What's The Deal With This Rock?

jeffopentax · Mar 31, 2017

Long story short, i started my 115 with this rock:

http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/aquarium/product_info.php?products_id=5982

Had a large piece left over, so put it in my daughter's 30 . This was probably beginning of February (don't remember exactly). I've since removed it from her tank, because it got to looking like this:

That mess of cyano on the left is the marco rock. I've also got a bit in my 115 now. Why is the supposed pre-cured marco rock covered in cyano, but nothing else is (I know once it's in the tank it's everywhere), and where did it likely come from?

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Canadianeh · Mar 31, 2017

did you pre-cured it yourself? If not, I don't if it is possible but maybe the cyano "seed" has always been embedded in the dry rock from the beginning?

Nonuser · Mar 31, 2017

Lack of Water movement will cause that Cyano issue

jeffopentax · Mar 31, 2017

Canadianeh said:
did you pre-cured it yourself? If not, I don't if it is possible but maybe the cyano "seed" has always been embedded in the dry rock from the beginning?

I'm just going on the description from mops.ca where I bought it.

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jeffopentax · Mar 31, 2017

Canadianeh said:
did you pre-cured it yourself? If not, I don't if it is possible but maybe the cyano "seed" has always been embedded in the dry rock from the beginning?

I'm just going on the description from mops.ca where I bought it.

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Canadianeh · Mar 31, 2017

jeffopentax said:
I'm just going on the description from mops.ca where I bought it.

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Some people be more careful by pre-curing themselves despite what store says.

Or it could be flow issue as Nonuser indicated. What kind of flow you have in her tank?

Kman · Mar 31, 2017

Is that freshwater substrate? You need to be careful with stuff like that as saltwater will corrode the rocks and will leach out heavy metals and other stuff into the water. It will cause cyano blooms as well as other issues long term. If it is you should swap it out for saltwater substrate.

jeffopentax · Mar 31, 2017

There's not a ton of flow in her tank, but the return is right next to problem rock (yes, covered in hair algae in pic). My 115 has tonnes of flow.

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heath · Mar 31, 2017

Jeff are you still using tap water or ro water.. could be part of the issue..

jeffopentax · Mar 31, 2017

Kman said:
Is that freshwater substrate? You need to be careful with stuff like that as saltwater will corrode the rocks and will leach out heavy metals and other stuff into the water. It will cause cyano blooms as well as other issues long term. If it is you should swap it out for saltwater substrate.

I'm not sure off hand. I'll have to find the bag when i get home. Can't even remember what brand it is. I know i was looking for some considered saltwater safe. Don't recall if i found any.

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jeffopentax · Mar 31, 2017

heath said:
Jeff are you still using tap water or ro water.. could be part of the issue..

Yes, still tap. I'm going back to my first salt tank methods. The only problem i had then was gha, and I'm told that was because the rock i was using was just loaded with phosphate.

"Get a sump!" they said. So I did. And things got bad.

"Use ro!" they said. So I did. And things got catastrophic!

Obviously, not bad ideas. But they sure didn't help me! [emoji12]

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AdInfinitum · Mar 31, 2017

Cyano didn't "come from" anywhere...it is everywhere that there is moisture...it is in your fridge...in your bathroom...in the backyard...in hot springs...in the Antarctic...it grows on desert rocks that are only moistened once a year...it grows in the hollow hair of polar bears turning them brown in temperate zoos.....

The real question is why these rocks... Most likely the surface of the rocks is too sterile for other species to take hold readily and thus out compete the Cyano. Rocks inevitably end up covered in various types of algae and bacteria (they don't stay white). Cyano is most adaptable to poor conditions so it can grow before the surface is hospitable to other less adaptable organisms. Cyano also grows well in cooperation with diatoms which will be busy consuming all the free silicates from the fresh rock surfaces. Once there are sufficient organics on and in the rock, other more complex but less adaptable species will take over...it always a question of balance and competition.

Nonuser · Mar 31, 2017

Brantford Water is Hard and has lime in it. Hard enough to drink let alone have SW. I Had a heck of a time with Store bought RO and issues.

jeffopentax · Mar 31, 2017

AdInfinitum said:
Cyano didn't "come from" anywhere...it is everywhere that there is moisture...it is in your fridge...in your bathroom...in the backyard...in hot springs...in the Antarctic...it grows on desert rocks that are only moistened once a year...it grows in the hollow hair of polar bears turning them brown in temperate zoos.....

The real question is why these rocks... Most likely the surface of the rocks is too sterile for other species to take hold readily and thus out compete the Cyano. Rocks inevitably end up covered in various types of algae and bacteria (they don't stay white). Cyano is most adaptable to poor conditions so it can grow before the surface is hospitable to other less adaptable organisms. Cyano also grows well in cooperation with diatoms which will be busy consuming all the free silicates from the fresh rock surfaces. Once there are sufficient organics on and in the rock, other more complex but less adaptable species will take over...it always a question of balance and competition.

That sounds like a reasonable explanation to me. Guess I started too clean!

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Luke. · Mar 31, 2017

Off topic but sweet looking anemone !

heath · Mar 31, 2017

doesn't every new tank have a cyano outbreak, I know mine have and I've just called it new tank syndrome...

Canadianeh · Mar 31, 2017

jeffopentax said:
That sounds like a reasonable explanation to me. Guess I started too clean!

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just keep up with WC or do a bit larger or more frequent WC. Put more flow if you can.

It will go away.

Letsdiscus · Mar 31, 2017

Canadianeh said:
just keep up with WC or do a bit larger or more frequent WC. Put more flow if you can.

It will go away.

Switch off lights for few days

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jeffopentax · Apr 12, 2017

Used ultralife red slime remover in my 115, and a week later, all gone! Amazing stuff. Here's some "before" pics

I'll add an "after" pic tonight. I also turned on the uv on my canister filter at the same time. I was told it would help. Is there any real benefit to using a uv sterilizer on a salt tank?

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Jewel · Apr 12, 2017

Cyano is common. You'd be surprised to know that we all get it from time to time. Tap water eek. Water quality is the most important aspect of a Reef tank. It's RO/DI or nothing. But that being said we all have results with variations of water supply. What works for one won't work for another. Like Pulsing Xenia. I've heard it said you need a dirty tank for it to thrive. What is a dirty tank anyways? Too funny. It's funny to see people criticize tap water when they used it for years.

What's The Deal With This Rock?

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