does coraline algea and live rock color survive high ammonia and nitrite levels or are the pretty colors going to die when the tank cycles?
coraline
- Thread starter ZeroKelvin
- Start date
Catpicklesdog
Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
If you do get any die off it will grow back given good lighting and water conditions. Saying that I had I high Amm & Ate spike after moving my rock and sand around and had no die off whatsoever.
Germanman
My fish are my babies
yea it will initially die off it ammonia is to hight but if water changes are made and calcium kept above 350 it will grow back in some time (few months)
ok, so does my aragonite help with keeping calcium up? and is there any other way help lower the ammonia other that water changes? are nitrites and nitrates toxic to liverock? thanks for the replies great site!
Germanman
My fish are my babies
the arag will help a lot with calcium but the proper amount wont be reached unless u use buffers or use a top quality synthetic salt like Reef Crystals. as for the rock yes ammonia and nitrates will harm the living organisms on the rock if they get to high. also water changes should always be done(weekly IMO) and they are the best export of all unwanted chemicals and nutrients, xenia and macro algae will pull phosphates and nitrates and so will products like Chemipure Elite and Polyfilter pads
Catpicklesdog
Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
I'm assuming you are still cycling? If so don't do any water changes until your levels have come back down as you'll only prolong the cycle.
The ammonia will drop - eventually ( you'll discover an unknown amount of patience in this hobby)
NitrAtes and NitrItes can be harmful to live rock if they get too extreme but as it's all part of the cycle there isn't much we can do. Things will grow back. Also depending on where you got your rock from, most of the "good" things probably died off in transportation.
With regard to whether or not Aragonite helps keep up calciulm levels, all I can say is this. I am currently setting up an upgrade with Aragonite sand and using Reef crystals. It's been up since 4th June 2007 and my calcium is currently reading 500 and Ph has been consistant at 8.2. I use RO/DI water and have NEVER dosed with buffers or anything.
Hope this helps.
Is the live rock cured already? Because if it's uncured you're going to get a natural nitrite/ammonia spike until it's cured.
THEJRC
Third String Messiah?
I've been supplementing Purple Up to help my coralline, this along with a good mix of high quality rock and I'm noticing good results!. I test calc once weekly and if I get a reading higher than about 420 I lay off the next purple up dose. If I get a low reading I'll alternate a more straightforward calcium supplement. Corals and coralline seem to enjoy this so I'll keep it up until I learn better I suppose.