Adding dry rock... Bad idea?

[Tori]

I'm hoping someone can school a newbie real quick . I have an AIO IM Fusion 20g mixed reef nano and I was thinking about adding some dry rock in the back chamber around my return pump. The reasons why I was thinking this may be helpful are: 1. Maybe it will raise my PH a little? Currently it goes from 7.88 to 8.10. I know that's not bad but a little closer to 8.20 wouldn't hurt, right? And 2, and mostly this one actually, I'm hoping it will help get rid of some of the micro bubbles my skimmer is sending to my display. The tank and skimmer have been running for around 4 months and it's been pretty stable. I have a mini fuge in one of the media trays with one of the magnetic fuge lights right behind it, Eshopps nano skimmer, and the other media tray has one 10g bag of chemipure elite and one 5g bag of chemipure blue. The bags are for a 10 gallon and five gallon tanks not 10 gallons in size just to clarify. Any advice before I ruin my tank would be greatly appreciated and please be gentle as I am a saltwater newbie . I should probably also mention that I wasn't planning on shining any lights on the dry rock if that makes any difference.

PH 8.02 at the moment. Measured with ReefAngel controller lab grade PH probe and API kit.
Alkalinity 8 API
Salinity 1.025 sg
Nitrites 0
Nitrates ~10 API
Calcium 460
Phosphate 0.25 API
Magnesium - no test kit yet

 

[erictorres0311]

If it's completely dry adding it my cause a little bit of algae out break but with consistency of maintance you should be fine. I have added dry rock before to an establish tank but small pieces at a time and have never had a problem. My personal opinion I don't think having light on it or not makes a difference would just be preference

 

[jetmaker]

If it's completely dry adding it my cause a little bit of algae out break but with consistency of maintance you should be fine. I have added dry rock before to an establish tank but small pieces at a time and have never had a problem. My personal opinion I don't think having light on it or not makes a difference would just be preference

I'm hoping someone can school a newbie real quick . I have an AIO IM Fusion 20g mixed reef nano and I was thinking about adding some dry rock in the back chamber around my return pump. The reasons why I was thinking this may be helpful are: 1. Maybe it will raise my PH a little? Currently it goes from 7.88 to 8.10. I know that's not bad but a little closer to 8.20 wouldn't hurt, right? And 2, and mostly this one actually, I'm hoping it will help get rid of some of the micro bubbles my skimmer is sending to my display. The tank and skimmer have been running for around 4 months and it's been pretty stable. I have a mini fuge in one of the media trays with one of the magnetic fuge lights right behind it, Eshopps nano skimmer, and the other media tray has one 10g bag of chemipure elite and one 5g bag of chemipure blue. The bags are for a 10 gallon and five gallon tanks not 10 gallons in size just to clarify. Any advice before I ruin my tank would be greatly appreciated and please be gentle as I am a saltwater newbie . I should probably also mention that I wasn't planning on shining any lights on the dry rock if that makes any difference.

PH 8.02 at the moment. Measured with ReefAngel controller lab grade PH probe and API kit.
Alkalinity 8 API
Salinity 1.025 sg
Nitrites 0
Nitrates ~10 API
Calcium 460
Phosphate 0.25 API
Magnesium - no test kit yet

Adding dry rock won't hurt anything your live will seed it

 

[Tori]

Thank s for the reply. The rock will be complely dry. I'm not having any algae issues at the moment so I think I'd be okay with a small outbreak.

 

[Tori]

Thanks. If my live rock seeds it will it be okay if it's always in the dark? Not sure if the micro life will need light or if the dark will cause something unwanted grow.

 

[erictorres0311]

Not all micro life needs lights, but adding a light would hurt either will help you keep oh more balance on an off schedule from your regular lights

 

[chefjpaul]

Couple hints for the micro bubble in IM tanks that has worked for me.

Put two pieces of filter floss in back and front sides of skimmer between glass.

Get some mesh or screen - same plastic material used for algae turf scrubbers. Rough up the material.

Cut a square same depth as the chambers. I did both sides overflowing into return chamber.

Fold them over like an upside down u- the skimmer holds it in place, so the water runs over them, it slows the bubbles and also acts as a mini algae catcher from any light spill.

Dark rock in those chambers is fine, just seems a pain to remove every time you need to do maintenance back there.

 

[Ryengoth]

You don't need the rock for the PH swings. All tanks swing from daylight-cycle outgassing of Co2. It's fine.