Rocks are green when lights are off

[ATCReefer]

Hello all I am fairly new to reef tanks and have been struggling a little to keep chemistry right. However I have noticed my rocks are a green color when my lights are off but when lights are on rocks look normal maybe a tint of brown.

Tank background
1 year and 3 months
40B with 20L sump w/ refugium
2 AI prime 16HD
Filter socks

started out pretty ok until about august of 2021 where my nutrients bottomed out and pretty sure got Dino’s which I may or may not have eradicated seems like it’s still in the sand.

But since the tank has been about 3 months old the rocks have had this green look when lights are off was wondering if it is possibly coralline or something else.

current tank parameters (still elevated for Dino’s)

nitrate 17.1
Phos 15
Dkh 7.9
Cal 460
Mag 1200 (low)
Salinity 1.026
Temp 76.5

any insight would be appreciated.

 

[MaxTremors]

The blue tint of your lights makes the greenish algae look brown. If you turn up the white light you’ll see the true color of your rocks.

 

[ATCReefer]

Is this normal looking for rocks under 100% cool white only?

 

[MaxTremors]

Is this normal looking for rocks under 100% cool white only?

For a new tank using dry white rock, yes.

 

[ATCReefer]

For a new tank using dry white rock, yes.

Thank you for your input!!!

 

[reefluvrr]

Do they glow in the dark? Maybe you should check with a Geiger counter.

It's likely high nutrient levels causing alage to bloom in your rockery. Were your rocks white before?

 

[Jekyl]

Hello all I am fairly new to reef tanks and have been struggling a little to keep chemistry right. However I have noticed my rocks are a green color when my lights are off but when lights are on rocks look normal maybe a tint of brown.

Tank background
1 year and 3 months
40B with 20L sump w/ refugium
2 AI prime 16HD
Filter socks

started out pretty ok until about august of 2021 where my nutrients bottomed out and pretty sure got Dino’s which I may or may not have eradicated seems like it’s still in the sand.

But since the tank has been about 3 months old the rocks have had this green look when lights are off was wondering if it is possibly coralline or something else.

current tank parameters (still elevated for Dino’s)

nitrate 17.1
Phos 15
Dkh 7.9
Cal 460
Mag 1200 (low)
Salinity 1.026
Temp 76.5

any insight would be appreciated.

Get yourself a snail or hermit that has coraline on it. Scratch the coraline off into a powerhead to seed the tank.

 

[ATCReefer]

Do they glow in the dark? Maybe you should check with a Geiger counter.

It's likely high nutrient levels causing alage to bloom in your rockery. Were your rocks white before?

When I first started the tank they were Marco dry rock

 

[ATCReefer]

Get yourself a snail or hermit that has coraline on it. Scratch the coraline off into a powerhead to seed the tank.

Did that once but no purple, I have 2 shells in there with coral one but doesn’t seem to populate on the rock

 

[jeffchapok]

This is just part of the first year "uglies". Sit back and enjoy watching nature do her thing.

 

[Hermie]

absolutely normal