What are these white spots??? Getting more by the day.

[Dave MN Nano]

What are these spots. I am getting more by the day.

[Dave MN Nano]

[Murphs_Reef]

On the glass? If so Spirorbid Worms, very good!

[Dave MN Nano]

They are very round. I did start feeding reef roids a couple of weeks ago. These guys feed on that right? I started feeding the roids (and doing less water changes etc) because I am worried my nitrates are too low. 0% on API test kit. Phosphates = 0.03. Have not done a water change for a month and those numbers don’t seem to change!

[Murphs_Reef]

They are filter feeders so any particles will be consumed.. 

Look very closely if they are Spirorbid Worms they have a spiral shell. 

[Jakesaw]

I've been getting these same things on my glass around a week.  Kindof freaked me out.  I thought ti was some kind of salt, but they are coming up too fast recently

 

I've got a back wall with some green algae and these white spots are forming all over it.  

 

Out of curiosity, I used my long tweezers to poke one today.  Wondering if it was some kidnof pod that would scatter when touched.  It was kindof calsified hard and dropped to the sand when I nubbed it off the spot it was seated to on the glass. 

 

Upon zoom camera look, it does appear that it could be a spiroid worm.   These are good / and not pests?  Can I scrape em off the walls and let them work in sand / live rock?  Or should I leave them on walls of aquarium?

 

Do these grow naturally, or is it possible I brought them into tank via coral?

 

Thanks

[Murphs_Reef]

They are good and will pop up everywhere. On glass, In pipework, sumps even in pumps. Keep pumps clean periodically with vinegar dips as the can interrupt the correct working if equipment. 

They will come in on frag plugs, rock, snails, anything hard really. 

When I set up a new tank, I see these as a step towards maturity when they show up 👍🏼

[Dave MN Nano]

jakesaw my situation sounds much like yours. Thanks much Murphych.  Do you also have any hints for me to get my nitrates up?  It feels like I’m doing something wrong not changing water for a month?

[Jakesaw]

I had recently cut my water changes from weekly to every 2 - 3 weeks to increase nitrates.  My few corals seem happy, but some extra green algae on wall and these new crispy critters are along for the ride. 

 

Checked tonight and they are populating my rocks as well. 

 

 

[Jakesaw]

Curious will cleaner shrimp eat these things if they get too pupulated?

[Dave MN Nano]

I cut my water changes and increased feedings. And, like you Jakesaw, I am seeing my first tufts of hair algae, and the spirorbid worms. When did you start your tank? Mine has been going since October. I have a cleaner shrimp and do not see these on my rocks. Maybe the cleaner does help? But my numbers still could be higher. I am at 2 ppm nitrates and 0.03 phosphates.

[Dave MN Nano]

I think the spirorbid worms also coincided pretty closely to my starting to feed reef roids.

[Jakesaw]

@Dave MN Nano

 

Started my tank late January.  About a month fish only with Std flourescent light.  Been Running reef light since then.  

 

Only a few small frags and a clown fish and 3 Scarlett Hermits  Rock was a mix of Marco Dry and man made aquacultured rock. 

 

I cut my water changes & started feeding more nutrient dense foods vs standard frozen brine.   

[Murphs_Reef]

Cleaners won't impact the population. It comes and goes. Mine is currently on the decline but I am feeding the tank less and skimming more at the moment to deal with a small amount of cyano I have started to see. 

 

For nitrates, skim lighter, as jakesaw says change water less and only if you need to, to replenish elements. Controversially feed more but this probably isn't best practice and others may suggest dose nitrate. But it depends on why you feel you need to raise N03. Is there a target number your aiming for and if so why?

[Dave MN Nano]

My corals are softies and LPS. I have one coral that is doing very bad or is dead - snapping Xenia. I have read that it needs more nutrients.  I am always lower than 5 ppm nitrates and 0.03 phosphate and have heard that for these corals 5-10 ppm nitrates would be better, and I would get better coral growth and maybe my Xenia would not have died. Did I get all that right?

[lakshwadeep]

Xenia seems to do okay in many different tank conditions. The tested numbers may not represent the actual nitrogen load of the tank as it gets used up. It could be the LPS or other corals are stinging your xenia, so you may want to move it. Also check lighting.