# Brown stuff on Live Rocks



## kimmi.kim (Feb 21, 2008)

Hey, I am new to this forum, and have been reading alot of the posts here. i am learning alot on saltwater tanks!

I have just started a 46gallon saltwater tank myself, and just last week put in about 47lbs of fiji live rock to cycle my tank. The guy at the LFS store said it was washed and half cured. Now, there is this brown stuff growing all over the rocks, and even spreading onto the sand. Is this normal? cus its making the rocks look really dirty. I'll post pics soon. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!


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## melo (Feb 27, 2008)

I have something like that on my new saltwater 80 gallon as well, I believe it is just algae and it should pass. What do you have in the tank, do you have a uv sterilizer? Any snails or some type of cleanup crew? I was also told by another member that it could be red slime, but i don't think so, I think it is just a algae phase, it is very ugly though, especially on the sand. I am trying this species of goby that filters sand through its gills, hoping that combined with the uv sterilizer i just put in helps. Hope any of those suggestions help


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## kimmi.kim (Feb 21, 2008)

I have just been cycling this tank so there is nothing in there except for the live rocks. I just put in a protein skimmer last nite. I was going to put a clean up crew in there once the tank has finished cycling, and it seems like my tank has not finished cycling yet, ammonia = 0.3 and nitrite = 0.6. 

i also called my LFS yesterday cus i was so worried, and the guy told me it was the algae dying off, which is normal, and that i shouldnt do anything cus it'll go away in about 2-3 weeks.


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## kimmi.kim (Feb 21, 2008)

So the brown stuff on my LR are almost gone and i have green algae growing now, but on some of my rocks there is this red 'slimey' stuff, which almost looks sticky. and it seems like its spreading onto my rocks and even my filter and powerhead. they all have this reddish stuff on it. Is this the coraline algae that ive been reading about all the time? Can someone post a pic of what coraline algae looks like?


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## Puffer (Jul 6, 2007)

I found this pic









But mine is Brighter on my rocks and if it is this, Yes its fine. It adds alot of Color.


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## kimmi.kim (Feb 21, 2008)

ooh thanks for the pic! i do have some red and dark purple algae that looks like that. but i also have that dark red slimey stuff...


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## kimmi.kim (Feb 21, 2008)

i just got home, and my tank looks awful!!! i am getting really really worried! 
i took a pic, here is what it looks like. can anyone tell me what this is?? is it harmful? i just put in snails last friday, and one rock seems to be really clean, but the rest are just covered in green, brown algae and that red slimey stuff with bubbles underneath it .....and is spreading all over my sand!! please help!! 
and i cant seem to upload pictures, it wont let me.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

Has anyone told you what was in your tank yet? the pic that was shone is Coraline algae, but from your description it sounds like you may have an outbreak of ciano bacteria or red slime algae. Corline can come in red or purple and it means that your tank is healthy. some like others don't while other encourage the growth (i personally do) how's your tank coming along?


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## ohturtle (Jul 28, 2007)

Sounds like cyano. Try increasing your flow and checking your ro/di water.


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## tilt86 (Nov 10, 2008)

Hey Kim,

Did anyone tell you to leave your lights off while cycling your tank. If you do, the red slime algae will die almost over night and you can suck out the dead protein when you do your water change. Remember to do small more frequent water changes while cycling. 10% twice a week untill your levels get in check. Just a thought you probably are already doing!:-D


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

I don't agree with leaving the lights off because it's needed for other things.


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## tilt86 (Nov 10, 2008)

Disagree, the only thing it does is promote the bad growth of uwanted algae from the extra die off protein. Algae blooms with the lights on and you dont have any cleanup crew in there for 2-6 weeks depending on you nitrogen cycle. No clean up grew= no algae control. What is your take on it, and what other things would you need light for in a empty tank with rock,sand and water in it. Even if you buy precured live rock you will still have some dye off from shipping. Worry about growing coraline and adding color to your rock after you have a cycled healthy stable tank! If you dose it it will come:lol:


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

There are bacterias that need the lights to grow and for the control of algae, that's why it's the first thing you put into your tank, but hey it's on def ears so i'm done.


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## darrelljonesdc (Jan 12, 2009)

you should only have your lights on maybe 4 hr per day that will stop the funky looking brown stuff and increase you waterflow in your tank.


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

at first i was sorry that i missed this, then i noticed its almost a year old thread.

You do NOT want to do water changes while your rock is in the tank during the cycling stage. Water changes will just prolong the cycling process. After your tank fully cycles, perform your first water change.

Lights can be left on or off during the cycling stage. Leaving lights on will promote algae growth.
Using RO/DI water from the start will decrease chances of adding nutrients and minerals that algaes feed from. However, alot of foods contain these things that will just promote algae growth so be careful when feeding and pre-rinse your frozen foods in RO water if possible as the water they come in seems to be loaded with phosphates. 
Increasing flow is also a good method of keeping algaes away, you can also suck up some of the red slime in a turkey baster or syphon in thin tubing and call it a small water change.
Anyways again this is an OLD thread but i thought i would answer questions incase others are reading this since it was dug up.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

I acctually joined this forum so that i can try to shed some light on the guy that asked the initial question. I noticed that he wasn't getting any good info on his tanks symptoms.


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