Ray

Happy for any advise or ideas you can offer Brian. Cheers, Ray.

Thanks everyone for your much appreciated help and experienced advise. I've syphoned the offending growth along with a 20% water change this morning, but see tonight that it's returning ... so yes, a skimmer seems to be the obvious solution. And yes, small problems in a new tank, (particularly for a novice like me) do become major issues, but with all your help, I'm now looking on them as a challenge rather than a worry. Thanks all. I'll check out skimmers and see how I can somehow incorporate one into my tank on the weekend. I'll keep you posted. Cheers, Ray.

Hi and thanks for all your helpful advise. My tanks about 4 months old and has cycled. I've been keeping a close eye on the chemistry and all is fine. Nitrate, Nitrite, Amonia all zero. PH 8.2 Calsium 440. I am now wondering though if indeed the 'web' and the 'worm' are unrelated. Maybe I've just spotted the 'worms' because I've been looking a lot closer since the 'webs' have been evident. The wee creatures definately crawl around quite fast ducking into crevices. I'll try a cyphon and water change. The 'webs' cyphon off easily. The 'web' look quite black but are definately covering areas that have a good coating of dark red to purple growth. A protein skimmer will be hard to fit as the tank has an enclosed lid (filter and lights all built in) but I'll investigate the option for testing the nutrient levels to see if this is the problem. Thanks again everyone. Help much appreciated. Ray.

can you tell me what 'Pods' are please and if I should be worried about these? Cheers.

Hi. You're right in that both the webs and the appearance of these critters appeared at the same time. Coincidental maybe, but I think they're related. I've also noted extremely small (brine shrimp like) creatures floating around the tank, but planned to deal with them later. These web building guys are a worry though. It builds a very black web which eventually bursts, due to oxygen collecting under it. I can brush off the webs and syphon, but it's there again next morning.

Hi and thanks. They're way too small to photograph, sorry. They seem to flit in and out of the crevices in the coral rock - they don't seem concerned about any particular lighting either!

I'm a novice, having just set up a coral aquarium. No fish yet, just a couple of soft corals. All the chemistry is excellent, then suddenly, worms of some kind appear, (approx 2 - 3 mm long). They look like a tiny centipede and move quite fast. They're busy making unsightly black webs over the substrate and live coral. Their webs inflate with oxygen and eventually burst, leaving unsightly straggly strands. I've no idea what these critters are (good or bad) or how to control / erradicate them, so I'd really appreciate some help. Thanks in advance.