Should we clean the rock?

[Mare100]

Hi...

Have a question about the rock in our tank. We just set up our 120 gallon and have all the rock in since last week. Seems like the tank is cycling like crazy. Ammonia levels are down to 0, but nitrite was WAY up for the past several days. Looks like it came down to 1.6 as of today.....but brown algae has been growing like crazy since 2 days ago. I know that is part of the cycle, as that's what happened in the other tank. My question is....the algae is VERY plentiful. Should we brush it off of the rock or just let it be.....as ugly as it looks.....for now?

Also...I THINK I just noticed our first "critters" in there! On two of the rocks...there are little worms coming out of holes. The worms are sort of flat looking.....their color is dark pink to red. Looks like they have tiny legs all up and down their bodies. Anybody have any idea what these guys are?

Thanks in advance!
Mare

[lvreefer]

I would leave the algae and as soon as your levels are 0 add some cleaners that love diatoms.
The pink and red worms are bristle worms
(probably fireworms) and should NOT be touch with a bare finger/hand.
Click on link for Id - Cup-of-Worms - thanks melev (http://melevsreef.com/id/bristleworms.jpg)

[Mare100]

Thanks!!

And thanks for the link to the picture. That is EXACTLY the little critters that are in there. I am very excited to see some guys in there....but don't worry....I don't have any intentions of petting them. :lol: I take it from your warning that they have some sort of toxin? Are they safe to be in the tank? I'll have to do some research on these guys.

OK...we will leave the algea for now. We'd like to get a cleaner crew for in that tank as soon as our readings all zero out....but our dilemna now is that we want to eventually move our Moon Wrasse over to the reef tank. We were told that he will eat invertibrates. Which I can believe.....he's like an eating machine!

Thanks so much for the help!

Mare