Change of rock?

[Jay Hall]

Hey!!
In my tank I already have live rock.. but I really ante keen on it.. I know it helps with the bacteria for the tank and cycle stuff.. but it’s just constant lot getting algae on it.. I’ve had my water tested and it’s the PH that’s a little high but that’s due to my lionfish and how it eats.. ALWAYS GOING TI BE PH SPIKES!!! as I was told.. but I’ve noticed it’s only on the rock.. as if I was to change it to just dry rock maybe would that help at all to maybe keep it at bay? Or is there something I need in my sump to help prevent the algae!!

 

[LIreefguy]

your ph is too high
lionfish eating causing your ph to be high

excuse me but who ever is telling you this might be high himself

fish waste would cause the ph to lower not rise
and imo unless you did something horrible wrong your ph isnt too high

your rock isnt too bad
, i would just add more of a clean up crew.

try a mixture of snails , maybe mexican turbo snail and a few different hermits

yes the rock acts like a filter, there is all sorts of bacteria and life on there that helps turn that lionfish waste into something not harmful to it.

imo i wouldn't take the rock out

add some really easy corals, gsp, mushrooms, xenia, kenya .

then growing all over that rock will help with the look and they dont need a powerful light

any other questions please ask

ps stop asking that other guy for help,

 

[Jay Hall]

Hi, thank you for your reply, I have red leg hermits, a pink pin cushion urchins and a couple snails in there think I need more..

As for the guy he actually works in a salt water part of a fish shop lol..

I just want a nicer looking tank, even if I had that purple algae stuff but it’s a new ish set up, say 5 months now..

Yeah I’ll try them corals.. see how it goes..

Thanks again!! Really appreciate the advise

 

[LIreefguy]

Hi, thank you for your reply, I have red leg hermits, a pink pin cushion urchins and a couple snails in there think I need more..

As for the guy he actually works in a salt water part of a fish shop lol..

I just want a nicer looking tank, even if I had that purple algae stuff but it’s a new ish set up, say 5 months now..

Yeah I’ll try them corals.. see how it goes..

Thanks again!! Really appreciate the advise

just because he works in saltwater section, doesnt mean he knows what he is talking about

try gsp first, it grows like a weed and its very pretty imo

 

[brandon429]

100% of any substrate added to the tank w convert to that given time. You've been shown what selects in your tank with no hand guiding forcing otherwise.

take that purple rare quality rock out, work it clean, put back clean. good rock

don't mess with it in the water, tuning this and that. run the params your fish wants, handle gardening for reef dandelions separately.


we just jamb them up with a butter knife, no need to spray a bunch of stuff or replace sod.
my yard would be taken over by dandelions were it not for weekend activities, so it runs pristine

same w rock, lift it out section by section and rinse it under saltwater mixed up and roughly to spec. flush it clean, put back the rock. expect work in a high bioload high feed tank

buy a uv sterilizer meant for a pond off amazon and plumb that in creatively, greatly reduces your headaches.

 

[melanotaenia]

your tank is still relatively new so will go through different cycles of algae on the rocks, but once it settles in the rock should start to mature and look better as long as you keep up with maintenance. Adding new dry rock will just start the process all over again (which you don't want).

Great looking lionfish!

 

[Jay Hall]

your tank is still relatively new so will go through different cycles of algae on the rocks, but once it settles in the rock should start to mature and look better as long as you keep up with maintenance. Adding new dry rock will just start the process all over again (which you don't want).

Great looking lionfish!

Thanks I thought that.. but I’m just not good with patience .. and thanks for the compliment on the fish!!

The main reason I started the salt water side of fish keeping!!

Do you know roughly how long it’ll take to mature.. I do weekly water changes and cleans all the glass and base regularly.

Also I’m very unsure wether to have substrate or bare bottom? I know I should of thought of this before hand.. I did have sand in, but my return pump ended up blowing it all about and just looked TERRIBLE.. that pic is from a while ago as you can see the rock looks very clean lol

 

[LIreefguy]

i would go bare, its easier to keep clean.
what does your rock look like now.

if its the first pictures, its not so bad

just add more clean up crew

any longer algae might have to be hand removed. snails dont really eat algae once it gets to a certain level.

i have high nutrients in my tank but zero algae, i have a breeding population of trochus snails

i added a new tank to my system recently and it was covered in algae within a week or 2. everything in the tank was no and no bio-film on it. i keep taking snails out of my main and other tanks until all the algae was gone.

its nice have a breeding populations of snails, the food dictates how many will survive. just try adding more snails, try 4 big Mexican turbo snails, those monster eat like animals and add 10 banded trochus for a compliment

 

[Adventures In Reefing]

Any rock you put in there will eventually become live rock, in fact you will have more problems if you change it out in my opinion. More cleaners, a UV, GSP,CARBON a dual reactor from bulk reef would work great. You can clean the rocks in saltwater if you want but I would just let it take its course.

Don't blame the rock.

 

[W1ngz]

Thanks I thought that.. but I’m just not good with patience ..

Of all the challenges that a reef tank can have, this will be your most difficult.
You can't blame the rock for the natural cycle of algaes and other things that grow in the ecosystem you're creating. You also can't blame the sand for being blown around, if your powerheads are too powerful or not placed correctly.

You'll get a lot of good advice here. I really suggest you stop taking the advice of whoever said your lionfish is increasing your ph.

A tank can take a year to 18 months to mature if properly cared for.