Live rock tuning brown.

danelle

danelle

New Member
Ok I have a new 75 gallon tank which has been cycling for about a week. I have 4 chunks of Fiji Premium live rock bought from the LFS which are about 5lbs a piece the 2 chunks which have been in for the entire time are starting to turn brown. I know my lighting sucks. It is just a single tube perfecta which came with the tank. I have a few small purple spots but was wanting the whole thing covered with the purple. How do I do that?
 
cjason3041

cjason3041

Member
you WILL need to upgrade your lighting to pc's al least....but the stronger the light the more and faster the coraline growth...also need to monitor your calcium...but if you do not have big calcium hogs, and you do regular water changes that should be good
 
cjason3041

cjason3041

Member
power compact (high power flourcesent's) i am not a lighting expert, i would ask on the lighting forum for the correct info for your tank and needs
 
renogaw

renogaw

Active Member
coralline will come in time, and you may have to seed it. coralline does NOT need intense lighting, in fact i have it growing where there is no light at all. just take this time to read up on diatoms, cyano bacteria, and work out what you're going to want to put in for a clean up crew and other livestock. coralline is the least thing to worry about now :)
 
rbaldino

rbaldino

Active Member
Unless I'm mistaken, the brown probably doesn't really have anything to do with the lighting (directly, at least). Since your tank is still cycling, it sounds like a normal diatom bloom which is common in new tanks. Are there brown spots on the sand as well? The glass? Can you scrub the brown off with a toothbrush? If it is diatoms, I wouldn't worry about it too much right now. I do hope that you're using RO water...?
You will want better lighting later on, but more light now will only contribute to nuisance algae problems in your new tank. Once the cycle is complete, you may find that you have high phosphate levels, and a phosphate removal media might do you some good. For right now, wait it out.
 
cjason3041

cjason3041

Member
i had a tank with plain flourescent lighting and all the coraline died....it does need some light....or did i have a special breed??
 
wattsupdoc

wattsupdoc

Active Member
It doesnt need much light. It will grow in places which are dimly lit. Pc's arent necessary. The NO florescents will be fine for coraline growth.
 
shawnhardy

shawnhardy

Member
Originally Posted by cjason3041
i had a tank with plain flourescent lighting and all the coraline died....it does need some light....or did i have a special breed??
Did you maintain your calcium level around 400? That may have been more of the issue than your lighting...
 
renogaw

renogaw

Active Member
agree, mine started dying off with calcium around 340, now it's at or above 400 the stuff is growing like mad EVERYWHERE. my eggcrate down in my fuge is getting covered by it
 
nigerbang

nigerbang

Active Member
Originally Posted by renogaw
agree, mine started dying off with calcium around 340, now it's at or above 400 the stuff is growing like mad EVERYWHERE. my eggcrate down in my fuge is getting covered by it

Yup...I have coraline growing in my return lines...Kinda scary...all over inside the sump....No light what so ever in there...I do maintain calcium waaaay high though....But like I said..Maintain..everything stays inline for the most part..
 
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