Live rock changing to a red plum color ?

Hagenjames · Jun 27, 2016

My tank is very new but I took these rocks from an active healthy tank along with sand. I have a wet dry system as filtration. Why is one rock changing to a reddish plum color? Danger or good ?

ReeferMaddness843 · Jun 27, 2016

Unsure, but I would definitely recommend removing the metal band clamp from the pump as it risks introducing rust and iron into a salt system.

Hagenjames · Jun 27, 2016

ReeferMaddness843 said:
Unsure, but I would definitely recommend removing the metal band clamp from the pump as it risks introducing rust and iron into a salt system.

It's a 316 stainless steel band, still an issue ? I bought it with the thought it wouldn't rust cause it's stainless. How wrong am I lol

ReeferMaddness843 · Jun 27, 2016

The band may be stainless, but I believe the screws are still basic steel and may lead to an issue. I've always gone with the presumption that all metal is a no no. Rather play it safe on this one.

Hagenjames · Jun 27, 2016

ReeferMaddness843 said:
The band may be stainless, but I believe the screws are still basic steel and may lead to an issue. I've always gone with the presumption that all metal is a no no. Rather play it safe on this one.

I will get that changed out, thanks for the tip!

ReeferMaddness843 · Jun 27, 2016

Very welcome. Glad to help. The red may be either coraline (good) or cyano (just a possible growth phase, may require some reeding up on as it's fixable and not the end of the world). Does it brush off or is it hard and need to be scraped off?

Hagenjames · Jun 28, 2016

ReeferMaddness843 said:
Very welcome. Glad to help. The red may be either coraline (good) or cyano (just a possible growth phase, may require some reeding up on as it's fixable and not the end of the world). Does it brush off or is it hard and need to be scraped off?

It's hard, won't wash off

ReeferMaddness843 · Jun 28, 2016

I'm going to go with the start of coraline based on that and what I can see in pic.

Triggreef · Jun 28, 2016

You can use a zip tie in place of the clamp. Also I would bet is the start of cyano aka red slime. But usually that doesn't hit until after all the other nuisance algae stages. Have you had diatoms yet? Brown covering your sand?

Hagenjames · Jun 28, 2016

Triggreef said:
You can use a zip tie in place of the clamp. Also I would bet is the start of cyano aka red slime. But usually that doesn't hit until after all the other nuisance algae stages. Have you had diatoms yet? Brown covering your sand?

Tank is 1 week old so not yet