Picked up/Bought used tank... Need help!

[zincoxide]

Okay,
I just picked up the tank that i have been posting about over the last few days. I have attached 5 pictures of the live rock that the guy gave me.
As mentioned before he didn't take care of the tank at all and that was one of the reasons that he decided to sell it.
It is a 90g tank but I have not set it up yet. He was suppose to include 1 piece of live rock (the first picture - it has the most coraline algae) and put it in a bucket that when I got home I was going to throw a pump and a heater in.
Instead, the guy decided to include ALL of the live rock - very nice i guess but in the process he decided to put them in a box with newspaper around the pieces instead of in a bucket.
Which leads me to my first problem.... I was NOT prepared for that. I have NO saltwater supplies yet and as I was expecting the water to come with it, I figured I would be okay for a day or two (as long as I had a pump and a heater - which I do). WELL, I had to borrow 2 15g tanks from a friend to hold the LR in and I got the salinity to 1.020 (roughly) - but as mentioned no supplies so I didn't have RO water yet so I just used tap water figuring that is must be better than wet newspaper. Am I right??
2nd - This LR was infested with green bubble algae which is visible from the pics I attached (on some). He brushed 99% of it off but there are some bubbles still there in pores of the rock. Is there anything that I can put in the water (additive) that will kill the bubble algae??
3rd - You will noticed that many of the pieces are covered in green hair algae. Is there anything that I can add to the water to kill this??
4th - On the last pic there is a white blob on the rock. It is approx .5 - .75 inches in diameter and it looks like white mold. What is this?? Is that the die off from the shipping it in newspaper?? What do I do about this.
5th - I have absolutely NO fish or anything. The tanks that the LR are in are temporary - probably for 1-2 months while I finish my basement. Is this rock salvagable, or should I throw it out??? I would like to keep it if I can, but I want to prepare it so that the bubble algae won't infest my new big tank once I get it setup.
Please help!!

 

[bellanavis]

Don't throw it away. If you have to give the 2 15 gallon tanks back to the person you borrowed them from, then just let the rocks sit till you get your tank set up. The stuff on the will die, but you can still use the rock in your tank. It would just be like when someone gets live rock to start a new tank, the rock goes through a cycle with the tank. If there is someone near you with a saltwater tank, let them house it for you, if they will, till your tank is up and running. The alge will not take over your new tank, first of all, the tank will go through a cycle, and most everything will die anyways, all your equipment is new, right, like the sump, so it all has to cycle. Plus, if you take care of your tank, the alge would just die off anyways. My tank gets overtaken with hair alge every once in a while, like when we go on vacation, and it takes time to clear it up, but it can be done. Sorry if any of this is wrong, just my 2 cents. Just don't throw the rock away. If your near me, I wll house it for you till your tank is up and running.

 

[zincoxide]

I don't have to give the tanks back. I can keepthe 2x15g as long as I need them. Infact, I'll probably keep one for later use (ie. hospital tank as needed).
My main concern is if this ugly bubble algae will take over. If the hair algae will take over. And what that white blob is. And, finally... Is there anything that I can add in the meantime to kill the algae.
I was just going to keep the LR in the 2x15g tanks for the next month or two while I finish my basement. I have no filtration on them. I only have the circulation pumps and the heater. That's it!
Is the concensus from everyone just to keep it?? Also, the LFS sells a bottle of "rock prep" or something like that which comes with a sponge scrub brush. Should I use that on the rock?
Oh... Also, there is little bits of bubble algae floating around the tank from the loose pieces... Should I just leave them while the rock is in these tanks, or should I keep emptying out the water and filling it up again to get rid of it??
Sorry for so many questions... But I have never had LR before.

 

[colourmop]

you should take those floating bubble algae out
ithe bubble algae and hair algae should die off during your cycle, so they wont take over your tank. incase some of them survived the cycle, all you need is a good cleanup crew or a couple of emerald crabs to take care of those bubble algae/hair algae.
the white blob is sponge (atleast i think so) if it feels squishy, have water come out and you can see tiny tiny tiny pores on it, then it is a sponge!
if you dont want it, just use a screw driver to take it off
the 'rock perp' your LFS talking about prob is curing, which is helpful in someways (unless you want massive cycle)
just get a bucket of salt water (make sure the water you use every step you do is salt water, around 1.025 sg) put all the LR in, then get a brush (very hard brush, like those toilet brush. dont use metal brush) use them to brush off any single thing on the rock (save the coralines) and if something is black/loss, use a screw driver to knock it off, because it is some dead stuffs. after you clean all your rocks, dip them into the salt water again, and repeat those steps until there is nothing dark/un-rocky-looking on it. then put all the somewhat cured rocks in a bucket with a powerhead and heater, let it cycle a little bit (or you can put them in your tank to cycle) just remember, dont let the rocks dry or let them touch fresh water
there is a way better guide on how to cure live rocks on the FAQs section
good luck with your new tank!

 

[puffer32]

I would get a 30 gal trash can make up some salt water, throw in a heater and Ph and store the rock in that. You can get a stiff brush and clean the rock off first with some RO water. You will have to do water changes until you get it in your tank.

 

[zincoxide]

Is a 30g trash can better than just using the 2x15g tanks that I have them in now?? As mentioned, I don't have to give them back to the guy. But... If a 30g is better then, I'll buy one and I will just clean them off one at a time and put them in the 30g. Would it be better just to buy a used 30g tank and use that as a hospital tank later if needed?
ithe bubble algae and hair algae should die off during your cycle, so they wont take over your tank. incase some of them survived the cycle, all you need is a good cleanup crew or a couple of emerald crabs to take care of those bubble algae/hair algae.
[/qutoe]
Should I get these clean up guys before or after the cycle??
use them to brush off any single thing on the rock (save the coralines) and if something is black/loss, use a screw driver to knock it off, because it is some dead stuffs.
If I was to buy a toilet brush (obviously never been used) would that be too hard?? And, how hard do I brush the rocks?
You will have to do water changes until you get it in your tank
If I'm trying to get a BIG cycle to kill all the bubble and hair algae, shouldn't I NOT do a water change?
BTW - Thanks for all the help!!!

 

[colourmop]

you need to brush the rock HARD...they are ROCKS!! no metal because it will scratch the rock/coraline/metal residue. but regular toilet brush is good
buy anything after the cycle (include cleanup crew) the whole cycle is like a nuke to your tank, supposly kill most living thing (other than bacteria/coraline/some annoying pests) just try to brush off all the bubble algae/hair algae while you clean the rocks.
a 30g just make your life easier b/c you only need 1 heater and 1 powerhead
you have to do a 50% water change AFTER the cycle to remove all the nitrate, else it will kill most stuffs you gonna put in. the algae should be killed due to low light/high ammonia during the cycle (you can have your lights off during the cycle )if any of those algae survived the cycle, your cleanup crew will take very good care of them
the biggest cycle i've ever done is use 50% cured rock and 50% uncured rock, it is the samething as raw shrimp, but 50% uncured LR have much much much more surface area than a shrimp, so my bacteria had a FFA buffet of dead hitchackers, it also destoryed my ammonia indicator (do not use it under very high concentration of ammonia/nitrite/nitrate) and it killed most stuffs that come with the rock, other than feather duster/isopods/copepods/amphipods/fireworm/clam/snail/sponge..etc but it killed algaes xD
p.s. dont buy any livestock/put any in until the cycle is over!
hope those helps ^^

 

[acrylic51]

Honestly the best thing to do is "cook" the rock....that way you won't be carrying over any unwanted algae from the previous.

 

[zincoxide]

What do you mean by "cook the rock"?? You don't literally mean cook it do you??
Thanks for all the posts here you guys have really helped.
Jim.

 

[acrylic51]

Originally Posted by zincoxide
What do you mean by "cook the rock"?? You don't literally mean cook it do you??
Thanks for all the posts here you guys have really helped.
Jim.
No I don't literally mean to cook it, but what I mean is put it in a container with good water flow, and good water quality and don't give it any light at all.......

 

[zincoxide]

Okay... I'm going to go out and buy a rubbermaid container from home depot or something. Should I put a lid on it and make it really dark in it??

 

[acrylic51]

Yes starve it of light, and you will have die off of coraline algae, but once the tank is setup you'll be able to get it back with some patience......make sure to keep good water movement and do water changes.......

 

[zincoxide]

If I kill all the coraline, how will it grow back?

 

[1journeyman]

Yes... the coralline spores will still be in the rocks.
I've found a toothbush works well to scrub a tank.
I think some of the other advice on this thread is incorrect. Bubble and hair algae would most likely survive a cycle. Do as Acryllic said, you'll be much better off.

 

[acrylic51]

Yes the coraline will come back......You shouldn't be to concerned with that the big issue is getting rid of the algea on the rock and that is to deprive it of what it needs to thrive........water changes and no light.....You might as the rock is in the dark container take the pieces and scrub them with something like a tooth brush and rinse them before placing them back into the container.......Again I'd recommend water changes on that vat......
After you rock is algae free and ready for setup you could go to the LFS and buy a nice piece of LR covered with coraline and seed it with that as well.....water quality is key again.....I like to take a toothbrush as mentioned and I've mentioned this before as far as coraline algae; but gently brush the coraline algae covered rock and all your rock and this will release some of the coraline algae spores in the tank, allowing it to spread more easily.......

 

[zincoxide]

Thank you so much for all your help! You've been great.
One last thing: The first picture that i have here is absolutely caked in coraline algae, will the darkness kill ALL of the algae or will some of it survive?

 

[acrylic51]

Which algae are we talking about killing???? Without live it won't thrive......

 

[zincoxide]

Basically, I'm just trying to figure out if I will have to buy more LR for the coraline algae to grow back or will some of the coraline survive the "cooking"?

 

[acrylic51]

Some might and alot won't, but that isn't any reason to go buy new LR......You could take a tank full of base dried rock, and with patience it will all be covered......

 

[zincoxide]

Great... Again, thanks for your help - you've been a lot of help!
Just a question: Am I suppose to be able to see things moving around on the LR? It's been in the tank now for 1 day, I haven't seen anything (organisms) moving around on the rock. I have noticed in a couple of places the purple coraline algae looks like it is going white/yellow. It is currently in the basement with the lights off, so is it just helping kill the algae and thats what that off color is?