White spots on tank and rock

smartang22 · 02/13/2007, 01:46 PM

I have 2 of these white patches on my live rock. It almost looks like the white mold you might find on bread. I just got a clean up crew of snails and crabs but they haven't gotten there yet. They also kind of glow when I turn the moon lights on.

I also have small dots of white on the back of my tank. The back wall is black so they stand out and are a ball shape (they aren't flat).

What are these white things? Should I just scrape the white ball-spot things off of the back wall? I don't want to "pollute" the water with them if they are bad. Same goes for the live rock.

All of my water parameters are good and I only have two cleaner shrimp in my 4 gallon BioCube.

hmello@bermexin · 02/13/2007, 01:48 PM

White cotton balls?

mitchellmoto · 02/13/2007, 02:02 PM

I pic would be good but they are more than likely just a sponge and are doing good things like helping filter water. Leave them be they aren't a bad thing.
If they are everywhere and unsightly just be patient they will slowly die back a little when whatever they are consuming become obsolete in your tank. I'll look for a pic.

smartang22 · 02/13/2007, 05:55 PM

I just tried to remove them with a brush and they were kind of difficult to scrape off. There seems to be more since the last time
I looked. They are about the size of two grains of salt put together.

Could this be a parasite that was introduced when I got the snails, crabs and shrimp? There is no fish in the tank either.

mitchellmoto · 02/14/2007, 07:55 AM

Does it look like this? If so stop worrying they are great for ypur tank they are filter feeders. If this isn't it then you need to find away to get a pic. I got this pic off MELEVSREEF dot com.

smartang22 · 02/14/2007, 11:59 AM

Actually, some of them look a bit like that. Some look like they are fuzzy like the picture, but some just look like a white circle. I also noticed that some of them are not flat against the wall, but are kind of sticking out.

I will stop worrying about it. But how did I get them? From the live rock, snails, crabs, or shrimp? And even though they aren't bad, will they end up taking over the walls?

Thanks for the help!!!!

SgJsg35 · 02/14/2007, 12:28 PM

The small white spots on the glass are tiny tube worms. They are in most tanks, they are nothing to worry about. They come from the LR and they wont take over your walls.

smartang22 · 02/15/2007, 10:23 AM

I have noticed that the white spots have started to show up on the glass again. I tried to pick one off with my fingernail and it needed to be scraped instead of just smeared off. I want to post a picture, but it doesn't seem to show anything but a white spot on the tank wall. It seems so vague and that would make it difficult for anyone to ID.

If this was happening to anyone of you, what would you do? Just scrape them off as they appear? I am just paranoid and I don't want anything to start to crap up the tank. My tank is doing very well right now and I want to keep it that way especially since it is only a month old.

luke33 · 02/15/2007, 11:19 AM

I have them all over the back of my tank, which doesn't bother me. IMO i think its copod eggs, or it could be snail waste. All i know is they have been there a year or so and only go on teh back glass where my snails are. Also, they are on the underside of some of my lr, where the snails are always. So i think its snail waste. Small white dots that are almost like calcium deposits, no worries man.

smartang22 · 02/16/2007, 09:56 PM

I went to a pretty reputable LFS and I asked what those white spots were since they had them on a few of their tanks and they said they are just calcium deposits. I think I will get a calcium test kid and start keeping track of the calcium levels. I don't have any corals, hard or soft in my tank, but I do use Purple Up 1-2 times a week.

Thanks to all those who replied!

SgJsg35 · 02/16/2007, 10:30 PM

I may be wrong about what you have, but I dont think so. See if your LFS has Marine Invertebrates by Ronald L. Shimek, pg. 221 might help.

Fremont reefer · 09/15/2010, 11:10 PM

There are many tiny white spots all over my tank's wall. I do not know what it is and what cause it. Is it bad for coral or fish? Does it say somthing about water parameter.
Is it calcium build up because of low Mg or because of too much water buble in the tank.
Here is my water parmeter: Mag-1100, Cal -450, Alk 8.0, Ph-8.2 to 8.4.

Nyxll · 09/16/2010, 03:44 AM

They are probably snail eggs. What kinds of snails did you add?

Palting · 09/16/2010, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fremont reefer

There are many tiny white spots all over my tank's wall. I do not know what it is and what cause it. Is it bad for coral or fish? Does it say somthing about water parameter.
Is it calcium build up because of low Mg or because of too much water buble in the tank.
Here is my water parmeter: Mag-1100, Cal -450, Alk 8.0, Ph-8.2 to 8.4.

Take a real close look at those white spots. If they are tiny spirals, then they are spirobid worms. Harmless filter feeders.

02/13/2007, 01:46 PM	#1
smartang22 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Portage, IN Posts: 191	White spots on tank and rock I have 2 of these white patches on my live rock. It almost looks like the white mold you might find on bread. I just got a clean up crew of snails and crabs but they haven't gotten there yet. They also kind of glow when I turn the moon lights on. I also have small dots of white on the back of my tank. The back wall is black so they stand out and are a ball shape (they aren't flat). What are these white things? Should I just scrape the white ball-spot things off of the back wall? I don't want to "pollute" the water with them if they are bad. Same goes for the live rock. All of my water parameters are good and I only have two cleaner shrimp in my 4 gallon BioCube.

02/13/2007, 01:48 PM	#2
hmello@bermexin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,205	White cotton balls? __________________ Henry Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. Current Tank Info: 29g BioCube, AI SOL 12" Super Blue

02/14/2007, 12:28 PM	#7
SgJsg35 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Steeler Country Posts: 218	The small white spots on the glass are tiny tube worms. They are in most tanks, they are nothing to worry about. They come from the LR and they wont take over your walls. __________________ hadooun haqil khairun min sadiqin jaahil Current Tank Info: 50 gal.(50-60lbs LR) Eibl's Angelfish,Sixline Wrasse,Lunare Wrasse,Orchid Dottyback,Blacktail Dascyllus,Neon Goby,Banded Coral Shrimp,Emerald Crab,a few Snails & Hermits

02/16/2007, 10:30 PM	#11
SgJsg35 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Steeler Country Posts: 218	I may be wrong about what you have, but I dont think so. See if your LFS has Marine Invertebrates by Ronald L. Shimek, pg. 221 might help. __________________ hadooun haqil khairun min sadiqin jaahil Current Tank Info: 50 gal.(50-60lbs LR) Eibl's Angelfish,Sixline Wrasse,Lunare Wrasse,Orchid Dottyback,Blacktail Dascyllus,Neon Goby,Banded Coral Shrimp,Emerald Crab,a few Snails & Hermits

02/13/2007, 02:02 PM	#3
mitchellmoto Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alamogordo, NM Posts: 593	I pic would be good but they are more than likely just a sponge and are doing good things like helping filter water. Leave them be they aren't a bad thing. If they are everywhere and unsightly just be patient they will slowly die back a little when whatever they are consuming become obsolete in your tank. I'll look for a pic.

02/13/2007, 05:55 PM	#4
smartang22 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Portage, IN Posts: 191	I just tried to remove them with a brush and they were kind of difficult to scrape off. There seems to be more since the last time I looked. They are about the size of two grains of salt put together. Could this be a parasite that was introduced when I got the snails, crabs and shrimp? There is no fish in the tank either.

02/14/2007, 07:55 AM	#5
mitchellmoto Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alamogordo, NM Posts: 593	Does it look like this? If so stop worrying they are great for ypur tank they are filter feeders. If this isn't it then you need to find away to get a pic. I got this pic off MELEVSREEF dot com.

02/14/2007, 11:59 AM	#6
smartang22 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Portage, IN Posts: 191	Actually, some of them look a bit like that. Some look like they are fuzzy like the picture, but some just look like a white circle. I also noticed that some of them are not flat against the wall, but are kind of sticking out. I will stop worrying about it. But how did I get them? From the live rock, snails, crabs, or shrimp? And even though they aren't bad, will they end up taking over the walls? Thanks for the help!!!!

02/15/2007, 10:23 AM	#8
smartang22 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Portage, IN Posts: 191	I have noticed that the white spots have started to show up on the glass again. I tried to pick one off with my fingernail and it needed to be scraped instead of just smeared off. I want to post a picture, but it doesn't seem to show anything but a white spot on the tank wall. It seems so vague and that would make it difficult for anyone to ID. If this was happening to anyone of you, what would you do? Just scrape them off as they appear? I am just paranoid and I don't want anything to start to crap up the tank. My tank is doing very well right now and I want to keep it that way especially since it is only a month old.

02/15/2007, 11:19 AM	#9
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	I have them all over the back of my tank, which doesn't bother me. IMO i think its copod eggs, or it could be snail waste. All i know is they have been there a year or so and only go on teh back glass where my snails are. Also, they are on the underside of some of my lr, where the snails are always. So i think its snail waste. Small white dots that are almost like calcium deposits, no worries man.

02/16/2007, 09:56 PM	#10
smartang22 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Portage, IN Posts: 191	I went to a pretty reputable LFS and I asked what those white spots were since they had them on a few of their tanks and they said they are just calcium deposits. I think I will get a calcium test kid and start keeping track of the calcium levels. I don't have any corals, hard or soft in my tank, but I do use Purple Up 1-2 times a week. Thanks to all those who replied!

09/15/2010, 11:10 PM	#12
Fremont reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: fremont CA Posts: 2	There are many tiny white spots all over my tank's wall. I do not know what it is and what cause it. Is it bad for coral or fish? Does it say somthing about water parameter. Is it calcium build up because of low Mg or because of too much water buble in the tank. Here is my water parmeter: Mag-1100, Cal -450, Alk 8.0, Ph-8.2 to 8.4.

09/16/2010, 03:44 AM	#13
Nyxll Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Erie PA Posts: 414	They are probably snail eggs. What kinds of snails did you add?