White fuzz all over rocks

[Ocicat]

I have noticed a thin layer of white fuzz all over some of my LR. Among the fuzz there are also TINY worm-like appendages sticking up, which I believe to be related to the fuzz, but I'm not positive. It is spreading, because I also have it on some base rock that was totally clean. Anybody have any ideas what this is?

 

[AquaReeferMan]

I guess Ill be the first to say this. We need a picture.....

 

[ducati1212]

This is no help to you at all but I have the same thing and posted here a week or so back and got no responses. I guess white fuzz is uninteresting..

 

[barjam]

I had white fuzz that I believe was sponges of some sort. It didn't last long.

 

[ringwurm]

If its a new tank then its a normal process. Get a few Astrea snails and see if they will eat it.

 

[mike89t]

I've been trying to figure out what this stuff is for several months now. You can see it in this photo on the left and right rock:

 

[ringwurm]

does water flow have any effect on the white fuzz? Is it in high or low flow areas only? Have you seen anything eat it?

Kind of looks like algae to me. What does your cleanup crew consist of?

 

[Ocicat]

My tank is cycling - no cleanup crew or fish yet. I'll try to get a picture, but I don't think it will be very visible in a pic. It isn't as thick as yours, mike89t, but it looks like it could be the same stuff. It kind of looks like algae, if there is such a thing as white algae, except for the TINY worm-like things sticking up among it. Mine is in a pretty high-flow area.

 

[Vincerama2]

It might be fungus. If you drop a piece of food in a tank with no cleanup crew. It'll turn white and fuzzy. It will eventually go away.

Maybe if you add some snails and hermits, they'll get rid of it for you. I don't think it's harmful. It's a consequence of cycling live rock. ie; dead stuff decaying.

V

 

[Ocicat]

Okay, here are pics:
http://gojimountain.com/aquarium/white_fuzz.htm

I'm going to check my nitrites again to see if I can add snails yet... I don't want to add them and have them just keel over. On a side note, I've had my water tested at 2 different LFS, 3 different times - one time my alk & pH were too low (everything else was fine), one time my ammonia was too high (everything else was fine), and one time my nitrites were too high (everything else was fine). The last 2 tests were done on the same day at the 2 different stores... I guess I will just have to trust my own tests over theirs. :-o

 

[ringwurm]

If you check around online you can get Salifert tests for a decent price. They are more expensive so you might only be able to buy a couple at a time. (like i did)

The cool thing about the salifert tests is you get to look like mad scientist with the syringe they use. lol. I have always seen consistent reliable tests from the salifert brand. I have used Red Sea and aquarium pharm. in the past with horrible results.

ALK plays a big part in a healthy system so after your cycle is done you might start there.

 

[Ocicat]

LOL, I have Salifert kits (saw them recommended repeatedly here) and I do feel like a mad scientist.

I don't like the color system very much (which I know they all have) - I just never am sure I'm reading it right. I ran tests tonight and ammonia is clearly 0. Nitrite is, I think, <0.3. (That is my only non-Salifert kit - it is Tetra.) Nitrate is 25.

I bought 10 astrea snails and will see what they do with the fuzz... Actually I'm more interested to see whether they live, since they are the first brave pioneers in the tank.

 

[Vincerama2]

OK, that doesn't look like the fungus I saw. It might even be some form of diatom. I'm not sure what diniflagellates look like. It looks like some hitchiking organism (duh!) that is thriving. It might crash as part of a cycle. HAve some patience and it may just go away.

V