lady becca
Member
I am noticing that our crushed coral substrate is starting to get pink patches on it. What is it? How do I get rid of it?
Crushed Coral substrate turning Pink!
- Thread starter lady becca
- Start date
T
therock0861
Guest
First of all let me try and get some info from you. What are your water parameters at? How long have you had it set up for? Is there live rock in the tank? What lighting and live stock do you have? The pink stuff isn't coralline algae. It is an undesirable algae that I can't recall the name of but I will find it. Give this information and we will be able to help you better.
lady becca
Member
Ok. Well this is going to sound wierd.
We set up our tank 3 weeks ago. We have 75lbs of Live Rock. 80lbs of crushed coral. All water parameters are 0. Salinity is 1.023. PH = 8.2.
We have 1 Kenya Tree soft coral, 4 mushrooms, 2 green hairies.
and 3 oscellaris clownfish.
The water parameters have been 0 since we set up the tank. The fish are extremely active and happy. The corals are very open. We have a ton of pods and a hitchhiking mini star fish.
We set up our tank 3 weeks ago. We have 75lbs of Live Rock. 80lbs of crushed coral. All water parameters are 0. Salinity is 1.023. PH = 8.2.
We have 1 Kenya Tree soft coral, 4 mushrooms, 2 green hairies.
and 3 oscellaris clownfish.
The water parameters have been 0 since we set up the tank. The fish are extremely active and happy. The corals are very open. We have a ton of pods and a hitchhiking mini star fish.
T
therock0861
Guest
I think you may be too early in the process to be adding corals. I would hold off on adding anything more until you see some kind of a cycle. What kind of tests are you using to test your parameters and how old are they? I would remove the crushed coral as soon as practical becase it will quickly become a detrius trap and you will definitely have more run ins with this algae. I would get sand or some other aragonite based substrate. Crushed coral definitely not the preferred method either way. What kind of lighting do you currently have? Not trying to be too mean so please don't take it that way and by the way welcome to the board where you will definitely find the answers to your questions.
lady becca
Member
The substrate is aragonite. We have a Power compact light.
You are not being mean at all. I am just looking for some kind of answers.
The live rock we have was completely cured. And sat in our very trusted friend-supplier tanks for 3 weeks before we got our tank in.
Even he said that our cycling would be at a very low minimum. He really didn't think we would have any cycling show up.
Our tests are new. We are using Aquarium systems Fastest. We have not had any readings for Ammonia, Nitrate or Nitrite.
You are not being mean at all. I am just looking for some kind of answers.
The live rock we have was completely cured. And sat in our very trusted friend-supplier tanks for 3 weeks before we got our tank in.
Even he said that our cycling would be at a very low minimum. He really didn't think we would have any cycling show up.
Our tests are new. We are using Aquarium systems Fastest. We have not had any readings for Ammonia, Nitrate or Nitrite.
T
therock0861
Guest
Ok what kind of water are you using for your aquarium and top offs? There is a source of the problem and we need to find it.
sammystingray
Active Member
I would simply vaccum the CC with a syphon. Crushed coral needs to be cleaned regularly anyway. If you are new to the hobby, just ask at the store for a vaccum to clean the crushed coral....they'll know.
lady becca
Member
We use RO water.
I thought syphoning was bad.
I thought syphoning was bad.
sammystingray
Active Member
Syphoning live sand is bad....crushed coral traps debri and needs to be cleaned.
sammystingray
Active Member
Actually, if it's the start of cyanobacteria (red slime), then you may have nutrient pockets in the CC already. Just my opinion.
lady becca
Member
I was thinking and I looked on the Carib Sea website to find out what substrate I put in the tank (I remember the bag). This is what I used Seaflor Special Grade Reef SandTM From CaribSea. It is bigger sized than plain sand, but not as big at the crushed coral. So maybe I have an ok substrate?
So with that information, how do I clean it?
So with that information, how do I clean it?
sammystingray
Active Member
livesand should contain tons of life that actually clean the bed, and you would suck the creatures out of the sand. Many creatures are too small to even see really. Dead sand could be syphoned, but it's a pain because it clogs the syphon.
lesleybird
Active Member
Originally posted by Lady Becca
I am noticing that our crushed coral substrate is starting to get pink patches on it. What is it? How do I get rid of it?
I had some in a tank once that grew purple coraline algea on it. If that is what it is, it is a good thing. Lesley