Scrubbing rock

[lovelyepona]

When I first set up my tank I got LR, what I didn't know is that it had some hair algea.
Right now my tank hasn't even fully cycled yet, and the only thing I have in the tank is a couple small frags, that were given to me. (they fit on a dime together) and the hitchhikers that came with the rock (a tiny blue leg hermit, and lil bitty star fish).
My ammonia level won't quit twitching, but everything else seems to be going down. My question is. Can I scrub the LR with the hair algea? Thats what I was told to do but I'm not so sure about doing it. When I took it out of the tank to look at it, it smelled, (could be why my tank has been taking so long to drop its ammonia for the final time).
Will it hurt to scrubb the hair algea on it? I can't put anything that will get rid of it in the tank right now, and it seems to be spreading.

 

[lovelyepona]

Anyone???

 

[javajaws]

Scrub the rocks good...get all the algea and dirt off, then dunk and swish in a bucket of saltwater. Repeat as necessary.

 

[szwab]

get a tooth brush or something similair fill a bucket half way with tank water and brush off the algea if you like swish it off in the bucket of water and put it back in the tank.

When you say long time what time frame are we talking?

scrubbing the algea off will do minimal damage IMO make sure you swish it off or all that got scubbed will end up back in the tank.

 

[lovelyepona]

Thank you Java, off to clean stinky LR...

 

[lovelyepona]

Well the first time it spiked it went down to zero within a few days, then after a couple of dsays it went to .25, and now its been at .5 for a week. I know its still cycling, I just thought you had lil spikes and then it went down. Not stay at a certain level for so long.

 

[TekCat]

A few things I want to add:
- when you're going to do scrubbing also flush gunk out of LR's pores and holes with turkey baster.
- Run skimmer wet.
- Don't be afraid to do moderate water changes ~25 - 50% until cycle completes. (just make sure salinity and temperature of your new water matches your tank water)

 

[NCreefwannabe]

I have the same issue, but i got my LR dirt cheap because of the algea, so i powerwashed mine lol. Using it for my base rock now. You do not want hair algea in the tank at all.

 

[lovelyepona]

I've been doing 25% water changes weekly since the beginning. So I've got that covered.
I keep forgetting to buy a turkey baster, so I ended up rinsing the crap out of it.
I had a fission nano skimmer (20g tank), but it wasn't working right so I returned it. I can't seem to find a skimmer small enough for this tank, that I can afford at this point. It'll be a fututre purchase.

 

[javajaws]

I don't like turkey basters...too slow for me. I like to use a powerhead and blow the rocks with it. I just catch all the detritus when it goes down the overflow with a filter sock (removed a couple hours after the "hurricane").

Don't worry about the ammonia staying at one level too much...it'll do different things in different tanks. The important part is clean the rock, keep cleaning the rock, keep the detritus out, keep the ammonia to a reasonable level, and just wait it out.

A skimmer will really help you out. Do you have a sump to put one in or do you need a hang-on-back? How many gallons is this tank?

 

[capthtfd]

remember you do not need any light for fish only and you do not have any corals so leave the lights off that will help reduce the algea do water changes and remove as much of the hair algea that you can by pulling it off the rock make sure you dont over feed the fish you do have and check your phosphate levels good luck

 

[lovelyepona]

I don't have fish, I have two small frags, so I have to have the light for at least six hours.
Rock looks better than it did after the scrubbing. Didn't smell anymore when I was done.
Thank you all for the advice!

 

[NCreefwannabe]

You could see if your local fish store would babysit them for a week or so, that way you could just cook the rock.

 

[lovelyepona]

No, and I'm not sure cooking my rock is a really a good thing. I'll up the movement in the tank, keep lighting down to 5-6 hours a day and when the tank is ready add some iverts who will eat it.

 

[szwab]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6581278#post6581278 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lovelyepona
No, and I'm not sure cooking my rock is a really a good thing. I'll up the movement in the tank, keep lighting down to 5-6 hours a day and when the tank is ready add some iverts who will eat it.

sounds like you are on the right track

 

[NCreefwannabe]

Cooking it is your best bet... The only way your going to get rid of it is from no light or cooking it. By the time you get a fish that "MAY" actually eat it, it will have been growing alot longer. The longer you wait the worse it is lol.