is there a way to...

[Kengaroo131]

is there a way to clean live rock without messing it up even if you can mess it up. also i'v been getting this brown and greenish algae groth all over the sand bed and a little on the rocks is there a way to control this? the tank is 7 weeks old as of today. (3/28/07) any kind of help would be great. Thanks!

 

[zoomfish1]

The algea you are having are diatoms. Very normal and expected in a new tank. There are a few more algea blooms coming your way also.

All you need to do for your rock is maybe blow off detritus with a turkey baster or a powerhead. Really no need to clean it. You want the coraline algea to build on the rocks. Most of the beneficial bacteria that dosen't live in the sandbed lives in the crevices of the live rock.

To control future algea problems, keep a tight reign on nitrates and phosphates; keep plenty of flow in the tank and watch the light cycle. A shorter cycle will also help keep the algea down a bit.

There are sticky threads at the top of this forum you can check out. I believe Waterkeeper pinned his name to them. Very helpful reading for new guys and gals. Hope this helps some.

 

[Kengaroo131]

yes im sure it will thanks a bunch!

 

[alexb518]

like zoomfish said, it's normal and you should expect this. throw in some hermits or snails so they clean your rocks up for you.

 

[drummereef]

Yup, totally normal for new tanks to go through a diatom and hair algae bloom. Once the cycle is completely over you can add a cleanup crew to help. It should pass on its own and with the help of the crew. If you aren't already, I'd suggest using RO/DI water for your water source.