White dead coral?

[Andrew52984]

Hey guys, when I first bought my tank it came with 3 large pieces of fossilized/dead coral? You can see them in pics of my tank. They were straight white when I got them but were soon covered in brown algae/diatoms when I got the tank home and a mini-cycle occured. I was just wondering about cleaning them and getting them back to their white color? I've got a very good cuc but they only got one of them clean and the others are still brown. Thanks for the help.

Current Parameters:
Temp 80
Salinity - 1.025
Nitrates 5-10? Color difference on my test is too hard to define lol
Nitrites and ammonia - 0
pH 8.2

 

[Witfull]

until they colonize with coraline and or other encrusting life (polyps, briarium, shrooms) they will be brown. if you want them white....you have to bleach them,,,but thats not very good for a reef.

 

[rmlevasseur]

I always cringe when I see dead pieces of coral like that in a tank. They are a badge of dishonor to those who know what a real reef looks like. Its amazing to me how many people think that's what "real" coral looks like.

 

[Witfull]

in time it will resemble tonga branch...close to it.

 

[Andrew52984]

Two of the pieces that are more of a flat texture are actually gathering coralline on them, exciting! They've got a mostly pink color and a hint of red an green. The one big rough piece is just covered in brown algae and the crabs and snails feed off it, along with my clowns that pick at it. I really want this to be a reef tank, I'm just waiting on the money for more live rock and a new lighting setup. Current lighting is a 50/50 Corallife 6000k actinic. Not very much light but I do have a few hitchhiker polyps that are opening! Check em out!

Taken a few weeks ago:

Taken a few minutes ago:

 

[lcstorc]

Definite progress!