White stuff on live rock

[fish-fool]

I was given a 40 gal tank with live rocks, some damsels, a tang, a starfish, and a shrimp. This is my first tank. I have some white stuff growing on the live rock. It was there before I got the tank, but it has grown since the move. We changed out about 50% of the water during the move. All the fish seem to be doing okay, and the live rock is starting to turn purple, but what ever the white stuff is it is growing. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[calvin & hobbes]

Is it slimey but hard, it could be dead coraline algea. Was the rock exposed to air for a period of time or dried out?

 

[fshhub]

coraline as it starts to grow or die, will look whitish in color, if it is dying, it will regrow, if it is growing, it will turn to purple red or green or even a yellow(almost white), this is good stuff,
as mentioned, it will be almost slimy, yet hard

 

[fish-fool]

It looks like a little finger with a slight fuzz growing on it. The fish store said to try to vacuum it out. What do you think? The person I got yhe tank from didn't change water out to often. The nitrates are running high also, and calcium is about 525. I have started regular water changes monthly, so hoopefully this will help nitrates.

 

[calvin & hobbes]

I would do 25% weekly, you need to find the source of your high nitrates, maybe over feeding or you may need to change your media filter if you have one.

 

[fshhub]

fish fool,
on the internet look for sponges, my wife heard of one once, referred to as q tip, sounds very similar

 

[m1rodrig]

I have some cloudy white stuff on one of my rocks & was wondering if this is the same thing you have on your rock.My nitrate does not come down from 30 and ammonia is sticking around 0.25 nitrite is 0 Ph 8.2 could there be something dying on the rock and if my nitrate doesn't come down to<5 should i take out the rock and see if it gets better.

 

[fishfreek]

I agree with fshhub, by your description sounds like a Q-tip sponge. I have them in my tank, hang on filter and skimmer. I haven't found them to do any harm at all. I would't worry.