Where to add live rock rubble.

[CJWilliams]

Hi all. I'm looking at buying some live rock and live sand from Tampa Bay Saltwater (the Pico Package) to battle some algae issues. My tank is 23 weeks old (including 4 week cycle). Started with cured dry rock. Nutrients have remained less than 6.0 Nitrate and less than 0.04 Phosphate since last November.

I was wondering, should I put this rock in a dark place of my sump, in the DT, or split between the two? My concern with the DT is that it might introduce new nuisance algaes, but if it were "dark rubble" I would get the benefits without feeding the new issues right? I do not have any coraline algae, so I was hopeing this would seed that as well. Maybe that is the case for the DT?

Also going to step up my CUC. Currently only have 10x Nassarius, 5x Cerith, 5x Turbo, 5x Bumblebee, 1x Fighting Conch.

Here's some pics for reference (these are before I cleaned, fuge, glass and sandbed are much better now). 130 Gallon DT. Fish only, will begin expanding to coral (softies and LPS) this summer.

 

[Katrina71]

I'd sump it

 

[paragrouper]

I added one of their 8 lb. Treasure chests to my DT.

before I did, I put It in an 18gal. Brute bucket with a heater and a powerhead. I then put in an Bristleworm trap (wife can’t stand them) and a couple of peppermint shrimp.

I kept it in quarantine for about 7 days and checked it daily. I pulled any undesirables at that time, before it hit the display tank.

 

[CJWilliams]

I added one of their 8 lb. Treasure chests to my DT.

before I did, I put It in an 18gal. Brute bucket with a heater and a powerhead. I then put in an Bristleworm trap (wife can’t stand them) and a couple of peppermint shrimp.

I kept it in quarantine for about 7 days and checked it daily. I pulled any undesirables at that time, before it hit the display tank.

That's a great idea. Bristleworms didn't cross my mind. What did the peppermint shrimp do for you? Are they for aiptasia?

 

[danimal1211]

@brandon429 is this ripclean material?

 

[paragrouper]

That's a great idea. Bristleworms didn't cross my mind. What did the peppermint shrimp do for you? Are they for aiptasia?

Yes, I put them in there to look for Aiptasia. When I transferred the rock to my DT, they went in as well.

 

[bshonesy]

Will you update this either way with how you fare against this turf algae and what you think has any effect? I have the same problem and have just been manually removing but am about to start trying some non-chemical approaches like you.

 

[jabberwock]

In my opinion, the live rock won't solve your algae issues. The problem with dry rock is that it is a blank canvas. Sooooo many blank places for things to take a foothold. You won't get algae on your real ocean live rock because the real estate is already spoken for on a micro level.

 

[CJWilliams]

@brandon429 is this ripclean material?

I had to look this up. Sounds like a lot of work. I can probably pull the couple of island rocks and scrub them pretty easy but I'd like to try something else first.

I honestly haven't tried to deal with this at all. I thought this was just the "ugly phase" of a new tank and it would sort itself out. I think I had the lights on too bright. My parameters has never been bad and it's fish only so I didn't care much. But now I want to address this over the next 5-6 months or so before I start a reef.

Current plan:
- Add live rock / live sand from TBS
- Expand CUC
- Plumb my UV filter (have had one the whole time but never installed it)
- Lower light levels (only have single XR15 but reduced levels from 60% down to 30%). Shortened light time in the fuge by 3 hours. My chaeto grows very well and I'm constantly removing some.

 

[CJWilliams]

In my opinion, the live rock won't solve your algae issues. The problem with dry rock is that it is a blank canvas. Sooooo many blank places for things to take a foothold. You won't get algae on your real ocean live rock because the real estate is already spoken for on a micro level.

You don't think it will help seed the rest of the rock? Maybe I can "starve" this out before adding by keeping the lights off for a couple weeks.

 

[jabberwock]

You don't think it will help seed the rest of the rock? Maybe I can "starve" this out before adding by keeping the lights off for a couple weeks.

It will add WAY MORE diverse bacteria, and seed the rock, but that dry rock is just such a vacuum for algae to take a foothold. Check my build thread. I am a TBS advocate for sure.