Strange new substance in tank.

[jpflanagan]

I am running a 24g Nano cube. Did a month cycle, all params are good, Specific gravity is 1.022. I have 6 or 7 hermits and 6 margarita snails and the new baby snail I found this evening. Live rock and Live Sand. Oh yeah, that starfish also. Grey and black thing. Forgot what it was called.

Now, all that said I am starting to notice a grey powder substance settling on my sand and rock. Not sure what it is. Is it Waste from my critters or something else? Any Help?

[Grins]

Is it gray or is it brown? Meaning is it diatom algea?

[jpflanagan]

Not sure. i guess It could be a real light brown. I can use a syringe and it blows right off the rock and I guess I would describe the texture as dusty.

[jojo22]

Probably the finer sand particles from your sand bed, gently blow them off the rock just before each water change, they will go away.

[SigPiPup]

If I had to guess I would say snail poop. I say this because all I have in my tank is a few Astreas and there poop has collected in three distinct spots in my tank. It looks dusty in those spots now cuz its been sitting there for a week or too, but I know for sure the grey dusty stuff in my tank is snail poop.

[BIGgourami]

yeah it's just dust. comes from wee things burrowing in the sand and rocks

[Riverserver]

If I had to guess I would say snail poop.

:iagree:

[jpflanagan]

So it is either snail poop or the finer dust from the sand bed. I suppose if it sticks around and is snail poop I would probably see my Ammonia go up... or am I wrong?

[blockamon]

Assuming you have enough live rock, you probably won't see ammonia but will see nitrate go up.

I also vote for detrius (AKA snail, starfish, fish, etc. poop), but without a picture, it's hard to tell. Do you have any detrius eaters like cerith or nassarius snails? After a while you will begin to get copepods and amphipods, which are also detrius eaters.