White crust on tank walls. Help me.

jgrieve · 08/22/2006, 10:39 AM

Hello everyone,
i recently got a 30 gallon tank, have 2 SEIO M620 jets, heater, thermometer and cleaner .. yahoo. i am getting a thing layer of crust on my tanks walls and floor. i dont know where it came from. i have the jets on. i filled the tank up and put the required amount of prime in .. then added salt to the tank. my hydrometer reads 1.025.
i scraped my walls and floor with a razor, now i have a super merky water. what did i do wrong or what can i do to fix this. i am about to do a water change.

thanks

angelsj247 · 08/22/2006, 10:42 AM

i filled the tank up and put the required amount of prime in .

what is prime?
do you have any live rock or filter?

jgrieve · 08/22/2006, 10:43 AM

i forgott to add that i set up my tank then went on vacation for 10 days and i came back and it was like that.

ChunksInClemson · 08/22/2006, 10:43 AM

Can you post a pic?

angelsj247 · 08/22/2006, 10:43 AM

what are your paremeters reading? did you have a cycle yet?

jgrieve · 08/22/2006, 10:43 AM

prime cleans the tapwater to make it distilled. and i do not have any rock or filter. i was told that i could just use jets for now.

angelsj247 · 08/22/2006, 10:44 AM

o and

To Reef Central

ChunksInClemson · 08/22/2006, 10:44 AM

4 posts at 12:43, that might be a record

angelsj247 · 08/22/2006, 10:47 AM

you need some kind of filter media

OCDP · 08/22/2006, 10:49 AM

This is kinda sidetracking from what he is asking.

Why would he test paramaters? He has nothing in the tank but water. How would he have a cycle? There is no live rock.

He left town for 10 days, basically setup his tank with just salt & water, using Seio's for water movement. He has nothing else in the tank... my first thought was salt creep, or coralline algae.. but the the stuff is INSIDE the tank. Coralline also does not grow this fast , especially with just water in the tank.

He doesn't need any media right now to filter just water... unless you are recommending carbon use to clear the water. At this point, a full water change would do you more good than anything else.

I don't know what it is either, but I can't understand where this would come from, if nothing has been added to the tank .

PRIME is tap water conditioner, also has a great slime coat for fish.

Scott

BurntOutReefer · 08/22/2006, 10:53 AM

"prime cleans the tapwater to make it distilled".....
wow.....never heard of this before....
do you mean de-chlorinator...? and check you tap water.....sounds like its lime / hard-water...

jgrieve · 08/22/2006, 10:57 AM

your sarcasim is not wanted here 22 year old burnoutreefer with a 300 gallon tank. but should the prime remedy those issues ?(hard -water)?

OCDP · 08/22/2006, 10:58 AM

Prime is tap water conditioner, made by SeaChem. I have been using this for a year and a half with great success. In short, yes a de-cholrinator.

I use the same tap water as well, and I have had tons of success with conditioner tap water in our area.

Just FWIW.

Scott

BurntOutReefer · 08/22/2006, 11:13 AM

wow...a flame from jgrieve. Sorry about the "sarcasim" there mate. Since Tap water differs in each stae/county/area...its too difficult to say if your water is soft or hard. If I where you, I would use strictly RO/DI water from a good source (LFS or even some (not all) "water Stores").....one last Q....is it a hard crust or a slime?

jgrieve · 08/22/2006, 11:23 AM

its a hard thin crust that is caked on the walls, but once i scaped it off and picked some up i rubbed it around in my bands and it turned into a bit of a slime/paste.

BurntOutReefer · 08/22/2006, 11:31 AM

hmm....sounds like Lime (calcium) deposits...
IMO....since you are not to far into this thing...start over. clean everything out....use vinegar mix........and test your Tap water....you're drinking alll that stuff too.....

BurntOutReefer · 08/22/2006, 11:32 AM

municipal or well water? If municipal, your water company should be able to provide you the info on the qaulity of your water for free.....

OCDP · 08/22/2006, 11:36 AM

Calcium? Really? I use the same tap water, with PRIME in my established Reef. I have never noticed calcium form this quickly, or ever for that matter. I have only ever seen Coraline algae.

Just FYI, jgrieves lives a couple blocks away from me. We are both using the same tap water...

It's all pretty weird, how could calcium like that build up so much and so quickly ??

I think it's still wise to explore other possibilities.. not saying this isn't what it is.. just doesn't add up in my opinion.

BurntOutReefer · 08/22/2006, 12:12 PM

Ok...lets look at it another way.....
1) You have nothing in the tank except water.
2) You have crust forming (which I assume is whitish in color)
3) No other source for any minerals etc have been added to the water (except Prime)........
4) We know its not algea

so...Test your Ph. and alkaline...this will tell you how hard/soft your water is.
I think its easier just to start over again.......just IMO

t5Nitro · 08/22/2006, 12:16 PM

I had something like that above my water line in the tank, just some white groups all over. I think maybe salt or something but I just whiped it off.

BurntOutReefer · 08/22/2006, 12:20 PM

Just got off the phone with SeaChem. (1-888-SEACHEM).
You have calcium carbonate participation due to hard water.

later!

OCDP · 08/22/2006, 12:27 PM

Interesting... but why would I not see this? I use PRIME as well. We live in the same area, using the same tap water?

BurntOutReefer · 08/22/2006, 12:38 PM

who knows...
Took me almost six months to figure out my friends (neighbour) issue...everything was dying in his tank....we used to use the same municipal tap-water....took six months to figure out he had older copper pipe plumbing into his house that was leeching copper into the water....go figure.

OCDP · 08/22/2006, 12:43 PM

Ouch. Well, I have been using tap water for over a year and a half and have been keeping SPS/anemones/clams alive with no problems. Tap water here in Alberta, Calgary is good.. nothing like it is in the US. Just FYI... as most people in the states DO use RO/DI and only that... because the tap water down there is pretty bad. Way worse than it is here. Not saying ours is perfect.. but not nearly as bad as it is in the states.

I know of lots of people keeping beautiful SPS reefs with nothing but tap water and PRIME.

Just FWIW...

Acroholic · 08/22/2006, 12:46 PM

I think it's from adding the salt and mixing it inside the tank.
I did this once on my QT tank and had the same problem. A white hard film on all the inside glass. I had to dump it out and clean the tank and afterwards put premixed water into it. I was using RO/DI water with a big 0 on my TDS, and it was Reef Crystals that did it.

08/22/2006, 10:39 AM	#1
jgrieve Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 6	White crust on tank walls. Help me. Hello everyone, i recently got a 30 gallon tank, have 2 SEIO M620 jets, heater, thermometer and cleaner .. yahoo. i am getting a thing layer of crust on my tanks walls and floor. i dont know where it came from. i have the jets on. i filled the tank up and put the required amount of prime in .. then added salt to the tank. my hydrometer reads 1.025. i scraped my walls and floor with a razor, now i have a super merky water. what did i do wrong or what can i do to fix this. i am about to do a water change. thanks

08/22/2006, 10:42 AM	#2
angelsj247 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Joliet, IL Posts: 866	i filled the tank up and put the required amount of prime in . what is prime? do you have any live rock or filter? __________________ 2 perc clownfish, 2 peppermint shrimp, astrea, turbo, & nassarius snails, 20 lbs Live Rock Current Tank Info: 20gal FOWLR

08/22/2006, 10:43 AM	#4
ChunksInClemson Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Anderson, SC Posts: 824	Can you post a pic? __________________ Me to my brother-"Dude, you don't need to spend 75 dollars on a shirt! My brother to me-"Man, you just spent 100 dollars on some rocks" Me and him- "Laughs" Current Tank Info: 29g, a pair of true percs so far. Tank is newer!

08/22/2006, 10:43 AM	#5
angelsj247 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Joliet, IL Posts: 866	what are your paremeters reading? did you have a cycle yet? __________________ 2 perc clownfish, 2 peppermint shrimp, astrea, turbo, & nassarius snails, 20 lbs Live Rock Current Tank Info: 20gal FOWLR

08/22/2006, 10:44 AM	#7
angelsj247 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Joliet, IL Posts: 866	o and *To Reef Central* __________________ 2 perc clownfish, 2 peppermint shrimp, astrea, turbo, & nassarius snails, 20 lbs Live Rock Current Tank Info: 20gal FOWLR

08/22/2006, 10:47 AM	#9
angelsj247 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Joliet, IL Posts: 866	you need some kind of filter media __________________ 2 perc clownfish, 2 peppermint shrimp, astrea, turbo, & nassarius snails, 20 lbs Live Rock Current Tank Info: 20gal FOWLR

08/22/2006, 10:49 AM	#10
OCDP Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Eh? Posts: 2,759	This is kinda sidetracking from what he is asking. Why would he test paramaters? He has nothing in the tank but water. How would he have a cycle? There is no live rock. He left town for 10 days, basically setup his tank with just salt & water, using Seio's for water movement. He has nothing else in the tank... my first thought was salt creep, or coralline algae.. but the the stuff is INSIDE the tank. Coralline also does not grow this fast , especially with just water in the tank. He doesn't need any media right now to filter just water... unless you are recommending carbon use to clear the water. At this point, a full water change would do you more good than anything else. I don't know what it is either, but I can't understand where this would come from, if nothing has been added to the tank . PRIME is tap water conditioner, also has a great slime coat for fish. Scott __________________ aaaaaaaannddd.......... I'm broke. Current Tank Info: 20g Mixed Reef / 130w Coralife PC's / Koralia, Seio PH's / AquaC Nano / AC50 /

08/22/2006, 10:53 AM	#11
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	"prime cleans the tapwater to make it distilled"..... wow.....never heard of this before.... do you mean de-chlorinator...? and check you tap water.....sounds like its lime / hard-water...

08/22/2006, 10:57 AM	#12
jgrieve Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 6	your sarcasim is not wanted here 22 year old burnoutreefer with a 300 gallon tank. but should the prime remedy those issues ?(hard -water)?

08/22/2006, 10:58 AM	#13
OCDP Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Eh? Posts: 2,759	Prime is tap water conditioner, made by SeaChem. I have been using this for a year and a half with great success. In short, yes a de-cholrinator. I use the same tap water as well, and I have had tons of success with conditioner tap water in our area. Just FWIW. Scott __________________ aaaaaaaannddd.......... I'm broke. Current Tank Info: 20g Mixed Reef / 130w Coralife PC's / Koralia, Seio PH's / AquaC Nano / AC50 /

08/22/2006, 11:13 AM	#14
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	wow...a flame from jgrieve. Sorry about the "sarcasim" there mate. Since Tap water differs in each stae/county/area...its too difficult to say if your water is soft or hard. If I where you, I would use strictly RO/DI water from a good source (LFS or even some (not all) "water Stores").....one last Q....is it a hard crust or a slime?

08/22/2006, 11:23 AM	#15
jgrieve Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 6	its a hard thin crust that is caked on the walls, but once i scaped it off and picked some up i rubbed it around in my bands and it turned into a bit of a slime/paste.

08/22/2006, 11:31 AM	#16
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	hmm....sounds like Lime (calcium) deposits... IMO....since you are not to far into this thing...start over. clean everything out....use vinegar mix........and test your Tap water....you're drinking alll that stuff too.....

08/22/2006, 11:32 AM	#17
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	municipal or well water? If municipal, your water company should be able to provide you the info on the qaulity of your water for free.....

08/22/2006, 11:36 AM	#18
OCDP Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Eh? Posts: 2,759	Calcium? Really? I use the same tap water, with PRIME in my established Reef. I have never noticed calcium form this quickly, or ever for that matter. I have only ever seen Coraline algae. Just FYI, jgrieves lives a couple blocks away from me. We are both using the same tap water... It's all pretty weird, how could calcium like that build up so much and so quickly ?? I think it's still wise to explore other possibilities.. not saying this isn't what it is.. just doesn't add up in my opinion. __________________ aaaaaaaannddd.......... I'm broke. Current Tank Info: 20g Mixed Reef / 130w Coralife PC's / Koralia, Seio PH's / AquaC Nano / AC50 /

08/22/2006, 12:12 PM	#19
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	Ok...lets look at it another way..... 1) You have nothing in the tank except water. 2) You have crust forming (which I assume is whitish in color) 3) No other source for any minerals etc have been added to the water (except Prime)........ 4) We know its not algea so...Test your Ph. and alkaline...this will tell you how hard/soft your water is. I think its easier just to start over again.......just IMO

08/22/2006, 12:16 PM	#20
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	I had something like that above my water line in the tank, just some white groups all over. I think maybe salt or something but I just whiped it off. __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

08/22/2006, 12:20 PM	#21
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	Just got off the phone with SeaChem. (1-888-SEACHEM). You have calcium carbonate participation due to hard water. later!

08/22/2006, 12:27 PM	#22
OCDP Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Eh? Posts: 2,759	Interesting... but why would I not see this? I use PRIME as well. We live in the same area, using the same tap water? __________________ aaaaaaaannddd.......... I'm broke. Current Tank Info: 20g Mixed Reef / 130w Coralife PC's / Koralia, Seio PH's / AquaC Nano / AC50 /

08/22/2006, 12:38 PM	#23
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	who knows... Took me almost six months to figure out my friends (neighbour) issue...everything was dying in his tank....we used to use the same municipal tap-water....took six months to figure out he had older copper pipe plumbing into his house that was leeching copper into the water....go figure.

08/22/2006, 12:43 PM	#24
OCDP Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Eh? Posts: 2,759	Ouch. Well, I have been using tap water for over a year and a half and have been keeping SPS/anemones/clams alive with no problems. Tap water here in Alberta, Calgary is good.. nothing like it is in the US. Just FYI... as most people in the states DO use RO/DI and only that... because the tap water down there is pretty bad. Way worse than it is here. Not saying ours is perfect.. but not nearly as bad as it is in the states. I know of lots of people keeping beautiful SPS reefs with nothing but tap water and PRIME. Just FWIW... __________________ aaaaaaaannddd.......... I'm broke. Current Tank Info: 20g Mixed Reef / 130w Coralife PC's / Koralia, Seio PH's / AquaC Nano / AC50 /

08/22/2006, 12:46 PM	#25
Acroholic Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hypoluxo, Fl. Posts: 1,000	I think it's from adding the salt and mixing it inside the tank. I did this once on my QT tank and had the same problem. A white hard film on all the inside glass. I had to dump it out and clean the tank and afterwards put premixed water into it. I was using RO/DI water with a big 0 on my TDS, and it was Reef Crystals that did it. __________________ "I don't always know what I'm talking about, but I know I'm right!" -Muhammad Ali Current Tank Info: 180 Diamante Oceanic, 3 400w 10k Hammy's w/IceCaps, 2 140w URI super actinics, AC III Pro, 30g sump, 30g refug, 1/3hp chill, PM Skimmer/kalkreactor/calcium reactor/effluent, 2 Tunze 6060's, 2 Gorman Rupp 1115's, 25w UV