bad live rock High Nitrates

can live rock go bad... i have a 75 gallon tank and some rocks that came with coral on them look like ****.... and i havent been able to keep my nitrates down. Can this live rock have turned to Dead rock.. and killing my water chemistry... I cant seem to keep the nitrates down even when i use RO/DI water, water changes of 50% twice and nothign happens... can this rock be killing my tank.

 

Yes, it's common to have die-off on liverock. How long has the rock been in your tank? It is not uncommon to have to cycle rock for a month or so, for the die-off. How often are you feeding? If the rock is established, feeding too little, too support the biomass on the rocks can cause die off. Also, if the rock had coralline algae and the algae is dying off, due to parameters, lighting etc... that die off can lead to nitrates. If the rock had a lot of algae growth, and the algae is now shaded, that can result in die-off. Or if there is a lot of algae and some limiting trace element if low, that can lead to die-off etc....

If you take out some of the rock, does it smell bad? If so, that could be a sign it's the source. Also, if there is lots of algae growing on certain pieces, but not elsewhere, that could be a sign.

Also, though, we need your actual parameters, pictures would help and have you tested with a different test kit. Most test kits are quite inaccurate and should always be double checked IMO.

 

nitrates are staying at about 20-60. everythign else on the testing is good. I have had an outbreak of red slim as well which i believe it has to do with the nitrates. I would attach a pic but i dont know how to. There is some hair algae on parts of the rock. There are also many sponges and feather dusters attached to the rock.

 

Thanks, but how about answers to the questions? How long have you had the rock? How established is your tank? What other sources of nitrates could there be, such as your feeding schedule? What were the nitrates before adding the rock? Have you charted a rise or was it sudden? Last water change? Water change schedule? Readings after water changes? Readings of make-up water or new salt water?

Without answers (In the original thread please) we can't easily guide you. There are dozens of possibilities, without giving us a direction to pursue, the best we can do is point you to the search function.

Jeff

 

+1, we need answers to those questions

And to clarify what m2434 said. The rock can't die, just things on the rock. But there are lots of things on the rock that could be dieing. The rock it's self is fine, even if it does lock phosphate in, it will leach out and clear after being in a low nutrient system for a while, usually by growing GHA till that sucks it all out. Rocks themselves can not store or leach nitrate though.