Baking my rock
- Thread starter Clownguy
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Krish
RF STAFF
Never actually baked my rock yet. I had a thread that baking the rock was discussed on. I'll see if I can find it for ya. Maybe it could help...
Krish
RF STAFF
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10976
That should answer a few of you questions. HTH
That should answer a few of you questions. HTH
Thanks Krish, I had actually found that one earlier this afternoon. It is very informative to what is actually taking place. I have never had to do this before, but that is only place left that can be causing the hair algae to grow. It is my las hope. I figure I have alot of rock in my tank and had a high bio load and moderate flow so this should help. I have already removed the extra fish and my sandbed so this is my last hope. Thanks again.
Chris
Chris
Curtswearing
Mantisfreak
Many (actually most) people's tapwater contain phosphates. It is normally there in small amounts as bacteria is used to treat the water but additional amounts are added for their pipes.
If your tap water contains phosphates (which it likely does), you need to use RO/DI water. Why should bacteria clean your rocks if they can just grab P right from the water?
If your tap water contains phosphates (which it likely does), you need to use RO/DI water. Why should bacteria clean your rocks if they can just grab P right from the water?
Curtswearing
Mantisfreak
Don't misunderstand me, it will work with dechlorinated tap-water. But it will take a loooooooooot longer. I'm guessing that you want this done as soon as possible.
You see, bacteria are lazy just like us. It's important to stop P inputs as it's the only way to force them to work for us.
You see, bacteria are lazy just like us. It's important to stop P inputs as it's the only way to force them to work for us.
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alison
*Alison*
I would definately do some scring to get off as much as you can, then keep doing what you're doing
Curtswearing
Mantisfreak
If you want to speed up the process, you can pull the algae and throw it away so it's not rotting in the water releasing phosphates. It will die either way. It's all a matter of how patient you are. Any phosphate addition will lengthen the cooking procedure. If you want the rock done quicker, remove it. If you don't need it immediately, you can let it die on it's own.
I removed the big clumps but left some on there approximately how long will it take for the rock to bake clean. I have heard estimaes from 3-6 weeks. I am thinking 6 weeks for mine because when I shook off the rocks a minute ago to put it in the next garbage can of clean water the old water was nasty!
Thanks,
Chris
Thanks,Chris
Curtswearing
Mantisfreak
If the water was really nasty, I'm sorry to tell you that you have numerous more weeks to go. When the detritus stops, that's when you're good to go.
I would have to say it was pretty nasty. When I emptied the bucket of water this morning after letting it settle out and there was about a half inch of much on the bottom. It is going to be a very long time before the tank is ready again because I was only able to put about half the rock in so I will have to double the time it takes for this batch. Oh well more time to fine tune my setup.
Chris
Chris
Well, I just changed the water in the baking tub for the third time and I noticed something kind of wierd. All of the hair algae is gone, but the was a tough red string short algae that really hung on to the rocks that is not going away. Also, I thought for sure that the color on the coraline algae would fade and die but it hasn't. Any reasons why that specific type algae hasn't died or why the coraline hasnt faded?
Thanks,
Chris
Thanks,
Chris
Carl
Member
Hi All,
I am usually just a lurker here but wanted to add a comment. Isn't this just a way of correcting for not having a properly run tank?
Maybe it's just me but I think it is alot easier to maintain a high random flow, consistant water changes, and proper skimming than going through all this trouble.
Carl
I am usually just a lurker here but wanted to add a comment. Isn't this just a way of correcting for not having a properly run tank?
Maybe it's just me but I think it is alot easier to maintain a high random flow, consistant water changes, and proper skimming than going through all this trouble.
Carl
I would not neccessarily say it is a problem with an improperly run tank. I have a fifty gallon sump with refugium, I only feed every other day only what the fish can eat in a minute. For flow I had an ampmaster 3000 on there with a genx pump that produces around 1400 gph. So that is 4400 GPH in a 125 gal tank. Flow hasn't been an issue. The tank is four of five years old now and over the last 4-6 months the nitrates have started to build up out of no where, and from what I researched it sounds like sometimes after a while detritus can build up in the rocks and the bacteria can't push it out. Now I have taken out some of the rock the nitrates are back to 0 and the algae is dying off. I am going to try and arrange it so more flow can get around the rock work plus I now have changed my closed loop pump to a sequence hammerhead the produces 5400 gph returning through 6 3/4" outlets plus 2 3/4" sea swirls. Also, I change 10 or 20% every week using RODI water with either tropic marin or kent salt. I have a dual chamber Ca reactor and dose kalkwasser for my topoff. I am pretty much BB with about a half inch deep sand in front of my rock work that is only two inches wide which is vaccumed with w/c. Don't know what else I could have done better. I do have a nautilus skimmer that can skim off some nasty stuff. I also run carbon.
Chris
Chris
Curtswearing
Mantisfreak
I completely agree with what Chris just said. Some people buy LR that is loaded with phosphates and detritus before they even put a single critter in their tank.
fishermann
Well-known member
Hey Chris there are some algaes that grow in low or no light conditions. Yjis red stuff could have beengrowing in a low light condition under all the hair algae. Try lighting the tub now and see if the red tuft algae doesn't die off. Great to hear things are getting along. When your ready for some corals let me know. The Oregon toet has tripled in size and the others are doing great, except for that one that got knocked off down into the reef that I really liked. Cheers
Curtswearing
Mantisfreak
Clownguy said:
Is it really wirey? Anotrichum barbatum is a red turf algae that is capable of living in low nutrient environs. A scrub brush is often used because it takes a looooong time to cook it off.
