Need some advice

eh7879 · 08/06/2014, 06:43 PM

New to this hobby...I've had my 20 Gallon Tank setup for almost 6 months now. I only have 1 Clown and a pistol shrimp along with my cleanup crew of a few hermits, snails and porcelain crabs. I have a couple issues that I was hoping for some help on.

The first is very weird. I've notice for awhile every so often some small black bugs that would float on the surface of my water. They looked dead so I just figured some fruit flies or something fell in the tank...but looking closing I notice that these small black bugs seem to be living on the sides of my tank on the inside right above the water line. They don't leave the tank and when they are on the surface of the water then hop around sorta of like a flea. They seem to congregate the most however on the sides of glass in the small area above the water line. I've tried to kill them all but they come back. Its really weird but where would these of come from? Anyone ever heard of anything like this before? I did take pictures but when I try to post them on here it says they are too large...I could post them if someone can tell me how to do that.

Another issue...When my tank was cycling I had 1 bacteria bloom that lasted a week where my water got this white film on the surface and there were white particles in the water. In my research on these forums and asking my LFS it sounded like a pretty normal thing to happen during a cycle.

Well the other day I was doing a 20% water change and also cleaned the glass some with my algae scrapper and within a couple days I notice I have another bacteria bloom. I have all this white snow material floating around again and accumulating on my rocks and everywhere. My Clown seems fine and not bothered...Its seems like a weird coincidence for this to happen right after a WC and cleaning. I wonder if I stirred up the tank too much? I'm hoping it will dissipate after a week or so like last time but wanted to know if anyone had this happen to them before and if maybe there is something I can do to prevent it next time. It seems that this biological material will clump together and form bigger snow flakes at times that will float around. My clown will go to eat it but then spit it right out! lol...Any help with these issues would be great. Thanks!

Crooked Reef · 08/06/2014, 07:12 PM

No idea on the bugs. Do you run a skimmer? That will help with the bacterial blooms. More than likely you stirred up food for it to populate and it will again be sled limiting.

08/06/2014, 06:43 PM	#1
eh7879 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 6	Need some advice New to this hobby...I've had my 20 Gallon Tank setup for almost 6 months now. I only have 1 Clown and a pistol shrimp along with my cleanup crew of a few hermits, snails and porcelain crabs. I have a couple issues that I was hoping for some help on. The first is very weird. I've notice for awhile every so often some small black bugs that would float on the surface of my water. They looked dead so I just figured some fruit flies or something fell in the tank...but looking closing I notice that these small black bugs seem to be living on the sides of my tank on the inside right above the water line. They don't leave the tank and when they are on the surface of the water then hop around sorta of like a flea. They seem to congregate the most however on the sides of glass in the small area above the water line. I've tried to kill them all but they come back. Its really weird but where would these of come from? Anyone ever heard of anything like this before? I did take pictures but when I try to post them on here it says they are too large...I could post them if someone can tell me how to do that. Another issue...When my tank was cycling I had 1 bacteria bloom that lasted a week where my water got this white film on the surface and there were white particles in the water. In my research on these forums and asking my LFS it sounded like a pretty normal thing to happen during a cycle. Well the other day I was doing a 20% water change and also cleaned the glass some with my algae scrapper and within a couple days I notice I have another bacteria bloom. I have all this white snow material floating around again and accumulating on my rocks and everywhere. My Clown seems fine and not bothered...Its seems like a weird coincidence for this to happen right after a WC and cleaning. I wonder if I stirred up the tank too much? I'm hoping it will dissipate after a week or so like last time but wanted to know if anyone had this happen to them before and if maybe there is something I can do to prevent it next time. It seems that this biological material will clump together and form bigger snow flakes at times that will float around. My clown will go to eat it but then spit it right out! lol...Any help with these issues would be great. Thanks!

08/06/2014, 07:12 PM	#2
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	No idea on the bugs. Do you run a skimmer? That will help with the bacterial blooms. More than likely you stirred up food for it to populate and it will again be sled limiting. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.