White stuff in my 20g mantis tank?

[Eel Steve]

I've had this tank as a side project for 2-3 weeks, it was originally a QT tank, then became a specimen tank for a mantis shrimp.

I don't check the water in there often, because the stomapod is nearly indestructable.

I check last night, and it's BAD - 7.8 pH, ~.33 ammonia, 20 nitrates.

So I did a like 3-4 gallon WC - probably shoulda done more but I didn't have any more water ready.

I also added some API perfect pH to bring it up to 8.2. I also re-positioned a powerhead, and it does seem like I need to fiddle with it b/c it DOES stir up the substrate the tiniest bit. I definitely stirred it up re-setting it cuz it came loose.

Anyways I come home today at lunch, and there are these white bug things in the tank, specifically against the glass, and they seem like they are suspended in some kinda....I dont want to say gelitan, but soemthing akin?

I don't think they are copepods b/c A) I haven't added anything that would have had them in it and B) the parameters of that tank suck.

This is the best pic I can get for now - Ill try to get a better one after work if you experts aren't sure from what I've provided.

Here's a vid too...

 

[saltyphish]

I still say pods.

 

[Eel Steve]

I still say pods.

They're mainly on the glass and not crawling / swimming around. They don't really move a lot. They're kinda suspended in that...thicker...fluid stuff.

It's literally inconceivable to me. How would they have even gotten in there? My outside contaminants include, dog fur / normal apartment air pollution, gas born THC a room away though I doubt it reaches it, RODI Saltwater from my LFS (and it was in a bucket for a week or two before I used it) , the API perfect pH, some frozen squid a few days ago....um after the water change, I put in a new filter cartridge that I rinsed, that had been in a cabinet? that's it. I did move a rock from my main tank to the mantis tank (and vice versa) and the main tank has awesome parameters, but that was maybe even a whole week before this outbreak. Also, the maintank doesn't have any pods. Though in all fairness, that tank has fish that would eat the heck out of them.

 

[saltyphish]

I'm guessing you do have pods in your main tank. Your fish just keep them in check and unnoticeable. They probably came in on that rock you moved over.