Should I keep this algae/moss on my rock or could this be harmful? this is my first time buying live rock and it came with this

clxtchsxns

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Looks to be a type of wire/turf algae. I would remove it and then do a localized 5 minute dip in peroxide. regular 3% works fine.

Just remove all you can, take a small paint brush or makeup brush to apply the h2o2 to the area where the algae was and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then rinse with some old tank water in bucket and place back in the tank. THis will not hurt the bacteria on the rock, as long as you do not douse the whole rock. Just want to nuke the area where the algae was and then rinse in old SW to remove any bits of algae and what is left of the h2o2.
 

brandon429

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Agreed

there are fifty links available showing that taking over full reefs and them nearly quitting. It doesn’t mean bad parameters, it means bad hitchhiker akin to traveling on a lone highway at night and then stopping to pick up a hitcher dressed in a scary clown mask.
 
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clxtchsxns

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Agreed

there are fifty links available showing that taking over full reefs and them nearly quitting. It doesn’t mean bad parameters, it means bad hitchhiker akin to traveling on a lone highway at night and then stopping to pick up a hitcher dressed in a scary clown mask.
It’s not for my reef tank it’s for my species only mantis tank will this still be okay? I’m not planning on having any coral and most likely will be using a fairly dim white light for max 4 hours at a day
 

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It’s not for my reef tank it’s for my species only mantis tank will this still be okay? I’m not planning on having any coral and most likely will be using a fairly dim white light for max 4 hours at a day
If for a mantis tank, sure. My mantis tank had lol types of macro and micro algae. Whelps to keep water clean. Just trim it from time to time and use it as the primary export of nutrients.
 
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clxtchsxns

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If for a mantis tank, sure. My mantis tank had lol types of macro and micro algae. Whelps to keep water clean. Just trim it from time to time and use it as the primary export of nutrients.
I’ve got a hob breeder box where I’m growing macro algae should I just chuck it in there?
 

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I’ve got a hob breeder box where I’m growing macro algae should I just chuck it in there?
I would leave it on the rock, if I was going to keep it. being as it is a rooting macro, it will more than likely do better on the rock, as opposed to free floating in a chamber.
 
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clxtchsxns

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I would leave it on the rock, if I was going to keep it. being as it is a rooting macro, it will more than likely do better on the rock, as opposed to free floating in a chamber.
Sorry I meant the bits I trim or should I just chuck it in the bin?
 
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clxtchsxns

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I would just chunk them, but that is me lol.
Hey Steve you said you own a mantis tank too do you have any advice for keeping ammonia down I have 5 nitrates 0 nitrites and 0.5 ammonia I dose bacteria every now and then but that much ammonia is coming from 1 mollie
 
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A Young Reefer

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Hey Steve you said you own a mantis tank too do you have any advice for keeping ammonia down I have 0 nitrates 0 nitrites and 0.5 ammonia I dose bacteria every now and then but that much ammonia is coming from 1 mollie
How old is the tank? If it’s still in its cycling phase then it’s completely normal to have ammonia, the live rock must help in speeding up your cycle (nitrogen cycle) but most importantly only add the mantis shrimp after you have made sure that there is no visible readings of ammonia.
 
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clxtchsxns

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How old is the tank? If it’s still in its cycling phase then it’s completely normal to have ammonia, the live rock must help in speeding up your cycle (nitrogen cycle) but most importantly only add the mantis shrimp after you have made sure that there is no visible readings of ammonia.
Its about a month old, it was going at 0.25 and I was going to wait till zero and then I had this spike. I’m not to worried and I’m gonna leave it for maybe another 2-3 weeks but I’m still a little confused as to how it got this high it’s a 10 gallon with one cycled tidal 35 a breeding box that I’m growing macro algae in and a cycled sponge filter inside the sand I had was from my cycled tank as well
 

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Its about a month old, it was going at 0.25 and I was going to wait till zero and then I had this spike. I’m not to worried and I’m gonna leave it for maybe another 2-3 weeks but I’m still a little confused as to how it got this high it’s a 10 gallon with one cycled tidal 35 a breeding box that I’m growing macro algae in and a cycled sponge filter inside the sand I had was from my cycled tank as well
Full tank shot? With a molly it should not be that high, unless you have something decaying in the rocks. Also, if using an API test kit, be sure to shake the crap out of the bottles before testing ammonia. If the bottles are low or not mixed, you get be getting a false reading. One thing I do in cycling tanks is to use a seachem ammonia badge. They work great for seeing if ammonia is really there at harmful levels. They react a little slow, but are good for general cycling readings.

As for tips, I gave my mantis away when I moved, but stability and heavy nutrient export is the best thing I can recommend. Mantis are very easy. You just have to keep a stable tank and keep the water clean.
 
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clxtchsxns

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Full tank shot? With a molly it should not be that high, unless you have something decaying in the rocks. Also, if using an API test kit, be sure to shake the crap out of the bottles before testing ammonia. If the bottles are low or not mixed, you get be getting a false reading. One thing I do in cycling tanks is to use a seachem ammonia badge. They work great for seeing if ammonia is really there at harmful levels. They react a little slow, but are good for general cycling readings.

As for tips, I gave my mantis away when I moved, but stability and heavy nutrient export is the best thing I can recommend. Mantis are very easy. You just have to keep a stable tank and keep the water clean.
That’s it there it’s not permanent and I plan on buying a new tank before the get my mantis it’s just to keep everything going so I can move it in to a bigger 20 gal and I’ll do another test by shaking.
cheers,
Clxtchsxns
 

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clxtchsxns

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A
That’s it there it’s not permanent and I plan on buying a new tank before the get my mantis it’s just to keep everything going so I can move it in to a bigger 20 gal and I’ll do another test by shaking.
cheers,
Clxtchsxns
Ah no different
 

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clxtchsxns

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I just smelt the rock and it definitely smelt a lil funky
A

Ah no different
Full tank shot? With a molly it should not be that high, unless you have something decaying in the rocks. Also, if using an API test kit, be sure to shake the crap out of the bottles before testing ammonia. If the bottles are low or not mixed, you get be getting a false reading. One thing I do in cycling tanks is to use a seachem ammonia badge. They work great for seeing if ammonia is really there at harmful levels. They react a little slow, but are good for general cycling readings.

As for tips, I gave my mantis away when I moved, but stability and heavy nutrient export is the best thing I can recommend. Mantis are very easy. You just have to keep a stable tank and keep the water clean.
i just took the rock out of the water and it smelt a little funky is there anything I can do to combat this or should I just remove the rock
 
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ying yang

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Never used the salifert amnonia test ( which I'm guessing that test in picture is ?) But all my other reef related tests are salifert and instructions say look down into vial when vial is on white part of test card next to colours unless if using 50% of the needed drops from bottle then look from side like your showing but if memory serves correct then you divide whatever colour amount is by 10 ?

Maybe read instructions again to see as looking through side gives a stronger colour
 

ying yang

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And is that test just nh3 or nh3+nh4 ? If both then need a tan conversion so that 0.5 would be something like 0.05 free amnonia ( toxic)
 
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clxtchsxns

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Never used the salifert amnonia test ( which I'm guessing that test in picture is ?) But all my other reef related tests are salifert and instructions say look down into vial when vial is on white part of test card next to colours unless if using 50% of the needed drops from bottle then look from side like your showing but if memory serves correct then you divide whatever colour amount is by 10 ?

Maybe read instructions again to see as looking through side gives a stronger colour
This one you look through the side and if you look through the top it’s completely wrong I removed the rock and put a piece of my non funky smelling cycled rock in instead i dosed a bit of stability and I’m gonna do a water change now thanks for your help Steve :)
 
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