how to maintain live rocks

[caomt]

i been seeing some of my rocks losing alot of good color.. almost back to nothing.. anyone have any tips or how im suppose to keep the rocks in good color?

 

[amandal]

Some of the organisms on the rocks (sponges, other filter feeders, etc) may need to be spot-fed periodically with some sort of liquid food. Also, are you supplementing with any minerals? The organisms that give your rock color are no different than their larger cousins you would buy to stock a reef tank. They need similar care.
Do you have any pics of your rock? Is this a reef tank, or fish only?

 

[caomt]

its just a tank with rocks right now it doesnt have anything.. what types of supplements are you talking about?

 

[unleashed]

you may want to check your water maybe add some bacter vital(it helps add essential bacteria to new or older tanks,are you using lights on the tank yet?you should be running lights on them to promote growth.other than that just let the tank cycle as normal

 

[caomt]

my light is just regular light that comes with the eclipse filteration and illumination systems 3

 

[unleashed]

thos ewill be fine for a fish only tank or with LR just make sure your giving your racks a daylight time as if fish were in the tank running the filters and powerheads will also help reduce the bioload from die off from the rocks

 

[stanlalee]

if your talking about coralline algae (the purple/pink/green/red ect encrusting algae) it requires adequate calcium and stontium/molybdenum. mine that came on the rock maintained with regular normal output flourescent lighting but moderate power compact lighting has made mine grow thicker if not spread (I buy my rock locally and hand picked by me ensuring its already highly encrusted in coralline).

 

[thomas712]

Originally Posted by Stanlalee
if your talking about coralline algae (the purple/pink/green/red ect encrusting algae) it requires adequate calcium and stontium/molybdenum.
Agreed also a good flow or turnover rate is benificial for spreading coralline aglae. Also not just calcium but alkalinity should be looked at as well. A good water change schedual to help keep those levels up will help.
Thomas