WHAT ARE THESE THINGS?? SCARED!!

[Jooak9]

Hello everyone!

So....... I have been cycling my tank and have added nothing other than biospira and Dr. Tims ammonia!

I am getting close to the end of the cycle but my nitrite level is still taking (approximately) 2 days to hit zero after dosing up to 2 ppm ammonia.  Ammonia is getting to zero after 24 hours.

At any rate, and I digress!

Yesterday, while doing a little tank maintenance I made an unusual observation.  Some sort of bug has appeared.  They are small and white and if I can figure how - I will attach a short 10 second video clip I shot with my phone.  They are hard to see but are definitely some sort of bug - and kind of a lot of them - small in size and white or whiteish!

After doing a google search, I am hoping and potentially thinking they may be copepods?   They are definitely crawling around and kinda fast moving for their size.  The only problem is I never added copepods and all of my rock is actually not rock at all - as I used Marine Pure rocks carved out to look like rocks!!  I did purchase a bag of sealed and store bought live sand when starting up the tank.

There are definitely particles blowing around in the water too!  But the bugs I'm talking about are small white things and most easily seen crawling on the black slate piece in the back of the video. 

Is there a way to tell for sure if they are copepods?  I have never seen one in person before.  Is there anything in particular that would clue me for certain and I.D. them?  I have added nothing to this tank besides live sand, new marine pure, biospira, ammonia and one water change - Water purchased from LFS that told me it was RODI and mixed up for me.  No critters or coral or anything has been added yet.  And as mentioned, I'm still cycling the tank.  Which I believe is getting close to the end!!!

Any idea what these bugs are? I am totally speculating about them being copepods - they could be any number of things - I have not the clue other than a quick google search and a best guess based on findings of that google search!

Thanks in advance for the responses!

UPDATE - attachment says it's too big!  I uploaded to YouTube and the link is below!

Josh

[Topekoms]

I can't get the video to load but I would assume since you bought live sand it is pods. Just let them be you will be fine.

[Jooak9]

Try again on the video.... I think I had a privacy setting that messed us up and was turned on!  I’m not 100 percent they are pods - although I don’t have an alternative to suggest as I am way too new in this hobby to even know an alternative!

The ones I am spotting today - 24 hours after the video was shot - appear way smaller than the ones I could spot yesterday.  There are still a lot of them though!

[Topekoms]

Pods they are good for the tank

[Jooak9]

Thanks for the help on this!  How can you tell they are pods so easily?  I would like to know for future reference.  Is there anything in particular that is a telling sign?  Really appreciate the help and your response!

[Kenn]

I agree that the description sounds like pods. Different type crawl on rocks. Kinda look like a rollie pollie. others free swim