Brand new to the hobby and need advice - 75 gal

As long as it is not live go ahead and wash it.

 

So, as I sit here, bored at work, making sure I have all my ducks in a row, I can't help but worry that my rocks are going to leach phosphate and that I will have issues. I know, everyone battles algae at least once early on, but I'm paranoid about the phosphates right now. Aside from a reactor of sorts, is there anything else I can do to help this? Keep in mind I will put a ball of chaeto in the fuge after cycling.

 

I know where you are coming from. Fighting green hair algae now because of the phosphates leaching from my rocks. Just took a few out this morning to scrub them with a toothbrush. Thinking about getting a reactor, but not sure if that would be fighting a loosing battle with a month old tank and new rock.

 

Yeah, I bought all base and lace rock from the LFS. They had taken it out of their tanks and let it dry out. I'm not sure if it will leach or not. We shall see. Don't really want to run a reactor. I was told by two fellow hobbyists that you could put a couple packets of Chemi-Pure Elite in the baffles of your sump so that all the water had to pass over it and it would help a lot with phosphates and cloudy water. It has to be the Elite though, not the regular Chemi-Pure.

 

Jmann/mlott once your cycle has completed regular water changes will help control your phosphate levels until your tanks stabilize. It sure helps if you have a refuge and/or a gfo reactor but this it is normal to expect algae growth at the early stages of your tanks. You just need to stay on top of your pm.

My tank just turned two months old today after the cycle completed. Although I started with dry rock I had some issues with phosphate as well. I was getting my phosphates from my frozen food. I wasn't rinsing the food before I added to the tank. Thanks to a 3reefer her (HollyG) who pointed that out to. I know rinse the food before I put it in. I have a HOB refugium which is doing it's job my hair algae and red algae (not cyno) is growing there and not in my DT.

I recommend a refuge to anyone in this hobby it's great to have. I am also doing water changes weekly to help weekly and I run a gfo. It may sound like over kill but I feel comfortable knowing that my DT won't be over run with algae. Just stay on top of things (pm) and you will be fine.

As I said my tank is but two months old and my coraline is coming in nicely. Pink, red purple and bright green. Good luck guys;D

 

Thanks for the tip. I got my fuge running last week, and it appears like the macro algae is doing great. Since I have a fish in my qt, I am doing small daily water changes from my dt to qt. Along with this I am doing 10% water changes weekly. Just a matter of time for the phosphate to subside, until then a scrubbin I will go. Are there any gfo reactor you could recommend?

 

Great build thread!! Octopus reactors get good reviews.8) Using old rocks from an LFS can be tricky not only because nutrients have probably leached into the rock but also because they could have been using medications such as copper which will also saturate the rocks. My advise is if you are adding a CUC to do it slowly to be sure you have no copper or other contaminates in your rocks.Also if you are going to be running this as a FOWLR(or even new reef tanks). I would advise not running any lights on the tank for the first few weeks/months. This will greatly enhance your chances as it will allow any nutrients to come out of the rock without an algae bloom and you will be able to remove them with WC's.Also Chemi pure Elite is a good idea as it contains some GFO for phosphate control.Good luck!!8)

 

Thanx for the tip in the lights Vinny. As for a CUC, when is the best time to add one? I will be starting my cycle, with help for Dr Tim(one and only), this week. I will also be cycling my QT. I will be using a Walmart HOB filter with a sponge in it to hold the nitrifying bacteria in the QT. I will add 2 O Clowns to the QT once it cycles.

 

what kind of rock is that?.. not really saltwater tank rock, more for a freshwater, not sure how well that rock will do in your tank considering there isnt much nooks and crannies on it to house pods etc

 

and add part of your CUC when it cycles and you see a diatom bloom, give it some time, then add more as needed, dont add all at once or when the diatoms are gone, most of your CUC will starve and die, leading to spikes in trates or ammonia