Brown live rock -- need help?

[Coast Rob]

i've recently started my 100 gl tank. its's been up and running for 3 weeks, i've set it up with live sand and one large pcs of live rock. i've noticed that the rock as started to turn brown and some brown coloring is starting to form on the sides and sand.

I check my levels today and they read:

PH = 8.2
AMM = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0

Want can i do, and is this normal cycling behavior ? There is no fish in the tank.

I use a canister filteration system and a freedom bio/mech filter with a protein skimmer.

 

[KJAG]

Your filtration/skimmer is just going to remove some waste. Theres still going to be a cycle. Id recommend picking up some other kits as well and start testing for Kh, Ca, etc. Really though, your tanks new and is just doing its thing.Itll balance out.

 

[Coast Rob]

Ok, so additional testing for kh ? and calicum Will the brown go away? water parameters look good and i'm going to before a 10% water change this weekend. Do think this is recommended.

Or do you think i need to purchase some cleaners? to help ?

 

[boehm742]

The brown will eventually go away, then the coralline will take over. Its just doing its thing maturing is all.

 

[Brettinteriors]

Normal for a new tank. Most like dinoflagellates. IMHO phosphates are the number one source of algae after your new tank stuff.Most likely not what's going on now but a test you will want. When you add food you are adding phosphate. I have a heavily stocked reef so my kh, calcium, and magnesium drop on a daily basis. With a new tank they will not drop much or at all until you add stuff and water changes will suffice for some time. I know a very experienced reefer, one of his tank is a softie tank with a few fish, he has not done a water change in a year and does very little dosing.(not advocating) Try to think of kh, calcium, and mag. as food for hard corals and coralline to build the hard skelotons. kh is IMHO the most important thing as it is what stabilizes your ph. I run a skimmer so my water is well oxygenated and i rarely, if ever test ph. Th e reason I mention this is that lowered oxygen levels and low kh are the two main causes of ph fluctuation, that and adding alkalinity too fast. Btw kh and alkalinity are the same thing. I dont know if it was dry rock or live rock but i would go for a clean up crew and a fish. Remember if there isn't a source of ammonia(poop/uneaten food) you won't continue with a cycle and the bacteria you are trying to increase will not have a food source. But if your reading 0 0 0 not adding livestock could be bad. Dry rock starts a cycle because of the die off. If it is a bigger tank later on a tang is great for hair algae. Also I would absolutly ditch the canister. A good protein skimmer is so much better.

 

[Coast Rob]

Ok, thanks for all the support. I'm going to introduce a few more live rock pcs. along with some dry base rock in the next few weeks.plus a cleaning crew. I then plan on adding some livestock,, a blue/green chromie or two to start off with.... This is my second go around, so the refreshing of memory is appreciated.

 

[bucksfan1976]

I would also go and put some small cleaner crew in there to help eat off some of that stuff.

 

[shred5]

Ok, thanks for all the support. I'm going to introduce a few more live rock pcs. along with some dry base rock in the next few weeks.plus a cleaning crew. I then plan on adding some livestock,, a blue/green chromie or two to start off with.... This is my second go around, so the refreshing of memory is appreciated.

All rock should be added at once otherwise you prolong the cycle. Also you should wait a while to add livestock till after cycle. The brown algae indicates you are still in a cycle and is most likely diatoms since they are the first to show up. They are shortlived and next will be the slime algaes.

 

[Brettinteriors]

All rock should be added at once otherwise you prolong the cycle. Also you should wait a while to add livestock till after cycle. The brown algae indicates you are still in a cycle and is most likely diatoms since they are the first to show up. They are shortlived and next will be the slime algaes.

Agree, dry rock will drastically lengthen your cycle. Don't add this after there is any livestock in there. However, if the rock you put in was already cycled rock from another tank or the lfs you will want to have something in the tank within a week or two.