Please ID these Strange Worms Living in my Power Head - Is this why my Coral is Dying

that Fish Guy · 05/01/2014, 10:42 PM

I am normally on top of Cleaning my Power Heads but Checking my Records these have not been done since December (4 Months).

And I have been having problems with this Aquarium for about a Month now.

I had heard of equipment leaching stuff out and killing Live Stock so I figured I should take a look and Clean them Out to help figure out what exactly is going on in this Aquarium.

When I opened up the Koralia I saw all these Strange White Worms that I have never seen before.

Please take a look at my Pictures.

Can anybody tell me what they are and if they are harmful or not?

that Fish Guy · 05/01/2014, 10:43 PM

They are only in the Power Heads (Especially this Power Head).

I do not see them anywhere else in the Tank or in any of my other three tanks.

that Fish Guy · 05/01/2014, 10:43 PM

Every Time I do a Water Change My Corals get Very Stressed Out.

The Tank has been doing great for Months then I got a Large Rock covered in Purple Death's.

Since then

My Hammers and FrogSpawn Close Up and have White/Gray Stuff on Top of them.
Zoanthids Close up for a Day or two.
Acans also get covered in this White/Gray Film and Spit stuff out.

For a while now I could not figure out what the problem was.

My Water is Perfect

Temperature 78 Degrees
Salinity 1.025
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Alkalinity 10.2

that Fish Guy · 05/01/2014, 10:44 PM

The Way I do the Water Change is that I use a Pitcher to Pour the Water back into the Tank.

I Pour it over one of my Power Heads to spread the water out more and not knock over any Coral.

Do you think these worms get stressed when I pour the water over the power head and release some toxins?

And this only every happens the day of and day after my Weekly Water Change.

After that the Coral get gradually better but then the next week after the next water change they all get worse again.

This has been happening week after week for the last four weeks.

that Fish Guy · 05/01/2014, 10:45 PM

Here are some pics on how my Corals look after a water change.

that Fish Guy · 05/01/2014, 11:22 PM

Somebody mentioned Stray Voltage.

The other thing different when I change my water is I turn all my equipment off and then back on until the next water change.

I noticed both my Power Heads were making a loud grinding sound when I turned them back on.

My digital thermometer which is always saying 78.6 was saying that for a few seconds then saying 82.5 and going back and forth.

It stopped doing that when I turned off my Power Heads.

Is that what is killing the Coral?

I did not get shocked or anything.

Gatorfan · 05/02/2014, 01:29 AM

They're just pineapple sponges, completely harmless filter feeders. Not sure about the water change issue though.

Reefer54 · 05/02/2014, 02:11 AM

how large of water changes are you doing....smalll consistent water changes are best and least impacting on corals. Are you following the instructions on the salt mix, some are very clear about not mixing for too long, or mixing at one temp then raising the temp,etc.

SG, PH, TEMP need to be matched as closely as possible. If you are doing large changes, things like Alk also need to be matched as closely as possible. Water changes done over a longer period of time also tend to be a bit softer on tanks as well. So if you can take out a liter, add a liter, blast your rocks, make sure temp is not fluctuating, take out a liter, add a lliter, etc.

Those "worms" like said above are good.

Reefer54 · 05/02/2014, 02:12 AM

I like to do 5% at least once a week, but really try to aim for 2x per week now that i have gone skimmerless.

GroktheCube · 05/02/2014, 02:13 AM

There are some feather dusters in there too, but all those animals are as harmless as can be.

That thermometer behavior is very strange. Do you have a grounding probe + GFCI?

Did you clean the powerheads after disassembling them? Were the impellers properly seated?

ReeferKimberly · 05/02/2014, 03:06 AM

Don't you do large water changes? I seem to remember a thread. I still say smaller is waaay better for stability, especially with those hammers and corals like them. I also think tanks should have at least 'some' nitrate.

that Fish Guy · 05/02/2014, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroktheCube

There are some feather dusters in there too, but all those animals are as harmless as can be.

That thermometer behavior is very strange. Do you have a grounding probe + GFCI?

Did you clean the powerheads after disassembling them? Were the impellers properly seated?

I do not have a probe.

Yes, I cleaned them out completely.

that Fish Guy · 05/02/2014, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReeferKimberly

Don't you do large water changes? I seem to remember a thread. I still say smaller is waaay better for stability, especially with those hammers and corals like them. I also think tanks should have at least 'some' nitrate.

I do big water changes on all four of my tanks and this is the only one with the problem.

I change the least amount of water on this one by the way too so it is not that.

Fallling · 05/02/2014, 10:23 AM

What are you mixing the water in? Perhaps something is leeching from the containers? Just a thought.

that Fish Guy · 05/02/2014, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fallling

What are you mixing the water in? Perhaps something is leeching from the containers? Just a thought.

I am using the same Buckets that I use for my other 3 tanks and they are doing great so it is not the buckets.

05/02/2014, 01:29 AM	#7
Gatorfan Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 533	They're just pineapple sponges, completely harmless filter feeders. Not sure about the water change issue though. __________________ 120 gallon, MP20, AquaMaxx Q2, AI SOL Blue(x2) Coral Beauty Angel, Regal Angel, Potters Angel, pair of Occ. Clowns, Tomini Tang. Started 6/9/2012

05/02/2014, 02:11 AM	#8
Reefer54 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Avon Posts: 1,087	how large of water changes are you doing....smalll consistent water changes are best and least impacting on corals. Are you following the instructions on the salt mix, some are very clear about not mixing for too long, or mixing at one temp then raising the temp,etc. SG, PH, TEMP need to be matched as closely as possible. If you are doing large changes, things like Alk also need to be matched as closely as possible. Water changes done over a longer period of time also tend to be a bit softer on tanks as well. So if you can take out a liter, add a liter, blast your rocks, make sure temp is not fluctuating, take out a liter, add a lliter, etc. Those "worms" like said above are good. __________________ R54 Current Tank Info: 36 x 36 x 25 Cube, mixed reef, A360WE x 3, A350N x 1, 40GB sump, RDSB, Remote LR Cryptic, 2 WP-40's, ummm....

05/02/2014, 02:12 AM	#9
Reefer54 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Avon Posts: 1,087	I like to do 5% at least once a week, but really try to aim for 2x per week now that i have gone skimmerless. __________________ R54 Current Tank Info: 36 x 36 x 25 Cube, mixed reef, A360WE x 3, A350N x 1, 40GB sump, RDSB, Remote LR Cryptic, 2 WP-40's, ummm....

05/01/2014, 10:43 PM	#2
that Fish Guy Frag Swap Crusader! Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,538	They are only in the Power Heads (Especially this Power Head). I do not see them anywhere else in the Tank or in any of my other three tanks.

05/01/2014, 10:44 PM	#4
that Fish Guy Frag Swap Crusader! Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,538	The Way I do the Water Change is that I use a Pitcher to Pour the Water back into the Tank. I Pour it over one of my Power Heads to spread the water out more and not knock over any Coral. Do you think these worms get stressed when I pour the water over the power head and release some toxins? And this only every happens the day of and day after my Weekly Water Change. After that the Coral get gradually better but then the next week after the next water change they all get worse again. This has been happening week after week for the last four weeks.

05/01/2014, 11:22 PM	#6
that Fish Guy Frag Swap Crusader! Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,538	Somebody mentioned Stray Voltage. The other thing different when I change my water is I turn all my equipment off and then back on until the next water change. I noticed both my Power Heads were making a loud grinding sound when I turned them back on. My digital thermometer which is always saying 78.6 was saying that for a few seconds then saying 82.5 and going back and forth. It stopped doing that when I turned off my Power Heads. Is that what is killing the Coral? I did not get shocked or anything.

05/02/2014, 02:13 AM	#10
GroktheCube Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 2,063	There are some feather dusters in there too, but all those animals are as harmless as can be. That thermometer behavior is very strange. Do you have a grounding probe + GFCI? Did you clean the powerheads after disassembling them? Were the impellers properly seated?

05/02/2014, 03:06 AM	#11
ReeferKimberly Marley & Me Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Roseville, California Posts: 1,452	Don't you do large water changes? I seem to remember a thread. I still say smaller is waaay better for stability, especially with those hammers and corals like them. I also think tanks should have at least 'some' nitrate.

05/02/2014, 10:23 AM	#14
Fallling Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 455	What are you mixing the water in? Perhaps something is leeching from the containers? Just a thought.