White stuff in my sump that do not move

[reefingwithnemo]

What are these white stuff in my low flow sump? I’m in the middle of cycling and dosed Dr Tim’s ammonium chloride a few days ago and used Fritz Turbo Start. I did not use any live rock, just Marco rocks and live Fiji pink sand from CaribSea. They’re stationary/do not move.

 

[Abominable Snow Crab]

Spirorbid worms?

 

[reefingwithnemo]

Spirorbid worms?

It’s not.. it’s slimy/gooey in texture. Doesn’t move.

 

[Fish Fan]

Spiorbid worms is not a bad thought as they are sesile organisms that attach themselves to hard surfaces.

However, if you've added nothing else but dry rock and bottled bacteria, I don't think these are alive. It looks like precipitation, but not if the dots are stuck to the glass.

I'm stumped, but what do I know

Let's ask the R2R #reefsqaud they have any further ideas.

Good luck!

 

[logibear]

Sponge

 

[Fish Fan]

Sponge

In a brand new tank with dry rock and bottle bacteria? Unless I'm missing something here

 

[reefingwithnemo]

Spiorbid worms is not a bad thought as they are sesile organisms that attach themselves to hard surfaces.

However, if you've added nothing else but dry rock and bottled bacteria, I don't think these are alive. It looks like precipitation, but not if the dots are stuck to the glass.

I'm stumped, but what do I know

Let's ask the R2R #re#reefsqaud they have any further ideas.

Good luck!

Hmm I described it to ChatGPT and it said it’s bacterial biofilm. I looked at it under a microscope and it looks nothing like spirorbid worms. The texture of these white things is slimy/gooey. And it’s not stuck to the glass. Kind of just laying on the glass. Can be easily moved/suctioned. And yes, only bottled bacteria and dry Marco rock.

 

[reefingwithnemo]

In a brand new tank with dry rock and bottle bacteria? Unless I'm missing something here

Yep!

 

[Fish Fan]

Hmm I described it to ChatGPT and it said it’s bacterial biofilm. I looked at it under a microscope and it looks nothing like spirorbid worms. The texture of these white things is slimy/gooey. And it’s not stuck to the glass. Kind of just laying on the glass. Can be easily moved/suctioned. And yes, only bottled bacteria and dry Marco rock.

That's not any kind of bacterial bloom I've seen in an aquarium, usually that results in cloudy water from the bacteria growing in the water column. I'm unfamiliar with any kind of bacteria that can colonize and form clumps on the glass.

 

[Fish Fan]

Yep!

Would you please elaborate on this

I know that pineapple sponges are quite common in new tanks, but they don't come out of dry rock and bottled bacteria. How did the sponges get in this tank at this point?

 

[reefingwithnemo]

Spiorbid worms is not a bad thought as they are sesile organisms that attach themselves to hard surfaces.

However, if you've added nothing else but dry rock and bottled bacteria, I don't think these are alive. It looks like precipitation, but not if the dots are stuck to the glass.

I'm stumped, but what do I know

Let's ask the R2R #re#reefsqaud they have any further ideas.

Good luck!

Hmm I described it to ChatGPT and it said it’s bacterial biofilm. I looked at it under a microscope and it looks nothing like spirorbid worms. The texture of these white things is slimy/gooey. And it’s not stuck to the glass. Kind of just laying on the glass. Can be easily moved/suctioned. And yes, only bottled bacteria and dry Marco rock.

That's not any kind of bacterial bloom I've seen in an aquarium, usually that results in cloudy water from the bacteria growing in the water column. I'm unfamiliar with any kind of bacteria that can colonize and form clumps on the glass.

I only noticed them today and the only thing I did was dose 20ml of Dr Tim’s ammonium chloride 2-3 days ago I’ve cycled a tank before and haven’t seen this before. I have brand new biospheres in my sump too and just 2 heaters. It’s a brand new tank.

 

[reefingwithnemo]

Would you please elaborate on this

I know that pineapple sponges are quite common in new tanks, but they don't come out of dry rock and bottled bacteria. How did the sponges get in this tank at this point?

I asked ChatGPT. And it said it can’t be sponges because it’s mucus like and sponges have a solid structure. What would you like me to elaborate on? The tank has only been up for 12 days … have you read my other replies? It’s quite chaotic replying on here lol

 

[reefingwithnemo]

@Fish Fan I touched it with my hands and siphoned more of it. It’s debris from the Maxspect nano biospheres I didn’t rinse them well enough. Grain/sand like texture…

 

[Fish Fan]

I asked ChatGPT. And it said it can’t be sponges because it’s mucus like and sponges have a solid structure. What would you like me to elaborate on? The tank has only been up for 12 days … have you read my other replies? It’s quite chaotic replying on here lol

My friend, my reply asking to elaborate was for the poster that suggested that these were sponges

 

[Fish Fan]

@Fish Fan I touched it with my hands and siphoned more of it. It’s debris from the Maxspect nano biospheres I didn’t rinse them well enough. Grain/sand like texture…

Haha, that's great that you figured it out!!

I was quite sure this was abiotic, given that your tank is new, and you've done a dry rock start.

Separately, I might get rid of those media balls. Some ceramic media can leach heavy metals that are bad for corals, and believe it or not, there's actually an issue with running "too much" biofiltration. Typically, you don't need any more bio filter media other than you rocks and sand. Randy Homles-Farley preaches this, and I agree with him, for whatever my humble opinion is worth

 

[reefingwithnemo]

My friend, my reply asking to elaborate was for the poster that suggested that these were sponges

Ahhh got it. Thank you and I appreciate you taking the time to help troubleshoot. I was so stumped and my paranoia got the best of me…

 

[Fish Fan]

Ahhh got it. Thank you and I appreciate you taking the time to help troubleshoot. I was so stumped and my paranoia got the best of me…

I'm always happy to help where I am able

I'm glad you figured it out; good luck with your tank!

 

[rayadog]

Little late but I was going to guess photo from Artemis-II

 

[Fish Fan]

Little late but I was going to guess photo from Artemis-II

Nice!

 

[reefingwithnemo]

Haha, that's great that you figured it out!!

I was quite sure this was abiotic, given that your tank is new, and you've done a dry rock start.

Separately, I might get rid of those media balls. Some ceramic media can leach heavy metals that are bad for corals, and believe it or not, there's an issue with "too much" biofiltration. Typically, you don't need any more bio filter media other than you rocks and sand. Randy Homles-Farley preaches this, and I agree with him.

Interesting, I don’t have much Marco rocks in the tank, it helps build up a colony of bacteria and I like to seed the biospheres for when I qt my fish and corals. I do the TTM and prazi pro + metro/focus soaked pellets over a period of 1-2 months.

But I did add a **** ton of biospheres to seed so I can use them when I qt more livestock. So they won’t permanently live there forever.

I only added 20 pounds of sand and it’s a very minimal aquascape. So in this case is it okay to have a lot of biospheres?