Hello - New Here! Cured Live Rock, got white stuff - what is it?

[soondubu]

hi, just started tanks last month.
60g, salt water, salinity 1.023.
no idea what any of the other measurements are since i'm still waiting for the test kits to arrive by mail.
dechlorinated water, instant ocean mix, and live aragonite sand.
when the temp and salinity was right, the LFS said i can get damsels.
i got six of them.
i also got the bak pak 2r protein skimmer.
the wet/dry filter too.
45lbs of live rock from the LFS, they said i can put it right into the tank since they are already cured.
transit time was less than an hour.
the thing is... some of the pink and green stuff has now changed color to white. what is that stuff and should i be worried?
all this fish are still active and eating well.

thanks! any opinion and enlightenment would be appreciated

 

[737mech]

Sounds like coralline algae die off. It will come back, just give it some time. Mine did the same thing. What kinda lighting do you have over your tank?

 

[soondubu]

cool.
my lights are just regular flourescent lights.
the LFS told me that i wouldn't need fancy lights till i am ready to get corals.
should i get some snails and crabs in the interim?
didn't evenknow that i had coraline algae!
thought i was killing all of my live rock, but if they're gonna grow back, that's even better!!!
thanks!
should i wait to get more rocks then?

 

[zap800]

those plain lights might not be enough for the tank. regular strip lights dont penitrate deep enough in the tank with the correct lighting. thats my .02$

 

[rkhlk]

Sounds like your off to a great start but it doesn't seem right to add fish to a tank if you don't know any of the parameters of the water. If your tank hasn't cycled yet you may be putting them damsels in for a rough ride.. take your time, keep reading these forums keep a close eye on your live rock, every time i add a piece of live rock to my tank I always seem to get an extra little hitchhiker with it (bristle worm, small snail or feather duster) which are all good
welcome and enjoy
rkhlk