Help identifying large clear bubbles on LR

[iba]

New to hobby. Learned alot from your site, hope you can help me. My aquarium is about 30 days old. 100G, 120lbs LR, DSB, stocked with a few Nass snails and turbos, dozen hermits, a yellow headed goby, a small clownfish, a small mandarin, a small loreto, one scarlett cleaner shrimp, 3 peppermint to deal with a few aptasia that came with LR. Water parameters have been very consistent for past 3 weeks and all within normal or typical ranges basd on what I have read. Ammona and Nitrite 0 (small nitrite spike that lasted 3 days), Nitrate 0 to 5 PPM based on color chart. Dealing with several manageable algae blooms which I understand are typical - some reddish brown fuzzy algae, some green hair/grassy algae. Nothing major thus far - most of it being handled by CUC. I am concerned with large clear bubbles that are about 0.5 to 1.5 centimeters across that are developing on my rock. First there was one, now there are 10. They are clear - I can see live rock through bubble. They gently move with the current, so I assume they are covered with a thin membrane. I can see a small dark strip inside. I am leaning towards these being eggs but I don't know which of my livestock would have laid these. They are stuck to the underside of one large piece of liverock (the highest piece - closest to the light). I am running attinic bulbs - blue ones. I have uploaded two pictures. Please help!

 

[cmor1701d]

It looks like just gas bubbles to me. It could be from the nitrogen cycle. You want to remove the highest rock and burst the bubble in a pail of tank water to see if anything comes out of it (spores, etc.). They are NOT eggs from any of your fish.
As for the rest of your post, WOW, where to start?
You have a 30 day old tank with way too much livestock.
How did you cycle the tank? Was all the LR fully cured from a local lfs, and not our of water for more than aprox an hour?
How deep is your sand bed?
You have a mandarin in a 30 day old tank? Have you seen it eat forzen foods at the lfs? If not, take it back. Your tank is not mature enough to support the mandarin.

I'll post some of my rules for a successful SW tank and some article links in case you haven't read them yet.

Rule # 1. Nothing Good ever happens Fast in a salt water aquarium
Rule # 2. Don't add anything (supplements/chemicals/minerals)you don't test for first.
Rule # 3. PWC (Partial Water Changes) are your friend, and cure many ills.
Rule # 4. QT EVERYTHING before adding it to your tank (mandarins accepted, corals should be dipped)
Rule # 5. Use only RO or RODI water (either buy it or make it)
Rule # 6. All animal species live longer on a 30% reduced caloric intake. Only feed every other day at most (fish species dependant)
Rule # 7. Hyposalinity is the best, safest, and most effective treatment for marine Ich (IMHO)
Rule # 8. A Refractometer is a MUST HAVE, not a luxury.
Rule # 9. Anemones will never live anywhere near their normal (aprox 30 years) lifespan in a home aquarium. Leave them in the ocean.

Stock list and tips for maintaining your SW tank

How to cycle your tank with out the use of fish

Quarantine and this one

Refugiums

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters

Oh and I can't leave without saying:

 

[austinsdad]

Welcome to AA!!

I too am concerned about a 30 day old tank with that much in it already, and am curious about your cycling method.

When in doubt, see Cmor's rule #1.

 

[Jimbo7]

Those are just air bubbles. Cmor has valid questions.

 

[iba]

Thanks for your prompt response. I will follow your advice. As far as the remainder of your questions, here are my responses.

How did you cycle the tank? - ***I used SuperBac with the fish listed. Aside from a small Nitrite spike within the first 3 days, I have had 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites since. Nitrates are <5PPM; at the highest they were 10PPM during first few weeks.***

Was all the LR fully cured from a local lfs, and not our of water for more than aprox an hour? ***Yes - rock was fully cured at LFS and out of water for approx two hours.***

How deep is your sand bed? - ***approx 3"***

You have a mandarin in a 30 day old tank? Have you seen it eat forzen foods at the lfs? If not, take it back. Your tank is not mature enough to support the mandarin. - ***I don't understand this part. Live Rock is very mature - and has copepods on them. I also seeded Copepods twice in my refugim. I see them crawling all over my tank. Based on what I am reading, the biggest issue and the reason they require expert care deals with generating an adequate food source. Is there something I am missing in terms of other needs that only come from a mature tank? I am not arguing, but do want to understand. I have researched this fish on the internet. Perhaps I am overlooking a critical point. No, it does not each frozen foods.***

 

[Jimbo7]

The rock may have pods but the colonies probably haven't established in your tank. That takes some serious time, usually no matter how fast you seed, the mandarin is going to eat more then you can provide. If you are really committed to the fish, then keep seeding them weekly and keep a close eye on his tummy. If not, read some articles on training them to frozen or take him back. It is best to train while he is fat and healthy then in a last ditch attempt to save its life. Good luck.

 

[iba]

Thank you. I am committed to the fish so I will take your advice and seed weekly. I am aware of the tummy observation and have been watching that. Two questions: 1) How can I tell when the tank is mature enough (no additional seeding necessary)? Right now, my only indicator is visual - seeing copepods on rock and aquarium walls. 2) Is it better to seed the refugium and allow pods to flow to display or is it better to seed display directly and allow pods to flow to refugium (assuming filter sock doesn't block there passage)? I could also do 50/50.

 

[Jimbo7]

I would do 50/50 make a tight pile of LR in the fuge as a home for them, might be good to have one in the DT as well. Seed both piles. Look up "pod piles" im sure there are some threads out there on them.

 

[rive1404]

You can even make the tight piles of LR in corners of the main aquarium.

Unless you have a refugium or several places where the copepods can multiply safely away from the mandarin you may need to supplement the tank with a new batch of copepods every couple of months. Mandarins can really put a dent in the copepod population.

 

[David S]

you coud also use a small container with a hole in the lid,seed this and place in the tank and surround with LR,

 

[ducati2242]

If you seed your sump with copepods and you run with a U.V. light will they still arrive in the main tank alive and well .
Sorry to ambush your thread iba but it seemed like a good thread to ask.

 

[cmor1701d]

Ducati, a UV will kill almost anything that passes through it if it sized correctly with enough dwell time.