some pics and some help?

[cooma7]

Hey, I have got some more rock for my tank! its pretty nice, I have not done any real aqua scaping yet. here are a few pics.


my complete tank.

Yes i know it is dirty, ill come to that in a minute.

some of my rock.

In this next picture, i have what i think is a bristleworm? does it look like one? I have about 3 in my tank. that one you can see is REALLY long!

Ok they are the pics of my tank.

Would you be able to help me in the next 2 pictures.

First...
Its been less than a week since my last clean ant PWC and my tank is pretty filthy already. Well the sand is totally brown really., it looks horrible. and the algi is starting to climb up the tank. does it usually take only less than a week for the tank to get this dirty? or is it just because i have no critters or fish in there yet?
or could it be that the tank is pretty hot (up to 29 degrees)! so gets dirty quicker.?

And also, just like the last pic how you can see algie (i really need to learn how to spell that soon haha) on the glass, there is some over the other side too, but it is purple, sort of the same colour as my coraline. any idea whats up with it?

Thanks guys.

oh and the reason its still so dirty is i wanted to take photos to show you whats happening with it.

anyway, thanks again

 

[roka64]

Those do look like bristleworms, but a better pic would help.
It looks like you are starting to see cyano bacteria. What kind of flow do you have in the tank?
Are you using RO/DI water?
What are you water parameters?

 

[cooma7]

hey.

I know, I only have my phone for photos, so very hard to get a good one.

with flow, my pump does 450Ltrs/H and my skimmer does the same.
I am using filtered water that is connected to my tap. RO.

my paramaters are:

ammonia = 0
nI = 0
nA = 0
PH = 8.2
Salinity = 1028

temp between 27 - 28.5 at the moment.

I do not have any other tests.

and with the bristleworms, I have one in there that looks like the pics i have seen on the net... with the fairly wide body. but most of them, like the ones in my pics are long but very thin body. im not sure if its just an age thing or what.

 

[roka64]

Hmmm, that salinity is a little high...you might want to shoot for 1.024.

 

[Fluff]

I guess I'm not seeing the bristleworm. I see what looks like a brittlestar arm and a featherduster. Also, I see what looks like a tunicate in your second pic.
As for the algae, I agree it looks like cyano as well as some diatoms. All pretty normal for a newly established tank. The diatoms should burn themselves out. The cyano may also, but is normally a bit more stubborn. Just keep up with your water changes, keep good flow in the tank. You may also want to try not burning the lights very long to see if that helps.

 

[cooma7]

Thanks for the reply, yes i thought my Sg was a bit high, will try to drop it down some more.
also i have no idea what a brittlestar is, or a tunicat. ill have to look them up.
i thought it looked a fair bit different than the other tthing that i am sure is a bristleworm (i checked on youtube) and the thing in that 4th pic doesnt look like it. are they good or bad for your tank?.
yea it just seems like its getting dirty so quick. I think the heat could have something to do with it too. I am just waiting for my chiller.

 

[cooma7]

ok the arm looks like an arm of the thing in this picture. Brittle star 002.JPG

is it good or bad for my tank.?

 

[Fluff]

They are a good thing. Free janitors. Though you won't see much more than an arm here and there as it fishes for food. These small hitchhker stars pretty much stay hidden within the rocks.
The tunicate is a harmelss critter to. It just filters your water and hangs out.

 

[cooma7]

thanks, now i feel better, i also called the shop i got the rock from and she said you find a few of them in their live rock. i saw a tiny bit of its actual body today, its pretty awesome! to have something so big in your tank without actually adding anything!x

 

[austinsdad]

Definitely the old brittle, cyano, diatom combo!

Looks like some really interesting rock. I'll bet you find even more surprises in the next few days. You'll do like the rest of us did once.... sit there for hours staring at the rock.

What else is in the tank other than rock and hitchhikers? Maybe need to consider adding some cleaners (hermits and snails). How long has the tank been up? Cycled how/when?

Keep us posted.

 

[pat8you]

i would suggest that when you do aquascape your rock that you leave enough area between your glass and your rock to get your hand between and scrape the glass. I didn't think about this and now i have spots that i can't get clean or scrape the coralline off and it bothers me. Just something to consider for down the road.

 

[austinsdad]

Good advice for the front and sides! At least magnet length away.

 

[cooma7]

Yes that is a good idea. And yea i already sit there for ages looking haah!.
and to the question about what i have in there, I have nothing but hitchikers so far. I am having a little problem with temp still and dont want to put anything in there until my chiller arives.
so within a week i hope.

I gave my tank a good clean last night, so its looking pretty good now. I might get my aquascaping done in the next few days. then post some images.!