live rock... please help

ok ever since i fixed my center brace and put in my fuge in it seems as if all my live rock is dying... the rock is starting to get white stuff all over it... it this normal or is there something wrong? Please help

 

Check you Calcium, it is probably low if your coralline is turning white. If you don't have a reactor then you might need to dose.

 

i am just finishing up my cycle and i dont have a reactor calciun test or anything yet as my cycle is just finishing

 

bump

 

We need you to describe "white stuff" better.

 

Greg, their is one very simple way to determine if your live rock has die-off! That is to remove it from your tank and smell it...if it has an aweful smell like rotten eggs etc., then you have some die-off. The white material on the rock could either be an area of growth with coralline, or death of sponge or other organisms on or within your rock work.
Also test your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels again as this will also offer you some insight if you have die off or not.

 

everything is at 0 except nitrate which is at 20

 

White stuff is typically coraline algae bleaching. It is normal and usually colours back up once it is accustomed to the lighting in your tank. the "White stuff" isn't the LR dieing. LR is LR because of the bacteria in it.

J

 

No, you are right Jason, the white stuff isn't the rcok dying...but possibly some of the living organisms such as sponge dying!

 

If your nitrates are at 20 then your tank is still cycling. As Jason pointed out, when LR starts turning white it's usually due to calcium being low and therefore coraline dying. Now that you are getting closer to your cycling being done, I would recommend you invest in: Calcium, alkalinity, and ph test kits. You will want all your perameters in check before adding any livestock and calcium is especially important to corals.

Do your tests and when your cylce is finished wait a week or two before adding a clean up crew. When you get to the point of adding fish...remember only add one at first. Go slow, this is the most important factor that most newbies make a mistake on.