What is this stuff?

[rdonchann]

I have some of it too. I will be glad when the wizard figures this one out. I had thought it detritus too, but like they said, it wont all blow off. A toothbrush will do it but who wants to do that?

 

[poke75]

Checked my readings and everything looks good accept I have some nitrates going on again. (found my missing manderin goby - dead partialy under a rock).

everything else seems in line.

I can't wait till someone figures this out also.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Just curious, but is it any one thing in the pictures, or literally all the gunk on it?

 

[israelnajar]

Just the gunk on the rock. And in the second photo looks like it is on the glass also.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Okay. I'm just making sure I'm looking at the picture right. I had that in my tank as well, and it is just detritus. Most of it comes off if you spray it with a powerhead. It collects in low flow areas. The stuff that doesn't come off as easily is just adhered to the rock, and a simple brushing gets it off. I truly think it is just detritus.

Regardless what it is, it is definitely not Dinoflagellates, Cyanobacteria, or Diatoms.

 

[jxr182]

so are we coming to an agreement that it's not anything lethal, but it is a sign that things are not as clean in my tank as they need to be?

a question regarding overfeeding... i've read to feed what they will eat in 3 minutes... i do that, but they eat ALOT... i can almost shovel food in there... i would estimate in 3 minutes my fish eat 1 tablespoon of food... does that seem excessive? i've always thought i was feeding alot, but i stuck with the three minute thing.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

That's not really overfeeding because they are consuming it all, but the more that they consume, the more waste that they produce. Thus, whether it is food or fish doodoo, it's still detritus. The detritus is broken down by bacteria, which is probably what is under all the detritus on the rock that is so difficult to get off.

 

[captbunzo]

I think we need to get back to the basics here before we try to diagnose these problems.

What do you have for water flow? Give us specific types of powerheads, etc.

What do you feed? How much? How often?

How old is the tank?

What sort of other details from the setup can you share with us to help us understand the situation better?

 

[poke75]

Personally, I have lots of flow:
mag 12 return,
2 maxijet mods
All in a 2'x3' tank.
I feed 1/4 sheet nori everyday along with a "squirt" of frozen cubes of mysis, marine quasine, and emerald entree.
My tank has been running for about 2yrs
MH's and VHO's for lights,
brand new calcium reactor
skimmer
DSB and refugium in sump.