ReefCleaners Dry Rock

I just ordered 50 lbs of reefcleaners rock at the advice of alot of users here. It will probaly be here by the end of the week. My substrate is crushed coral and a couple weeks ago it turned brown and I stirred it up and it turned brown so I stirred it up again and have layer on layer of red algae, and the top layer now is green and red I have about 15 lbs of live figi from the store that later wiped out my tank....I am really excited about the rock, but will take the long road this time....my question is should I be skimming while the new dry rock is becoming live rock? And should I be running my power filter or shut them both down. The LFS that killed my tank a week or so ago said to run it all when I get the rock but I am not to sure about trusting him so I came here again! thn x....*peace*

 

I wouldn't run the skimmer at all for now and it sounds like you need more flow from the cyno description. Do not keep stirring up the CC bed the brown algae is normal and will go away on its own. It is a diatom bloom feeding on the silicates. Are you using RO/DI water.

 

RO/DI yes to that and th eguy at the LFS said to stir it up....he has done a good deal of damage so I would rather get my answers here....I knew it was diatom and they would go away I just cant figure why he had me stir it up....So when I put the rock in I will leave the skimmer and the power filter off and th elights on 24/7 Actinics only? Or both?

 

I am having to get my water in the big 5 gallon jugs for the drinking machine. I hope it is okay to use. I still use a declorinater with it. And some stability....No where around here to gt anything else....

 

What did you mean by the LR wiping out your tank? Do have any life in the tank? Is the LR still LR or did you kill it off? What are you using to start the cycle in your tank?

 

There is nothing alive in there now. If I find a small fish I will want to keep I will put him in there until then it is shrimp but it isnt left in there long enough to dissolve in the water...then I just swap him out....I know it would be better with a fish but a damsel is out of th equestion....

 

How did you like the rock? I need to place an order for about 40 pounds of rock and would like to go here, just wondering about the shapes of the rock / how it looks, etc.

 

Two things.....First, I have to say that stirring is, indeed, bad. If you were to do that months down the road, it would set off a massive cycle. I experience that when I moved my sand from my 75 to my 90. Same basic thing. The move stirred it up. Second, I want to know what the rock is like also. Post some pics if you can. I am thinking about getting some myself for future tanks. You can't beat the price and shipping.

 

Well, here is some pictures of the rock as I recieved it from ReefCleaners.org | Clean Up Crews and Macro Algae - Home. And then a picture of it in my tank.

 

the above is 112 lbs of rock