live rock hitch hikers

[87ford]

I just set up a 36 gallon bow with 36lbs of live rock I used fancy fused, Fiji, and one slate rock. My question is I see that I have a sponge, I think, and I may or may not have coralline growing. I see red and green, I tried scraping them off it won't budge. I have on one rock this weird thing and it just recently started to get red in the tulips? My question is that is it a form of coral or just a deformed rock? also the tank has no fish doing a fishless cycle. ph is 8.2 ammonia 0 nitrite 5.0 + nitrate 160 + still in cycle phase. I have a prizm protein skimmer and a horrible aqueon 30 filter which in one week will be changed to a fluval c4 that's what I have on the rest of my tanks just this filter was free with the tank.

Thank you

Tom

[smtank]

The red spikey looking items are Foraminiferans.

[Travish881]

Have the same tank as you yours looks like it's off to a great start, what type of lighting are you using if you don't mind me asking

[Jerzey]

best way to get coralline is get some coralline scrapings from a friends tank or your LFS and seed your tank... the spores will grow when there ready

[sh0ck]

ehm, did I just read nitrates 160?

[87ford]

Is Foraminiferans bad? And I'm using standard florescent lights from the tank kit I bought from pets smart is was a great deal I think I paid 107 for tank with filter hood and heater filter is so so in my opinion but eh going to change it and the stand was horrible but I bolted it to the wall so now it's good and sturdy. Yes I know it has to be introduced to the tank I actually bought all that rock from a lfs I actually got it fresh out of the box from shipping I told them I want it like that so it's uncured and immediately started my cycle in 2 days ammonia went up then dropped to zero it's just strange looking and now it's got a green tint and I tried scraping it off but it won't budge so it's defiantly not a slimy alage

[87ford]

Yes off charts not cycled yet nitrite and nitrate should I do a water change or just let it be