its bizarre - what i have been waiting for?

[lazarus]

i set up a new 115 g tank and refugium in june this year. the fuge has mineral mud, LR, chaeto, a few snails and hermits. well the thing starte to look pretty narly after a while, with algae growth of all kinds. tonite i check it out and there are no less than 3 forms of life in there i can identify that i never saw before. the place is teeming with life! i would post pics but its all pretty small. there are wormlike creatures with tiny legs, very quick and tiny opaque creatures that look like silverfish, and even smaller bugs that look like tiny ants. there may be more than this but my eyes are not good enough to tell.
is this normal and what i have been waiting for? or god forbid am i cooking up a batch of dangerous organisms???

 

[120reefer]

Lol.. nooope, sounds like the usual microfauna.....

 

[lazarus]

microfauna...that sounds like plantlife. these are definitely creatures. one little critter grabbed a shrimp pellet on its way to the ground....i did not even know it was sitting there waiting for it. this tank is teeming with life and its a little scary since if i saw this stuff in my house i would call an exterminator.

 

[120reefer]

Originally Posted by LAZARUS
microfauna...that sounds like plantlife. these are definitely creatures. one little critter grabbed a shrimp pellet on its way to the ground....i did not even know it was sitting there waiting for it. this tank is teeming with life and its a little scary since if i saw this stuff in my house i would call an exterminator.
Nope, not JUST plantlife.... Micro- small, Fauna- animals or animal life.... Those bugs you saw that were described sound like bristle/fire worms, copepods, amphipods, ect.

 

[lazarus]

so that is good....right? this stuff breaks down the organic products that flow down from the DT? sorry for such an ignorant question.....do they do anything about nitrates or other trace elements i want eliminated?

 

[120reefer]

Yes! Very good indeed. Never hurts to ask a question... we all learn something new every day..

The bigger guys you saw like ones described will help breakdown the larger organic waste/food while the real tiny guys you most likely could barely make out will take care of the smaller stuff. Really, only the plantlife like your chaeto

will help bring down nitrates, phosphates, ect.. Good choice on the sump/fuge additions BTW.. i have all the same except for mineral mud.. i used LS instead

 

[lazarus]

cool...just hope they dont crawl out and colonize my home....thx

 

[cotti]

Originally Posted by LAZARUS
cool...just hope they dont crawl out and colonize my home....thx
generally if it breeds underwater, it won't live long outside of it....think your house will be safe

 

[120reefer]

Lol.... forgot to mention.. they also provide many of your fish with some "snacks" to pick on throughout the day. Some of the smaller guys could get in from your return... but i get some bigger guys in there just by taking my chaeto ball...and shake lightly into the DT once or twice

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by 120reefer
Lol.... forgot to mention.. they also provide many of your fish with some "snacks" to pick on throughout the day. Some of the smaller guys could get in from your return... but i get some bigger guys in there just by taking my chaeto ball...and shake lightly into the DT once or twice

My Naso LOVES those tasty snacks!!!!!! :happyfish

 

[poniegirl]

I have no fuge (thinking heavily about doing it) but when I power up lights in the AM, I get a kick out of all the critters running for cover!
My seahorses wait for those moments, breakfast is served!