What the heck is this stuff?

[apastuszak]

Black diamond blasting sand as substrate. Just plants in the tank. No fish yet. Light on for 12 hours a day on timer.

44 gallon pentagon corner tank. Dosing with Flourish and Flourish Excel.

Woke up this morning to the gravel looking like this:

What the hell is this stuff and how did it popup overnight?

It's on top of the driftwood too.

EDIT: Tank from 2 days ago:

 

[SnakeIce]

If it rubs off surfaces easily it is likely diatoms. Very common in new setups, ottocinclus love it. Doesn't tend to stick around after it's flush of growth.

You may want to cut the light period to 8-10 hours though since plants have a quota they will use during a day and then close up shop but algae can use light 24/7.

 

[Kannan Fodder]

I'm going to go with SnakeIce here, but my first thought was dirt settling in the tank. I've never had that happen, but my first reaction would be to test the water and do a substrate vac.

 

[apastuszak]

If it rubs off surfaces easily it is likely diatoms. Very common in new setups, ottocinclus love it. Doesn't tend to stick around after it's flush of growth.

You may want to cut the light period to 8-10 hours though since plants have a quota they will use during a day and then close up shop but algae can use light 24/7.

It comes off like dust.

 

[apastuszak]

I've been keeping fish since 1978 and this is the first time I am seeing this.

Then again, this is the first time I am using sand and not earth tone gravel. So I may have gotten it and not noticed.

If it's lying on the sand like that, is it dead at this point?

 

[Rbishop]

You could do a slow vac and get some out.....

 

[apastuszak]

You could do a slow vac and get some out.....

That's the plan. I won't be home till Sunday, so hopefully leaving that stuff in there won't harm anything

 

[fishorama]

Yeah, I'm with Bob & SnakeIce, vac!! 12 hours is too long a photo period in most tanks, my longest is maybe 8. Nothing more than crap to vac out but unsightly, get it outta there...while it's easy to do...& pull up those swords just a tiny bit, the big one's seem too deeply planted. You'll likely lose the oldest leaves but that's ok.

 

[rufioman]

Suck it up and cross your fingers it doesn't come back, haha.

 

[apastuszak]

Soon as I get the grocery shopping done, it's water change time. Then I need to find time for the stamp collection. Busy day today...