what is this growing

[socalracer]

my tank is cycling and on the base of my carribean live rock it looks like really small spider webs are growing, not all thin but it just looks kinda silky, anybody know what this is? also have some green ball looking things growing? last question is what is beneficial and what is harmful also what kinda of fish or inverst are good at taking care of problems like this

 

[dischirm]

Dont worry about the spider webs things. I dont recall what they are, but they are good. The green balls is what you need to worry about. It is Bubble Algae and needs to be removed carefully! You want to remove the balls whole without popping them. If you pop them, you are releasing spores throughout your tank and will have a major infestation. You can suck them up with a syphon.. Good Luck!

 

[mudplayerx]

The spider web things are secreted by worms that live in calcareous tubes. They secrete the strands, which detritus sticks to. After the strand gets coated with detritus the worm pulls it back into the tube and eats.
While not harmful to the tank, they can reproduce and get out of hand.

 

[socalracer]

so what kind of organisms can take care of these (eat them), also could i just leave the bubble algae alone? :notsure:

 

[mudplayerx]

Originally Posted by socalracer
so what kind of organisms can take care of these (eat them), also could i just leave the bubble algae alone? :notsure:
I don't like the worms because of the unsightly webs you described so I bust off their tubes with my fingers. I personally don't remove bubble algae in my tank when I see it. It goes away on its own. I do have an emerald crab though, which are reported to eat the stuff.