Missing Macro

[judochop]

I cooked the LR in my tank for 3 months prior to starting it. My tank is now a little over 6 weeks old. I have not seen any significant increase in macro algea. I have run my 4 32W PC acintics constantly for the past 2 weeks and dosed with purple up. Is it possible that the macro algea that is there is dead? Also, what is that thing in the first pic? Is that some sort of algea?

Thanks for any help.
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[vettesarebest]

If you cooked the rock for 3 weeks any macro that was on it is dead because it hasn't had any light.

 

[vettesarebest]

Those red things are called Foraminiferans, They are basically protozoans with sshells. Their shells are mostly formed of Calcareous material. They are harmless and they will eat bacteria and detritus. I have a BUNCH too!

 

[wbholwell]

That thing in the first pic looks a lot like something I had on one of my ricks when I first set up a saltwater tank. If it's the same thing, I wouldn't touch it!

 

[siege]

I have a few of thos ein my tank, had wondered what they were... Wish I had more!

 

[siege]

Please define "cook"... Why would you do this, just to kill off anything in them?

 

[vettesarebest]

Cook- Leave in a bucket with a power head for a couple months to get rid of pretty much EVERYTHING and start new. People do this to get rid of algae and detritus and such that builds up in rocks over time. Oh and you have to change the water in the bucket about once a week.

 

[siege]

I see the reasoning behind doing this... but barring a SERIOUS problem that could be hiding in the rock... wow, I hate the thought of doing that to all this very live and corallined rock in my tank, even as bad a shape as it's in... The thought of all the lost biodiversity horrifies me.

 

[vettesarebest]

It is a last resort IMO, but the benefits are amazing!