So I was doing filter maintenance this morning on my hob filter. I replaced my carbon and foam filter cartridges with fresh new ones. Yet as I was removing the old activated carbon cartridge from this filter device, I noticed small little wormy brown things moving around it.
I was shocked, and was like "Ill" and then I threw the old carbon cartridge and foam filter cartridge out.
My question is, I've noticed some strange critters in the last week or two coming out of one of my live rocks, so I suspect these things came from it?
I also did a partial water change this morning, so about 25% of my water is now new RO/DI water, salinity is around 1024, (that is the salinity of the new water I added).
I think my actual tank's salinity before the water change was a bit higher than 1024.
Anyway so my main question is this natural? Is it natural for people who use live rock, to eventually see strange critters come out of it?
I thought the curing process took out almost anything out of the live rock, before other people purchased these rocks, but when I called the store I bought the live rock in question, the storekeeper said that even with the curing process, some unwanted hitchhikers will still be around, and might eventually come out.
So this statement is true?
Furthermore though my canister filter works very well, I noticed that inside the out plastic valve part (where water springs out into my tank); has what seems to be a-lot of red stains, or possibly red algae growth, mixed with a little green?
I'm wondering if the red zone inside this plastic outflow part of my canister filter is due to phosphate buildup?
Even though I totally use RO/DI water, I'm thinking that phosphate buildup can still build up over time due to the flake food I feed my fish?
My question then is this. I am using the canister filter to create more flow at the top of my water line, in order to help bring in oxygen into my 20 gallon L tank.
Yet I also have a powerhead, HOB filter and a bubble wall to help with this same goal as well.
I also only have one fish, and perhaps a total of 9 other invertebrates.
Thus with this information, my question is, perhaps the canister filter is nice to have, but not necessary?
Should I remove it, if it might be contributing to phosphate buildup in my tank.
Lastly, furthermore over the last month, since I started feeding my fish certain flake foods that it loves, prime reef flakes and Formula 2 flakes both by Ocean Nutrition, I've noticed patches of my sand are now red and green, but mostly red, and I got to think this is coming from these two types of food, since prime reef flakes are red, and the Formula 2 ones are green.
My last question here, is this just normal for people who feed flake food to fish to see who have sand substrates, when their flake foods are different colors?
Ok thanks for your time to read this.
I appreciate it.
I was shocked, and was like "Ill" and then I threw the old carbon cartridge and foam filter cartridge out.
My question is, I've noticed some strange critters in the last week or two coming out of one of my live rocks, so I suspect these things came from it?
I also did a partial water change this morning, so about 25% of my water is now new RO/DI water, salinity is around 1024, (that is the salinity of the new water I added).
I think my actual tank's salinity before the water change was a bit higher than 1024.
Anyway so my main question is this natural? Is it natural for people who use live rock, to eventually see strange critters come out of it?
I thought the curing process took out almost anything out of the live rock, before other people purchased these rocks, but when I called the store I bought the live rock in question, the storekeeper said that even with the curing process, some unwanted hitchhikers will still be around, and might eventually come out.
So this statement is true?
Furthermore though my canister filter works very well, I noticed that inside the out plastic valve part (where water springs out into my tank); has what seems to be a-lot of red stains, or possibly red algae growth, mixed with a little green?
I'm wondering if the red zone inside this plastic outflow part of my canister filter is due to phosphate buildup?
Even though I totally use RO/DI water, I'm thinking that phosphate buildup can still build up over time due to the flake food I feed my fish?
My question then is this. I am using the canister filter to create more flow at the top of my water line, in order to help bring in oxygen into my 20 gallon L tank.
Yet I also have a powerhead, HOB filter and a bubble wall to help with this same goal as well.
I also only have one fish, and perhaps a total of 9 other invertebrates.
Thus with this information, my question is, perhaps the canister filter is nice to have, but not necessary?
Should I remove it, if it might be contributing to phosphate buildup in my tank.
Lastly, furthermore over the last month, since I started feeding my fish certain flake foods that it loves, prime reef flakes and Formula 2 flakes both by Ocean Nutrition, I've noticed patches of my sand are now red and green, but mostly red, and I got to think this is coming from these two types of food, since prime reef flakes are red, and the Formula 2 ones are green.
My last question here, is this just normal for people who feed flake food to fish to see who have sand substrates, when their flake foods are different colors?
Ok thanks for your time to read this.
I appreciate it.
