Anyone know what these are?

[fatman]

Originally Posted by cgoodman381

So about your equasion...
Where do nitrates tend to 'hide' the most often? Back of the tank where there is less flow? Or is everything pretty even. Be as scientific as you like

I have always just considered the nitrates are part of a homogeneous mix. Homogeneous meaning: evenly sized and distributed in the entire water mix. A nitrate is a salt or ester of nitric acid so therefore I see no other way of considering it. I guess it can be best called a solute (dissolved substance). If you have a differing opinion I am willing to read and consider it. I have really never given it much thought.
Maybe you are confusing dissolved organic compounds with nitrates. Dissolved organic compounds can be at different levels in different spots in your tank. A lot of them are attracted to air so accumulate at the water air interface (waters surface). Dissolved organic compounds, as commonly defined in reefing chemistry, is chiefly the fish poop dissolved in water before it is converted by nitrification to ammonia, nitrites, then nitrates. People do seem to often just refer to them in the whole as just "nutrients." "Nutrients" can be defined in broad or narrow terms. It is a very abused term. When people speak of detritus they are usually referring to fish poop before it dissolves into the water. Or perhaps it would be better to say it is detritus before the poop breaks down in particles small enough to be readily carried in suspension in the water. That varies depending on the circulation levels etc. I circulate very heavily through nozzles on three sides of my display tanks and four sides of my grow out and frag tanks, so what would be detritus in an average tank would not be so in my tanks. Detritus accumulates heavier in areas of lower water circulation, IE. crevasses, cracks, corners, behind things etc..
Are you just yanking my chain, or is this a legitimate question?

[MamaJones]

I have something that may be similar to the 2nd picture. They are very, very small (1/4in), clear white, short tentactles, little tubes. But they are not growing out of rock...they are attached to my glass. Right now there are 6ish of them spread out on the back of the tank. I've looked up glass anemones, aiptasia, and they don't look anything like those. I can't get a clear pic of them at all. I have looked at Chuck's "hitchhikers guide", too. I've been hesitant to simply wipe them away (b/c "if you don't know what it is, it prob. isn't good"). After all I've read I'm afraid they would just multiply.

I currently don't have corals...just live rock and fish.

ps. I know in another thread I had responded about what I thought was a worm and it was....but I haven't seen that since. The crabs move those shells around all the time. this is completely different.

[RyanG]

If you have a way to run carbon I would start doing so say one or two weeks out of the month. It will take some of the poisons associated with soft corals out of the water.

On an off note. You could make some decent cash selling those to the LFS. Enough to pay for some gear anyways.

[Mjharless]

I got a nice wet/dry with this setup and am currently running carbon in the second level of it.

No doubt I am going to try to sell the mushrooms. I need some testing equipment.

[fatman]

Originally Posted by MamaJones

I have something that may be similar to the 2nd picture. They are very, very small (1/4in), clear white, short tentactles, little tubes. But they are not growing out of rock...they are attached to my glass. Right now there are 6ish of them spread out on the back of the tank. I've looked up glass anemones, aiptasia, and they don't look anything like those. I can't get a clear pic of them at all. I have looked at Chuck's "hitchhikers guide", too. I've been hesitant to simply wipe them away (b/c "if you don't know what it is, it prob. isn't good"). After all I've read I'm afraid they would just multiply.

I currently don't have corals...just live rock and fish.

ps. I know in another thread I had responded about what I thought was a worm and it was....but I haven't seen that since. The crabs move those shells around all the time. this is completely different.

Try looking up tunicates or sea squirts. Theuy come in many sizes, shapes and colors and all are tubular, some singular and some in clusters.