bhcaaron

I think aliens are spawning everywhere. Yeah, that's it! see -->

jar05g

They are very very small. They are kinda like the white tubes you described with a disc on top..but there are little fingers coming from the discs. I don't think they are anything horrible. I'm not too worried about them.

Gozer_1

The white tube things I have look like tiny (1\16in - 1in) hollow tubes with a ring of finger like things that make a disk shpe when viewed from the top. I haven't been able to find them anywhere on line. Probably the same thing. I siphon them out if they get too thick any where but otherwise I don't worry about 'em. They grow inside my cannister filter also. I just scrape them off when I clean my filters. I'll try to get a picture up for you to compare to.

bhcaaron

Like these?

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN

Or the pics?

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jar05g

No...not like that...well kinda like the one on the right...but very very small...and no color. What is a canister filter?

Gozer_1

A canister filter pumps water out of the tank, through trays of filter media and back into the tank.

As for the white things I'm gonna take a couple pictures right now. So I'll post them in a minute.

bhcaaron

OOH! Now you've asked for it! lol

Canister Filters are considered an upgraded type of media filtration. They are basically a big tub (about the size of a five gallon bucket) which contain three or four baskets where you place media filters in. Usually you can pick and choose what type of media to place in it. They are completely sealed so and connected to the aquarium by means of a hose and water pump.

I, myself, asked this some time ago, see:
Canister Filters

Also, about the tube worms, I am trying to find another thread in which, I think either Angansoon or SGould, placed a pic of these nuisance tubes and I think those will be the ones you're talking about. I'll post the link when I find ti.

Gozer_1

Canisters come in all sizes. I have one that is 4 gallons, 2 that are about 1.5 and one that is about 3. I have seen themm much smaller and much bigger. But ye they are a sealed external filter.

So, do those things look anything like these?

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WhitethingsFL.jpg (82.0 KB, 10 views)

jar05g

Oh...I understand now. Well thanks for that article...I think I will go check it out and see if some of my questions can get answered before I ask anymore haha. I think my first upgrade will be my lighting system. I really want to add some coral. Maybe later on in the future I'll get an upgraded filter.

Gozer_1

If you look closely at that photo I posted earlier you'll see some little white tube things. Do they look like what you are seeing in you tank?

jar05g

Yes a little bit actually. Is that ok?

Gozer_1

I don't really know. I had one show up on a peice of live rock. Eventually they spread through the whole system. They seem to prefer dark inaccessable areas and are easy to clean off so they only really grow there. If they start growing in an area I can get to with the siphon then they get vacuumed out. Like I said they are all over in my filter too. I'd say no worries unless you don't like the look of 'em. I'm pretty certain they are harmless, but only because the ones I have, have not caused me any trouble aside from already routine cleaning.

jar05g

Ok sounds great. Thanks!

bhcaaron

Does anyone know what they actually are and how to get rid of them permanently? I would hate to get stuck with such a plague.

Gozer_1

No, and No. Can't ID them anywhere. Not a plague though. They just hang out in the hard to reach areas. They don't multiply out of control. They're just there. Like I said if I see any in reach they get siphoned out but it's not like I have to go in every day or week for that matter. It's that freakin red slime that gets me. You want a plague let the slime get out of hand. Stupid red slime.

bhcaaron

LoL, I wonder if I can prevent some headaches if I do that whole cover up during the ENTIRE time the tank is cycling? I wonder if that would harm anything? I read that some encrusting algae (Coraline algae) actually grow faster in low light.

Gozer_1

Very true about coraline. My coraline algea does best in the shady areas of the tank. I purchased a nice rock with good coraline on it only to find it bleaching out after a couple weeks. When I moved the rock lower to a more shaded place the coraline snapped right back. The rock was also home to a nice size colony of feather dusters. They have thrived since being moved to the shade. As for cycling in the dark, I don't think it would matter as long as it's just some rocks and sand. I believe some light would be beneficial though. Your coraline is not really gonna take off until after you're cycled and stable. I've actually been looking into coraline algea lately. Mine has never been really strong. I started using Purple Up and had little results untill I resupplied my stock in SeaChem Reef Trace. The combination of the two seems to be really doing the trick. The fact is, you're gonna have issues when you start out. Seems everyone goes through the brown algea stage then the green, then macro untill finally everything reaches a balance. It could take months for a tank to really come into it's prime. I'm just glad I haven't had to deal with aiptasia anemones. (Knock on wood)

bhcaaron

Why would macro be a problem? I'm actually going to buy macro algae; Maiden's Hair, Turtleweed, Lettuce, Chaetomorpha, and shaving bush.