Kyle's RSM 250

[kyley]

OK! I'm turning the rock!

BTW, should I add the Red Sea NitroBac? Or just let everything happen naturally? FYI, all the live rock I bought was already cured.

Here's a pic now that the sand has settled (I did a little bit of aquascaping, but nowhere near finished with that) - you can also see how large this algae-covered rock is:

An itty bitty starfish I saw on the back of the tank (sorry - bad pic):

Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[Reefmack]

Very nice pieces of cured rock - a nice assortment of types! I'm not sure how good the nitrobac is but I'd go ahead and add it - it won't hurt anything. If you do add it, turn the skimmer off for a day or two or it will skim it all out before the bacteria get a foothold on the rock/substrate. I'd start testing for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in a day or two.

The star is a little Asterina - that's about as big as they get. Most are harmless. I still see one once in a while.

 

[redsea reefer]

Kyle - That is not HA, its macro algae and the red stuff is coralline. The tubes are either feather duster's or vermitid worms. Nothing to worry about so set your mind at ease.... Sit back and enjoy rock watching.

Go ahead and use the Nitrobac but make sure you turn off the skimmer for a few days so it doesn't get skimmed out.

The rockwork looks great and the little star fish is a Asterina star, I have some too.

 

[kyley]

Thanks guys, you're starting to set my mind at ease I have that rock in the sand now (red side down, yellow [sponge] side up). If we're convinced it's not hair algae, should I turn it back around - or should I go ahead and try to kill off a good portion of the coralline algae since there's so much (and the sponge by giving it more light)? I want to aquascape with this rock too - but can't if I have it buried in the sand

I feel like I need to get one more large rock for the middle - most of these are small except the one on the right (it's larger than it looks - a big backwards L shape). I think I need something tall in the back to provide more room to attach coral. Or is the rock up high enough already? Not sure how high I should try to go... I have 69 pounds right now. Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[Reefmack]

I'd leave it upside-down - you don't want that macroalgae either. You do want the red & pink coralline on the rock, but you'll get it back on the rock anyway. Don't worry about the sponge - it may die off but more will show up in other shady places.

as far as more rock - that's a personal choice. Don't forget that many corals you buy might come on pieces of rock, and having less rock now gives you more room for placing those rocks with corals attached.

 

[redsea reefer]

It doesn't matter if you turn the rock back around or not, Coralline algae is not bad algae its good. Set up your rocks to your liking and if you feel like you want more then add some.

 

[mbdave]

Looking back at the pic's its looks like theres alot of that plating algae and the name escapes me, there is some coraline but mostly its the other stuff which is a macro but IMHO not a good macro. That stuff will over grow and smother corals which is not good when your trying to grow corals....


AH!! Lobophora trial page, algae ID bottom left picture. I would peel the stuff off or like I said before smother it from light.

 

[Reefmack]

Dave - good call. I didn't think there was a red Lobophora, only brown, but I found this:

Algae Page

Lobophora is characterized by having free edges, which it does look like in one of Kyle's pictures.

 

[kyley]

Ugh... Okay, that's not encouraging... So - you think I can kill it off by keeping it (largely) buried in the sand like I'm doing? Or is this algae bad enough that I need to get rid of the rock (or just scrub it real good)? Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[redsea reefer]

Kyle - You are worrying to much. If that was my rock, I would let it be. I like diversity on my rocks. Unless its really gonna cause me headaches down the road, I just let my tank do its thing. I don't like a sterile tank. I have bits of HA and other stuff that does not bother me. If you have good water quality and husbandry, all that will most likely disappear. All we are doing is identifying the stuff on your rocks.

 

[kyley]

Cool, sorry... Some of the comments like taking over the coral and I read how sponge can kill off coral somewhere - they have me a bit concerned since I'm new and don't know what I'm doing. I'll lighten up and see where things go. Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[redsea reefer]

Cool, sorry... Some of the comments like taking over the coral and I read how sponge can kill off coral somewhere - they have me a bit concerned since I'm new and don't know what I'm doing. I'll lighten up and see where things go. Thanks,
--Kyle

No need to be sorry Kyle, we were all there at one point. Just sit back and watch the life come out of the rocks...
Do as much reading and research as you can on reef keeping, I learned most of everything that way and if you have question about something, ask here. We are more than happy to help...

 

[mbdave]

My homey redsea reefer is right diversity is good, but I would leave that encrusting algae buried. Kyle you are a long way from encrusting algae over growth but the key to any nuisance algae is don't let it get a foothold. You will fight all kinds of stuff on a regualar basis from minor to major my thing is throw some black belt on it while its still a white belt "a little Karate lingo" good luck.
Dave

 

[mbdave]

Oh shoot "kyley"

 

[redsea reefer]

throw some black belt on it while its still a white belt "a little Karate lingo" good luck.
Dave

Haha, that was funny Dave...

 

[Reefmack]

I agree with Eddie. Stop worrying about one rock that may have a lot of life on it that could have a positive effect on the tank.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Hi Kyle - been busy at work just catching up... just finished reading your new tank thread.

Thanks for sharing the pics, your tank is going to be beautiful & I think you have some nice looking rock to work with.

Here my 2 cents worth and advise.... +1 to everything Eddie said... that's just imo

Add two deli shrimp & let the cycle do it's thing & enjoy.

Don't worry about scrubbing of the red coraline algae if you do some scrubbing, when it all turns brown in a couple of weeks & you look and wonder what happened to your beautiful red coraline (good) algae, it will be back, a couple of months after the tank cycles.

Take a look at my post here when I started http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/just-starting-out-sw-beginners/44870-day-6-baby-steps.html

and look at my thank thread... see how my rock looked for the 1st two months... if interested

 

[tnwillia]

Kyley... your off to a great start... let it grow and see where it goes. Have fun!

 

[cabolick]

First off Welcome! Don't sweat the small stuff. Have a beer or 2 and just sit back, relax, & try to read as much as possible. Don't get all stressed over one piece of rock. You will end up changing it in your tank before you know it. Add those 2 shrimps and watch for what may be hiding in the rock.

 

[kyley]

Thanks guys - Glenn, I scanned through some of your tank thread - your rocks got bright green! Did you have cured live rock or uncured (seems like you had to wait a long time before inverts) - not that I'm in a big rush, but thought with cured live rock from the LFS I might not have to wait too long. Guess I'll wait and see.

The deli shrimp - are you talking like cocktail shrimp from the grocery store? That just helps start the cycle? Do you cut them into pieces? Sorry - I'd seen someone else mention adding shrimp, but wasn't sure whether I should do that or not. Thanks,
--Kyle