Live Rock/Sand???

[sagwala]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9331609#post9331609 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> 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?img...channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N

marine isopod

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=X

copopod

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=G

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]

Amphipods look like fleas.

 

[SubRosa]

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]

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]

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