New tank help
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Topic: New tank help
Posted By: LCH
Subject: New tank help
Date Posted: January 05 2010 at 12:31am
| I need some advice. I'm in the process of getting my new 150 up and running and Im not sure what to do with the live rock that's currently in my 90. Normally one would just transfer it to the new tank but in this case my rock has a good amount of hair algae on it. My first thought is to dry it and kill the evil algae then put it in my new tank later. Or do I just go ahead and throw it in the new tank? Any thoughts would be appreciated. |
Replies:
Posted By: CapnMorgan
Date Posted: January 05 2010 at 12:33am
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If it were me I'd nuke the hair algae before putting it in a new tank. It's hard to get going if you start off on the wrong foot. ------------- Steve http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40637&PID=356246" rel="nofollow - My Old 180G Mixed Reef Currently: 120G Wavefront Mixed 29G Seahorse & Softies Running ReefAngel Plus x2 435-8 |
Posted By: MadReefer
Date Posted: January 05 2010 at 1:00am
| Hair algae shouldn't be hard to get rid of. In a 150 you can have a tang or two or foxface or all, and that should take care of most algae problems. As long as it is just hair algae, I would scrub with a toothbrush or wire brush and remove most of the algae and then limit nutrients in the new tank so it doesn't come back. Also make sure your CUC is big enough. |
Posted By: bfessler
Date Posted: January 05 2010 at 8:44am
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After scrubbing the rock give it a dip in Hydrogen Peroxide for about 5 minutes. That will kill off any remaining algae. Rince in fresh water then put it in the new tank. If you have corals on the rocks just spot treat around them with a turkey baster, Rinse in old saltwater and place them in the new tank. Most corals will be fine if you get Hydrogen Peroxide on them. I dipped a rock with zoos on it and they slimed a lot but within an hour they looked unaffected.
Good Luck. ------------- Burt An equal opportunity reefer, I support all hobbyists and organizations involved in Marine Aquarium Keeping. [email protected] |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 05 2010 at 9:21am
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All good comments with special emphasis on the CUC(snails). It's not necessary or even advisable to remove rock from the water. LR has many tiny holes which are home to all kinds of bacteria, bugs and worms. Because of the surface properties of water and air, as LR is moved water drains out air fills the tiny holes and pores. This air actually resists water from re-entering the holes. It can take weeks or even months for the water to again fill those tiny holes. What does air do to the bacteria, bugs and worms? That's right, it kills them, so to avoid the death and subsequent pollution/Nitrogen Cycle we should do all we can to eliminate or at least limit exposure to air.
The pollution that comes from exposing rock to air can actually thwart all the time and trouble that went into manually cleaning the rock before submerging it in the new tank. This new source of pollution can cause the algae to grow back with a vengence, even if all visible algae was removed and the LR was dipped in a Hydrogen Peroxide solution. In my thread about setting up an affordable reef aquarium, I describe the best way to move rock from one tank to another. http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 - http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244
Regarding what would be best way to rid the rock of algae in your circumstance, my suggestions depend on how it looks right now. Can you describe it or even better, post a pic of the tank with some closer shots of the rocks with algae? Also, are Alkalinity and Calcium within the preferred range? (Alk 8-14 dKH and Ca 350-450ppm) ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: LCH
Date Posted: January 05 2010 at 11:28pm
| Thanks guys for the help. I'm thinking I'm gonna put the rock in the dark for a week or so and try to kill the algae that way so I don't lose the beneficial stuff that can really help my new tank cycle. As for the parameters of my old tank I don't know and I don't care, I'm just looking forward. Thanks all. |
Posted By: bfessler
Date Posted: January 06 2010 at 12:20am
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OK. Go ahead and scrub the rock keeping it under water if you can. There will be that much less to kill off that way. ------------- Burt An equal opportunity reefer, I support all hobbyists and organizations involved in Marine Aquarium Keeping. [email protected] |