Live Rock/Sand???

sagwala · 02/24/2007, 03:01 PM

First of all i'd just like to say hello. First post but have read lots and i'd like to say i've learnt alot. I guess time will tell.

I set up my 40g tank about 4 weeks ago and after letting it all settle in i added about 1 inch of live sand and 15kg of Live rock. will be adding another load tomorrow. From every thing i've read it sounds as though i should be seeing all litter critters etc in my tank but as yet have not seen anything. Should i get the next lot from somewhere else in case its something to do with lfs stock.

Thanks in advance

virginiadiver69 · 02/24/2007, 03:22 PM

Give the rock a shake, swish it around in the water. I just set up my first tank and the first time I noticed any pods was when I was rearranging the rocks and I noticed "all these little white bugs". Even if you do not see any it is no big deal, you can add them other ways.
Welcome to RC

PhilOlsen · 02/24/2007, 03:31 PM

They come out more in darkness than light, try taking a flashlight with a red film on it and checking at night, you will prob. see them at that time more than during the day.

sagwala · 02/24/2007, 03:46 PM

Thanks for the reply's. I will have a look tonight. What other ways can i add them Virginia if they dont come out to play?

sagwala · 02/25/2007, 01:42 PM

OK, so i bought some 25lbs of rock and immediately saw the litter creatures. Then i noticed quite a big one. It was about half an inch long white and looked like a centipede. Any ideas on what it is or is it BAD!! because i have no idea.

Thanks

clavery · 02/25/2007, 01:49 PM

It might be a bristle-worm. Relatively harmless. Another way is to get some sand from an established tank to "seed" your newer sand and live-rock. But in time, you should have lots of pods.

SubRosa · 02/25/2007, 01:52 PM

sagwala your uco(unidentified crawling object)sounds like an isopod,which is harmless.One question I have is didyou put your rock ontop of your live sand?If so I would recommend redoing it for 2 reasons.#1 would you build a house on a foundation of sand?A burrowing creature could undermine your structure and TIMBERRR!!!#2 it will create dead spots where detritus will collect which can negatively effect your water quality over the long haul.

murfman · 02/25/2007, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sagwala
OK, so i bought some 25lbs of rock and immediately saw the litter creatures. Then i noticed quite a big one. It was about half an inch long white and looked like a centipede. Any ideas on what it is or is it BAD!! because i have no idea.

Thanks

sounds like an amphipod. Best thing I use to describe it is a mosquito larvae.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...icial%26sa%3DN

marine isopod

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...icial%26sa%3DX

copopod

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...icial%26sa%3DG

Pods also like to live in Cheatomorpha macro algea. If you can get someone from your local club to donate some, that is a great way to seed your tank as well as for nurient export.

SubRosa · 02/25/2007, 01:56 PM

Amphipods look like fleas.

SubRosa · 02/25/2007, 02:00 PM

Alittle lesson in Latin is called for.Amphiod=Amphi(living two lives)pod(foot)Amphipods have two distinct types of legs,short little ones up front for crawling and larger ones at the back for hopping.Isopod=iso(equal)pod (foot).Isopods legs are all the same.

reefworm · 02/25/2007, 02:43 PM

the bristleworm is your friend - a great member of your cleanup crew. they get a bad rap for eating corals, clams, etc. but what is happening is that they are consuming dead tissue on an animal that is dying or dying back. lots of them in your substrate is healthy. the few polychaete worms that are harmful are pretty rare in aquaria

SubRosa · 02/25/2007, 06:12 PM

reefworm not all bristles are created equal.the little pinkish red guys are indeed an asset,but if you find a grey one with an oilslick sheen to it kill it as it will indeed eat coral,and healthy ones at that.one that are milk chocolate brown become a problem because of their sheer size(18"+ and as big around as my wrist).it would probably be for the best to kill them on sight as well

02/24/2007, 03:31 PM	#3
PhilOlsen Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 68	They come out more in darkness than light, try taking a flashlight with a red film on it and checking at night, you will prob. see them at that time more than during the day. __________________ IT NEVER ENDS!

02/25/2007, 01:49 PM	#6
clavery Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 503	It might be a bristle-worm. Relatively harmless. Another way is to get some sand from an established tank to "seed" your newer sand and live-rock. But in time, you should have lots of pods. __________________ Cheryl Lover of shoes, dogs, and all things chocolate Current Tank Info: currently none

02/25/2007, 02:43 PM	#11
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	the bristleworm is your friend - a great member of your cleanup crew. they get a bad rap for eating corals, clams, etc. but what is happening is that they are consuming dead tissue on an animal that is dying or dying back. lots of them in your substrate is healthy. the few polychaete worms that are harmful are pretty rare in aquaria __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

02/24/2007, 03:01 PM	#1
sagwala Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK Posts: 62	Live Rock/Sand??? First of all i'd just like to say hello. First post but have read lots and i'd like to say i've learnt alot. I guess time will tell. I set up my 40g tank about 4 weeks ago and after letting it all settle in i added about 1 inch of live sand and 15kg of Live rock. will be adding another load tomorrow. From every thing i've read it sounds as though i should be seeing all litter critters etc in my tank but as yet have not seen anything. Should i get the next lot from somewhere else in case its something to do with lfs stock. Thanks in advance

02/24/2007, 03:22 PM	#2
virginiadiver69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Va. Posts: 4,400	Give the rock a shake, swish it around in the water. I just set up my first tank and the first time I noticed any pods was when I was rearranging the rocks and I noticed "all these little white bugs". Even if you do not see any it is no big deal, you can add them other ways. Welcome to RC __________________ Semi-aggressive mixed reef w/ shallow sand bed 96x30x27 310gal custom acrylic w/ ext. "fail safe" overflow 125gal sump/cryptic fuge w/ 6" DSB 3 400w Plus Rite 20k MH in Lumembrights 2 250w Plus Rite 20k MH in spider reflectors VHO actinic supplementation 2 Tunze wave boxes 2 Tunze 6060 in Tunze Rocks 2 Tunze 6125 Reeflo 250 skimmer Hammerhead return on OM 4 way Aqua controller lll Leviton power panel Deltec Eco-Cooler Randy's Two part 6.5 kw generator

02/24/2007, 03:46 PM	#4
sagwala Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK Posts: 62	Thanks for the reply's. I will have a look tonight. What other ways can i add them Virginia if they dont come out to play?

02/25/2007, 01:42 PM	#5
sagwala Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK Posts: 62	OK, so i bought some 25lbs of rock and immediately saw the litter creatures. Then i noticed quite a big one. It was about half an inch long white and looked like a centipede. Any ideas on what it is or is it BAD!! because i have no idea. Thanks

02/25/2007, 01:52 PM	#7
SubRosa Moved On Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 23	sagwala your uco(unidentified crawling object)sounds like an isopod,which is harmless.One question I have is didyou put your rock ontop of your live sand?If so I would recommend redoing it for 2 reasons.#1 would you build a house on a foundation of sand?A burrowing creature could undermine your structure and TIMBERRR!!!#2 it will create dead spots where detritus will collect which can negatively effect your water quality over the long haul.

02/25/2007, 01:56 PM	#9
SubRosa Moved On Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 23	Amphipods look like fleas.

02/25/2007, 02:00 PM	#10
SubRosa Moved On Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 23	Alittle lesson in Latin is called for.Amphiod=Amphi(living two lives)pod(foot)Amphipods have two distinct types of legs,short little ones up front for crawling and larger ones at the back for hopping.Isopod=iso(equal)pod (foot).Isopods legs are all the same.

02/25/2007, 06:12 PM	#12
SubRosa Moved On Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 23	reefworm not all bristles are created equal.the little pinkish red guys are indeed an asset,but if you find a grey one with an oilslick sheen to it kill it as it will indeed eat coral,and healthy ones at that.one that are milk chocolate brown become a problem because of their sheer size(18"+ and as big around as my wrist).it would probably be for the best to kill them on sight as well