live rocks dead ?

[amadent]

I'm relatively new to salt water aquariums, about nine months. I thought all was going well. The water was clear, fish seemed happy, and the live rocks looked like when I bought them. I then started testing for nitrates, nitrites ph, and ammonia. Ammonia was 0, nitrites were 0,ph was 8.0.but nitrates were off the scale. I started water changes once a week to bring the nitrates down to 40mg/l. I normally would run the light for about three hours a day ( 65 watt 50/50 compact ) in my 29 gallon bow. The rocks were starting to and did turn black. I was told to run the light for 11 to 12 hours a day. I've been doing this for about three weeks and not much improvement..I can see red and green (fuzz ) growing on the rocks along with algae blooms on the glass. My local fish guy gave me a product to replace the essential nutrients in the water. Not much help. I would appreciate if any one could help my tank.

 

[ryanhayes9]

Originally Posted by amadent
I'm relatively new to salt water aquariums, about nine months. I thought all was going well. The water was clear, fish seemed happy, and the live rocks looked like when I bought them. I then started testing for nitrates, nitrites ph, and ammonia. Ammonia was 0, nitrites were 0,ph was 8.0.but nitrates were off the scale. I started water changes once a week to bring the nitrates down to 40mg/l. I normally would run the light for about three hours a day ( 65 watt 50/50 compact ) in my 29 gallon bow. The rocks were starting to and did turn black. I was told to run the light for 11 to 12 hours a day. I've been doing this for about three weeks and not much improvement..I can see red and green (fuzz ) growing on the rocks along with algae blooms on the glass. My local fish guy gave me a product to replace the essential nutrients in the water. Not much help. I would appreciate if any one could help my tank.

could you possibly be able to get some pictures?

 

[bsd230]

The algae bloom should settle down. Hopefully you have a clean up crew (crabs, snails,starfish) that will help. If you don't I wouldn't add them until you get your nitrates lower. Inverts are sensitive to nitrates. If your live rock is turning black or white it is dead or dying (coralline algae). I would continue doing water changes. A protein skimmer would help. It seems to take a while to get your nitrates down and keep them there. I would try adding reef plus and reef complete by seachem. Try to keep your calcium between 400-450. You might also cut back on how much you are feeding your fish. Over feeding is one of the largest causes of nitrate problems. If your going to err on one side or the other, its better to underfeed.

 

[amadent]

bsd230 . thanks for the info. I have no clean up crew, but will try to get some