Breaking up Live Rock/2nd ammonia spike

[BRISK495]

Hello- I have a Nano cube thats been in operation for about a year now...I decided the past Sunday to break up a large peice of live rock. Ever since then , my tank has gotten a bad algae /diatom like appearance....almost like when I cycled my tank the first time....Has anyone had this experience?...I cant beleive this happened since all my rocks were covered in pink/purple coraline and the tank was doing great...Any help or advice on this????

[The Empiricyst]

Well today I broke open a live rock and found a big black spot of decay that reeked! I haven't the slightest how something ends up rotting inside porous yet basically solid rock, but that would raise ammonia when placed back in the tank and indeed bring on the diatoms. It could initiate a small or entire cycle and you should monitor your levels daily. Perhaps a SMALL dash of Fritz-Zyme turbo start would help accelerate this, but should only be added if you do see a daily trend of rising ammonia. I'm not entirely sure if that would be safe for everything in the tank, but then neither is a cycle.

Water changes and cleaner crews.

Good luck, and I hope it's not too serious.

Fritz-Zyme is carried by some fish stores and it's kind of questionable. I have used it and saw good results. My spikes kind of happened both at once much weaker than normal.

[EnderG60]

any time you break a live rock there will be another mini cycle, the intesity of which is dependant on many factors.

 

I would say go get something like amovec or stability and start dosing the take with that untill the levels return to normal.

[BRISK495]

Thanks guys...I really do ppreciate your imputs......I do beleive there was another cycle brought on by breaking the rock apart. I had no idea this would happen, but it does make sense since you are exposing bacteria, and then some will dye off and spike ammonia. I WOULD RECCOMEND TO ANYONE WHO IS GOING TO BREAK APART LIVE ROCK(I MEAN CUTIN HALF OR THIRDS), TO CONSIDER SOMETHING ELSE OR EXPECTING A CYCLE. MY Tank has recovered mostly, although there is still some brown algae groth. Ovrall though its much better. I noticed to that cleaning with a truthbrush helps a bit, but snails need to go over and eat it so it doesnt spread. I have also kept ALK up and Calcium so tht my coraline algae will compete for nutrients and discourage "ugly" algae. IT's been working!!