help please

harryhuckem · 12-11-2006, 05:40 PM

is my live rock supposed to look like this? the clear white algae stuff, i dont know what it is. any help is appreciated.

Sniperelite8243 · 12-11-2006, 06:36 PM

Im not sure if it is just me because were the pic is supose to be i get this message "remote linking of images not allowed"

harryhuckem · 12-11-2006, 06:43 PM

link to picture http://yourinsane.bravehost.com/index.html

Tommy Gun · 12-12-2006, 12:44 AM

Just read about a possible cause for this. I cannot really see clearly what you mean from your picture, so I am kind of guessing here a little bit...

What type of water flow do you have in your tank?

Are you using powerheads?

If so, is this area in an spot that is not receiving any water movement across it?

How do you prepare your water for water changes or top offs? Are you sure that you are curing it for a couple days or so with something like an airstone or pump to circulate it for O2 and to dissolve the salt completely?

What type of sand in that for your substrate?

Basically, I read that this build up can be from not using any water current devices (powerheads or strong filters) and it may either be undissolved salt or an accumulation of fine silt from the sand substrate. That is why it is important to keep the water moving in the tank as well as ensure that you are curing your water so that there are no undissolved salt particles in the water. I believe that over time, enough undissolved particles can accumulate and be strong enough to fight integration into the water (dissolving basically, just trying to sound smart, LOL).

Hope this helps a little bit or at least narrows out one possiblity.

harryhuckem · 12-12-2006, 10:49 PM

i have a 10 gallon tank, with one powerhead, the entire tank has good water movement. i just got my tank to my house from my mothers house. her boyfriend has been taking care of it. when i got it back to my house i noticed the odd growth. i will have better pics soon though. another person said that it might be some type of sponge. i havent been able to find any information or pictures on google that look like that. as for preparing for top offs and water changes, i havent done that yet since it has been at my place.

the growth looks off white with a clear outer. kinda has a weird brain like pattern, looks porous. it is growing on a part of the live rock that doesnt get direct light. it looks like it is about 1/4 inch thick. i scraped a small section off a couple weeks ago, it grew back quick, and it hasnt spread to any other part of the tank or rocks.

Tommy Gun · 12-13-2006, 07:47 PM

I have something very similar to what you are talking about...a white, brain like, growth on one peice of my live rock. It once moved the rock and put this growth face down, and it basically moved to an area that was not covered by the sand. I think I can get a more clear picture with my camera of it as I would like to know myself, now that you bring this up. I thought it was just something in or on the rock I hadnt noticed before but maybe I am wrong.

And.....of course, the battery is dead on the camera.

I will post the picture as soon as it is charged up enough to stay on for 30 seconds.

Tommy Gun · 12-13-2006, 08:12 PM

Ok, got a couple pictures of it, but this is the best looking one on my computer screen at least:

This one, in real life, looks very very much like a white brain. There is also one underneath it, that is really larger in size, but is now being taken over by what I think is coraline algea.

Like I said, I would also like to know what this is. It is very hard to the touch on my rock, but I did not try to scrape any off yet. I might do so though just to see if it grows back like yours.