyone?

 

[Reefing102]

not sure what the algae is but are the Halide bulbs 6 months old as well? Usually halides will start losing spectrum (not really visible to the human eye) around 6 - 8 months of age

 

[Devin98]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11988714#post11988714 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefing102
not sure what the algae is but are the Halide bulbs 6 months old as well? Usually halides will start losing spectrum (not really visible to the human eye) around 6 - 8 months of age

Actually that was one of my thoughts they were on since the start and were not the best bulbs (cheap chinese bulbs) I replaced a few days ago with XM bulbs.

 

[Gools]

I think it's a growing pain your still in. Your tank is still new only 6 months. Your going to battle algae problem, wethier they are big or small problem, just part of the maturing process. Your parameters are all good. As for your digi, well corals do what they do, they can grow like mad, or not budge for years as some of my acro's did, then sprouted. as long as it's still alive, and showing good polyp extension day or night, then everything sounds fine.