White film on coral

[Yazoo1970]

Hi i have just started a 55 gallon saltwater tank and am turning into a fish killing machine. I started the tank with turbo start and the water was perfect before i added fish. however i added some live rock and a piece that looks like coral but they said it was live rock. My tank spiked big time when i added this and killed the fish so i was told to add mopre turbo start to get the water right now the piece of coral has a solid white film covering the whole piece does anyone know what this might be and should i add all the live rock i am going to put in it before i try to introduce anymore fish thanks

 

[aresgod]

wow, stop listening to your LFS, they dont know what there talking about, turbo start is crap, start over and do a massive water change, like 75-90% and put in all the LR your going to add and your tank will cycle on its own, then when your parameters are correct(after about a month) add a fish, but in the mean time pick up a few books and read them while your waiting for your tank to cycle, mike paletta's new marine aquarium and nick dakin's marine aquarium problem solver are good books to start with
and good luck and welcome to the tank
Brahm

 

[Yazoo1970]

thanks for the info i was afraid of that i had a saltwater tank about three years ago and did very well with it i had to take it down when we moved and i was just starting again the last tank i had i cycled with damsals but was told i didn't have to do that this time just use that turbo start. I commited myself and my wallet to making this tank beautiful and am off to a roaring start i already have about 900 dollars in it and no fish. Do you have any idea what this whiote covered piece is in the tank it started out red when i got it but now it has this white film on it thanks

 

[KahluaZzZ]

dunno...but i remembered when i started, a friend of mine gave me a little piece of dead coral ( took it on a beach in panama ) that i've put in my tank while cycling. A white film appeared...it tough it might be die-off. Later, it looked bigger..and finally the film hardened and became like a calcareous coat. Maybe your piece of LR has encrusted coral dying while cycling/adding your product. The red could be the encrusted coral's color, or some type of algae ( there actually is a red coralline..got some ) . Dunno..i'm just guessing
after a long party night ..can't find my brain

 

[1979camaro]

definitely pick up the book and stop listening to the LFS...why don't you tell us a bit more about your system (lights, filtration, skimmer, powerheads, etc) and your goals more specificaly than "to make a beautiful tank" (which is a great goal, but also broad) and we can probably help you get on the right path