HELP - live rock die off

[surfbunny]

Yesterday I purchased a really pretty piece of “live rock” from my LFS. They had it in an unheated, untreated brackish pond type container; the girl said they’d had it for two days. When I got home I noticed that it smelled and thought how stupid they were to house like that. Now it has been in my tank since last night and I am beginning to think how stupid I am for having put it in my tank. It is a piece of dead branching coral, there is some maiden’s hair algae on it, it is light green and I don’t know if it is still alive or not. I am now concerned about the ammonia caused from the die off. Do I need to remove it? Should I run fresh carbon to help with ammonia? Do you think it is sufficiently alive to bring the algae back to health?

You can see the pictures here:

· Whole pic

· Close Up 1

· Close Up 2

 

[Anonymous]

I would leave it in there, especially since it looks like you have no live stock in there yet.

Do a water change if you are really concerned about ammonia.

Do you have any test kits?

How long has this tank been set up?

Do you actually want the hair algea to survive?

Louey

 

[surfbunny]

I actually have quite a bit of live rock. I have had the existing rock for about 4 years but moved from Dallas may 2003 and in august 2003 the AC went out and killed all of my corals & most of my fish so I am starting over again. I do like the algae but I am not sure if it will work with the corals I would like to add. I do have a test kit, I will check for amonia now.

 

[Anonymous]

I would definately get some saltwater made up and get ready to do a water change. That certainly can't hurt anything even if it is not really needed.

Louey

 

[surfbunny]

I tested the amonia and it is at 0.0 but I treated the tank with AmQuel instant water detoxifier at 5am this morning so no telling what it will be this afternoon.

Marlo

 

[Anonymous]

You've gotten yourself a piece of uncured rock. The question is, how much of it can get through the cure that's started. If they'd only just transshipped it they SHOULD have freakin' TOLD you - there will be die-off. Personally, I'd get it OUT of my tank and into a trash can or other such container to finish the cure there. LOTS of water mixed up for water changes.

Don't start throwing in treatments willy-nilly, though, either. Water changes will be your best means of getting it through this period of curing.