Dandruff IN my tank???

[Sassygrrl]

Someone please help out a newbie salt water fanatic. I was staring at my 45G salt water tank and noticed what appeared to be "dandruff" on the inside glass of my tank. I looked very closely and these very tiny things were MOVING! What are they? They look like dandruff flakes. They are now covering (dusting as it were) the glass sides of the tank.

Are these friends or foe??

 

[Fuzzy]

i had a ton of thos on my glass too. after about a month they pretty much disappeared, i still see a few on the glass in the morning.

so i dont think they're a bad thing unless i was just lucky or something.

 

[Navarre]

Most likely a form of Pod. Amphipod or Copopod. Both very good for the tank and will give the fish a natural food supply if the levels can be maintained.

 

[Sassygrrl]

I poured through books and information on the web and believe you are correct. I think it's Daphnia (Marine Water Flea's). If so, they eat algae and are very good for the tank, as you indicated. My polyp's and damsel can certainly eat them

I have a new problem this morning though, my nitrites and nitrates have taken a slight jump, ok big jump.

Nitrates went from 10 to 15
Nitrites went from 0 to .5 (OUCH!!)

Do Daphnia produce waste (hence the rise in nitrates and nitrites after their swift arrival)?

Thanks!

 

[Navarre]

They wont make enough waste to make any impact on the system.
If the system is new then its quite probable that the tank is still trying to stabalise.

What type of filtration do you have in the tank and how long has it been running?

 

[Sassygrrl]

It has been running for 3 weeks. It was stocked with 40 lbs. of live sand, and at least 25 lbs of live rock (at least 10 lbs were previously aged in a tank and have gorgeous corralline algae all over it).

I am using a fluval 204, and 2 maxi powerjets for extra water agitation.

So, I could be on the tail end of my cycle really. That's probably what's causing the recent spike?

Thanks!

 

[spanair]

Yeah definitly pods, etc. They are good for the tank anyways, and at the start of the set-up after around a month maybe more or less you get a bloom of them. It's all to common, the tank it self will take about a year to mature fully and settle down. Mines still going through different phases and spikes and it's been on since may. Soon after this you will start to see algae growing and it wont stop for the hell of it. I hate it, almost killed some of my corals, spent hours today clearing.

Anyways, you could be right as you're using live rock and live sand you could probably of added the fishes after a week or so, that way the live rock and sand has what it needs (waste) so it can function properly. Since you've waited for about 3 weeks the live rock might need to go through another mini cycle when you add live stock. It's something like that.

I added my fish on week 2 I think, only 2 damsels though, cant over stock this salt tanks or its disaster

 

[Sassygrrl]

Actually, when I started the tank I inherited a very large, 4.5 inches long, Bluefin Damselfish. He has never been happier. In fact, I don't plan to add any more fish. He's very entertaining. He has been happy since day 3 when I added him. In fact, he's actually looking much better in my tank than he ever did in my husband's tank. But then, I got the really good lights and plenty of water movement.

I also soak his frozen brine shrimp in Kent Zoe (vitamins) and Marine Snow.

 

[ostrow]

yeah, the tank is still cycling so that explains the nitrates/nitrites, etc.... be patient.