n00b question - Page 2

muppet · 05/12/2010, 07:01 AM

So, that dark red stuff about center could just be really dark coralline?

Thanks for looking!

thebkramer · 05/12/2010, 07:03 AM

Does it come off if you rub it? If its not rubbing off, its coraline, if its rubbing off and feels icky and red, its cyano...

muppet · 05/12/2010, 07:04 AM

Oh, also I seem to have a hitchhiker in my tank (well, several really). I saw a small emerald mithrax crab pop out of a bit of porous live rock the other day, and then he.. well she I guess... opened up her belly and shot about a thousand larvae all over the place.

How bad is this going to mess up my water cycle? I started with cured rock, live sand, and sea water.

I'm seeing brown/hair algae taking hold for the past 3 or 4 days. Do I need to pull that crab out of there. I sort of like her.

I also have little white things floating EVERYWHERE in the tank now. On close inspection, many of them appear to be swimming, but are no larger than a dust mote. There are also little white things crawling on the glass and 3 or 4 tiny snails (as well as some sort of white thing shaped like a unicorn horn?). I guess these are all zooplankton? Aren't they indicative of pretty good water paramters?

muppet · 05/12/2010, 07:05 AM

I've been loathe to touch it and disturb it. I'll try rubbing a bit off today when I get home and see what happens.

Just LOOKING at it, it looks like really dark coralline to me and I thought that's what it was. It doesn't LOOK, based on texture, like something that should scrape off easily, but we'll see.

thebkramer · 05/12/2010, 07:11 AM

Sounds like the newbie tank coming alive!!!!!
Leave the emerald (are you sure its an emerald?) It will be fine, as long as its an emerald. With your description, sounds like you have a bunch of isopods, copepods and other GOOD critters

The brown algae you are seeing is normal. Part of the newbie tank bloom. It should come and go. Once parameters are better you can get some clean up crew (CUC) members to help you with it.
Here are some of my FAV links for hitchhikers...you are going to start seeing ALOT of things and going "Oh my gosh, what is that!!!"

http://www.xtalworld.com/Aquarium/hitchfaq.htm
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchhikers.html
http://www.melevsreef.com/id/

Also, here are 2 links that will help with some other "stuff"

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1031074
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1786183

Have fun!!

Edit: Just realized I gave you those last 2 links already

crazylegs · 05/12/2010, 10:01 AM

Muppet- That really doesn't look like cyano. I'm sure you'll find that it's coraline. Cyano would've taken over the whole rock in a day or two. Congrats! This is a very good start.

Cyano

See how the color is the same as your coraline?

The difference is in the texture. Cyano looks like a really thin layer of felt on top of your rocks or substrate. Parts of it will peel back and flow with the current. After a while, bubbles will form and pull parts of the cyano up into the water column. Colors of cyano vary from bright greens and reds, to more muted colors like brown and burgandy. But the texture is the key.

muppet · 05/12/2010, 11:16 AM

Thanks, crazylegs.

muppet · 05/12/2010, 06:51 PM

My tank is really coming to life now. I've spotted a brittle star, a tiny one, just starting to emerge from a crack. More zooplankton is all over the place. There's another new feather duster...

...and there's a bristle worm. He looks about an inch long and is purple for most of his length, ending in about a quarter inch pink area that seems to be the "head".

Any idea what that guy might be? Fireworm? Time for gloves and tweezers?

05/12/2010, 07:03 AM	#27
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	Does it come off if you rub it? If its not rubbing off, its coraline, if its rubbing off and feels icky and red, its cyano... __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS

05/12/2010, 07:11 AM	#30
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	Sounds like the newbie tank coming alive!!!!! Leave the emerald (are you sure its an emerald?) It will be fine, as long as its an emerald. With your description, sounds like you have a bunch of isopods, copepods and other GOOD critters The brown algae you are seeing is normal. Part of the newbie tank bloom. It should come and go. Once parameters are better you can get some clean up crew (CUC) members to help you with it. Here are some of my FAV links for hitchhikers...you are going to start seeing ALOT of things and going "Oh my gosh, what is that!!!" http://www.xtalworld.com/Aquarium/hitchfaq.htm http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchhikers.html http://www.melevsreef.com/id/ Also, here are 2 links that will help with some other "stuff" http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1031074 http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1786183 Have fun!! Edit: Just realized I gave you those last 2 links already __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
n00b question	AzaZeL	New to the Hobby	17	04/27/2007 11:08 AM
Total n00b question	tfleming09	New to the Hobby	19	02/11/2007 12:07 AM
n00b question about calc reactors	attack11	New to the Hobby	6	08/17/2006 02:50 PM
n00b Questions	YoReef	New to the Hobby	2	02/15/2006 07:12 PM
n00b Question?	Mark_OR	Tridacnid Clams and other Mollusks	1	11/08/2003 04:57 AM

05/12/2010, 07:01 AM	#26
muppet Misanthrope Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 2,759	So, that dark red stuff about center could just be really dark coralline? Thanks for looking!

05/12/2010, 07:04 AM	#28
muppet Misanthrope Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 2,759	Oh, also I seem to have a hitchhiker in my tank (well, several really). I saw a small emerald mithrax crab pop out of a bit of porous live rock the other day, and then he.. well she I guess... opened up her belly and shot about a thousand larvae all over the place. How bad is this going to mess up my water cycle? I started with cured rock, live sand, and sea water. I'm seeing brown/hair algae taking hold for the past 3 or 4 days. Do I need to pull that crab out of there. I sort of like her. I also have little white things floating EVERYWHERE in the tank now. On close inspection, many of them appear to be swimming, but are no larger than a dust mote. There are also little white things crawling on the glass and 3 or 4 tiny snails (as well as some sort of white thing shaped like a unicorn horn?). I guess these are all zooplankton? Aren't they indicative of pretty good water paramters?

05/12/2010, 07:05 AM	#29
muppet Misanthrope Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 2,759	I've been loathe to touch it and disturb it. I'll try rubbing a bit off today when I get home and see what happens. Just LOOKING at it, it looks like really dark coralline to me and I thought that's what it was. It doesn't LOOK, based on texture, like something that should scrape off easily, but we'll see.

05/12/2010, 10:01 AM	#31
crazylegs Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Houston, TX. Posts: 174	Muppet- That really doesn't look like cyano. I'm sure you'll find that it's coraline. Cyano would've taken over the whole rock in a day or two. Congrats! This is a very good start. Cyano See how the color is the same as your coraline? The difference is in the texture. Cyano looks like a really thin layer of felt on top of your rocks or substrate. Parts of it will peel back and flow with the current. After a while, bubbles will form and pull parts of the cyano up into the water column. Colors of cyano vary from bright greens and reds, to more muted colors like brown and burgandy. But the texture is the key.

05/12/2010, 11:16 AM	#32
muppet Misanthrope Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 2,759	Thanks, crazylegs.

05/12/2010, 06:51 PM	#33
muppet Misanthrope Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 2,759	My tank is really coming to life now. I've spotted a brittle star, a tiny one, just starting to emerge from a crack. More zooplankton is all over the place. There's another new feather duster... ...and there's a bristle worm. He looks about an inch long and is purple for most of his length, ending in about a quarter inch pink area that seems to be the "head". Any idea what that guy might be? Fireworm? Time for gloves and tweezers?