Final Notes to Customers Frequent Questions of natural rock bleaching and red slime problems:

White spots and Red Slime is a very normal occurrence.  The rock typically comes in looking and smelling good.  If you have poor aeration, the rock will begin to smell.  If you have good aeration and I even exaggerate my aeration during a cycle period by putting several air stones under my rock and it will quickly cure up.  This is pre-cured rock so it will cycle quickly if you have a good system full of circulation and aeration especially with the additive “Nitromax”.  (Read our Free Live Rock Article) .  You will often find that your rock will loose some if not all color totally in a cycle process.  A red slime (brown and tan too) will grow all over the rock and sand.  This is Cyanobacteria and is very common in reef tanks but particularly when you first get live rock in the first month.  You want to keep your rock cleaned off of this carpet like slime as it will prevent light from getting to the rock thus preventing photosynthesis on your coralline algae and causing white bleached out spots. 

Once your rock is cycled and your toxins of Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate are finally at zero, under the right lighting of 4-7 watts per gallon of water which must include lighting in both the 10,000 Kelvin Rating and Super Actinic 03 Blue lighting while dosing with “Purple-Up”, Calcium, Strontium, Molybium and Iodine, (mini kits are available) your rock will eventually turn a super bright purple which typically starts out in it’s green phase as it morphs.  Under ideal conditions, you can turn even dead rock to this bright purple look in only a week! 

Your cycle process may be delayed if you don’t use a good cleaner like “Rock-Prep”.

Also, normal occurrences are to see your water hit a bacterial bloom if you are low on bacteria (Nitromax) and Oxygen which will form a milky or green pea soup type look in your water.  If this happens, add a good air supply and a bottle of Nitromax and your problem should go away within 24 hours.  If your water is green, a U/V sterilizer will clean that up in 30 minutes but you still need to fix the problem of the lack of bacteria or oxygen.

Hopefully this information was informative and helpful!

 
Photo of Refugium Sump utilizing Bio-Rock & Red SeaWeed!

 No price like this anywhere on the net! 

Oceanpro Live Rock TIP:  Don't forget that to grow a strong purple coralline algae (purple, green and red rock growth) you must have the necessary lighting consisting of 4watts per gallon of water as a rule of thumb and necessary trace elements of Iodine, Strontium, Molybdenum and liquid Calcium!  These are the big trick all the true reef and saltwater hobbyists growing extremely beautiful live rock are doing and understand!  The photo's below are links to these items which are a must and should be added to every order of live rock not just as a starter kit but they must be kept up on a regular basis!

Important Shipping Information:  As with any livestock, you should always choose the quickest form of shipping method you can afford in order to receive your animal(s) or livestock in the best condition possible.  Oceanpro Aquatics, Inc. pays to insure our customers products at no extra charge as a curtasy for doing business with us, but in some circumstances depending upon shipper such as UPS, the item may only be covered for damage, loss or theft but not death or loss of quality too any perishable items such as fish, live rock, livesand, and most all other livestock because the customer chooses the slowest form of shipping.  Such shipping like parcel post may be fine for local customers but not for someone of considerable distance.  You, the customer has the ultimate choice though.  For further details and more information with UPS, you may visit their website direct at http://www.UPS.com .  We have nothing to gain by suggesting a more expensive shipping method.  We would just like to see all our customers receive their product in the fastest possible time and in the best possible condition!  After you choose your product and prior to any purchase commitment, you will be given several shipping options and their respective costs allowing you the ultimate choice of shipping.  Thanks for the opportunity to do business together.  Oceanpro Aquatics, Inc. provides a limted warranty (ask sales person for details or a written copy for details) when the customer ships overnight for any livestock!  This would include the "Free Critter" we often give away in any special offer.   If you have any questions, you may always first contact us toll free at (800)722-0421.  Keep in mind that if any claim is made for shipping damage recieved and it is for a livestock item and not shipped overnight as suggested, Oceanpro will help you make a claim but it must be done within 24 hours of receipt of the item which is plenty of time to notice any damaged condition or death to the livestock and replacement of the item will not be made until "All Product Shipped" is returned to us after first having a UPS representative come to your home for an inspection who will ship the item(s) back to us and only after we have recieved a full refund by UPS Insurance.  This is just a courtasy on our part to pay for additional shipping insurance as a thank you for doing business with us even in the event you choose to not overnight your livestock as suggested.  (See our Shipping Insurance and Warranty Policies in detail posted online at our knowledgebase section and all over our website and in our stores) or visit http://www.oceanproaquatics.com/shop/activekb/index.php?ToDo=browse&catId=5 . 

Thank you for your business,

Management Team

Oceanpro Aquatics, Inc.