curing live rock

[whiteshark]

OK, I am not new to this hobby, but have never cured rock before. I got some base rock and put it in a tank I have had running for about 5 yrs. The rock was quickly overtaken with green algae. It is not hair algae, and the snails don't touch it. I have heard that this may be coralline algae that will "purple up" later. Is this likely what it is? If so, how long will it take for it to turn purple, red and pink? Sorry no pics, as I am looking for a digital camera I can afford.
FYI
Nitrite/ammonia=0
Nitrate=about 0-5ish
Phosphate= 0.1

[whiteshark]

No one???

[gman0526]

Base rock is usually loaded with phosphates, this might be why you're experiencing this algae bloom. There's lots of corallines some are green, purple. They don't change colors, one might over take the other. I'm 99.9% sure that what you're looking at is nutrients leaking from the base rock.

[XeniaMania]

Curing is also a term when you get Live Rock that's freshly imported with alot of decaying matter on it. Do you have any live rock in your tank because without a initial stock of live rock, there's no way coralline algae will grow.

[whiteshark]

About 50-60 lbs of live rock was already present in the tank. The base rock was rinsed, many times, in RO water. I'm sure this did not take care of all phosphate or other nutrients that may be present, but hopefully it took care of some. This green algae seems likes it is encrusting, not growing out like hair algae does, for example. Thats what made me think it may have been a type of coralline algae.

[XeniaMania]

Yeah...there's green coralline algae, not sure what makes it grow over the purple, but I have a mixture of it in my tank too.

[keeperofthefish]

The purple is largely the result of magnesium and trace elements. You can try adding some Purple Up to the tank. Your chemicals are probably out of whack with the back change of adding so much surface area for the coralline to colonize.

[XeniaMania]

huh...thank you, good thing I just added more magnesium the other day..lol

[whiteshark]

I add trace elements every week. Should i use purple up in addition to this? I add
Kent Trace Elements
Kent Strontium/Molybdenum
Kent Tech-I
Kent Iron (for macro algae in fuge)
Kent Magnesium

[Alaskan Reefer]

What are your water test parameters? Add elements if your levels test low -- otherwise don't.

Purple Up is a solid way to blow money. 2 part additives are cheaper and work better. If you test and maintain good Magnesium levels along with that you're way ahead of Purple Up financially and in terms of results.

[whiteshark]

I don't test for these trace elements. Thats why I was worried to put that purple up stuff in. I add them weekly as recommended if your not testing for them. Someone who I trust and has many beautiful reef aquariums recommended the amount of each of these elements that I put in based on what I have in my tank. I've been adding them for years and everything in my tank looks great and is healthy. I didn't want to ruin the balance I have with "purple up". However, I am planning on getting these tests this weekend so I know for sure the concentrations of each of these elements.

[gman0526]

All you need to do is make sure your Ca, Alk and Mg are in balance, no need to add any other "whatever up" , "SW tank in a bottle" products.

[whiteshark]

Well, I do notice that my macro algae appreciate the addition iron, and the iodine helps keep nusience algae off of the corals and made my pipe organ open way up, so I like to add those elements for those reasons.

[gman0526]

If you do regular water changes, there should be more than enough trace elements for your aquarium needs. Remember HA also thrives with Fe so you need to be very careful while dosing Fe, especially if you're not testing.

But anyways, when I replied I was talking about coralline algae, Ca, Alk and Mg in balance and it will take off.

[whiteshark]

Gotcha. Like I said, thats why I worry about adding anything else. Thats also why I plan on getting those tests.