Dry Rock and long-term bacterial bloom

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Myka

I've never heard of this or experienced this. I did some Googling and couldn't find it mentioned.

but it sure sounded good lol

[jon.smolders]

Originally Posted by Pike

10 months and your rocks are bare, no coraline algae , nada!. theres no life in those rocks. Something is really wrong. Almost seems like what you have is lack of beneficial bacteria on your rocks thus the milky water. I would get a piece of better live rock with lots of life on it and some sand from a established tank or buy prodibio . It looks like you just put water in it yesterday.

I did dose microbacter7 for a while when I first started the tank.

I do have some form of pods living between the glass and my algae magnet (I assume they must be living in the rock as well), and I get those really tiny little starfish looking white bugs on the glass (I forget what they're called!). I also have tiny spots where coraline started to take hold on the rocks and back glass, but I'm pretty sure the reason it stopped growing was because of the low alkalinity.

Anyway, there is some life. Not as much as I would like but its there.

[Masonjames]

Originally Posted by reefwars

but it sure sounded good lol

For sure there would be a flux. It'd be silly to think otherwise. Negligible, but there.

[eli@fijireefrock.com]

Originally Posted by jon.smolders

I just threw the rock in the tank and let it cure with heat, good flow, and about 6-8 hrs of lighting a day, so maybe that's why the water-bourn bacteria bloomed? Because I didn't cycle it in the dark first?

I believe so, as different bacteria start to bloom specific to temperature, oxygen availability and spectrum.

Originally Posted by jon.smolders

think I am going to try this before I buy a UV sterilizer.... set up some sort of filter floss or micron-water polisher in the display tank and see if that makes a difference. Maybe keep the lights off for 2 or 3 days as well and change the carbon more frequently.

I would do the same, actually I still do it every few months when I stir things around just to be on the safe side.
I use filter floss from walmart the fillings of a pillow (100% poly)

[eli@fijireefrock.com]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

OK Eli ... question for you

I have rock that I used in my old 330G from 10yrs ago that is stored in brute bins on side of my house that is now dead rock but it will have dead organics in it correct?

What would be the best and safest way to cure this rock for use in my new aquarium I am setting up?

cure in the dark in the brute container? if so then how?

or setup in the tank without livestock and short light cycle? if so then how?

I have heard there will be phosphate issues if bleach and vinegar are not used initially to clean them first ... if not bleach/vinegar then what is best?

so many theories so one definitive answer of what is proven to work would be much appreciated

Thanks

PS sorry for the hijack Jon

Yes you can use the same rock and of course curing 1st is the key.
As long as your old rock hasn't had any chemical added to it that will leach out and create a death trap later on as copper treatment,...
Check this Link as it explains the steps I personally took to achive what I have in my system.
Acid and bleach use has been tested with few people,I haven't done so myself yet and don't think its harm if done properly.
Below was taken from another threat
A quick note on how Bleach and Acid works on the rock for curing.

We all know the rock is cleaned as much as possible and pressure washed prior to shipping. But proteins is lodged into the rock and needs to be removed with little cost.

Bleach and proteins are 2 different chemical reaction as when added bleach in a water volume and add the rock to it what you will get is that the bleach will react with the amino acids that form the proteins and render it useless,..
Now all that release is in the water line or some still in the rock.

Acid well we all know that acid body of water dissolve Calcium (the very make of our rock) to nothing
When added to the water with the rock that has gotten a simple wash after the Bleach wash,well it will dislodge and remover all cracked and useless proteins into the water line and foam out.A quick wash and your rock is ready for curing.

Curing is always needed to add bacteria and have the rock ready for any saltwater tank,...
Does the Bleach and Acid speed up the process,...I don't know as I haven't tested that theory yet,there is no right answer to that speed of curing as the recipe doesn't fall under on one or 2 items being changed but few points put together; foe exp. water temperature,water movement, oxygen availability, available proteins in the rock and added proteins to that rock,...

Bottom line is if you are planning on using Acid or Bleach I suggest using them as part of the process not one and leave the other out as mentioned above they work perfect as one breaks the proteins and the other help dislodging is out.

[eli@fijireefrock.com]

Originally Posted by Myka

I've never heard of this or experienced this. I did some Googling and couldn't find it mentioned.

This is actually could be explained in a long and few different steps.
Under scientific research is known fact that different bacteria grows differently under specific conditions.I wish I still have those papers but will looks and see what I can find.
Maybe look for bacteria harvesting and growth under different conditions.
or
Stimulation of ocean bacteria under different conditions.
or
Type of reef Bacteria harvesting sunlight
or
Spectrum analysis for bacteria growth
or
Bacterial protein cells under spectrum conditions
....
Light is one of them it does render some bacteria in a dormant stage and if conditions are met render them useless..

[Skimmin]

So I figured I'll follow up with my last post. Since I last posted my tank started to cloud up a bit again. I have never used a uv lighr before but decided to give it a try. Its been four days and all I can say is WOW. My tank is crystal clear now and everythi g seems to be doing great. Even the algae blooms have receded. I was having to clean the green off my glass every day. Its now been two days and its still nice and clean. I think im going to start running uv as regular maintenance. Maybe for two weeks every six weeks or something like that. What a HUGE difference

[TimT]

One thing about UV sterilizers is that you do need to carefully clean the quartz sleeve every 3 months or so, especially if your dealing with a lot of bacteria. Use rubber gloves when you do as it's not good for them to get skin oils on them.

Cheers,
Tim

[jon.smolders]

I'm glad the UV worked out for you!

I ran a 1 micron sediment filter (the kind you usually put in an RO filter) on a powerhead for a week. I also built a DIY in tank canister filter that attaches to a power head as well and ran filter floss and half a cup of carbon (still currently running). Ran the skimmer as wet as it would go. Also ran a filter sock on the sump. Increased my flow through my sump for more aeration, and to allow the skimmer to possibly process more tank water. Did a three day blackout with no lights.

No change. Still has that hazy look to it.

Fish seem fine. All the other coral frags I have seem to be doing ok, but my blue xenia frag that is just about a month old has in the last couple days almost entirely disappeared. I moved it to another small 20g I set up with a power filter in a last ditch effort to save it.

I think the UV may be the way to go... I don't see any other options.