Nasty stuff on tank hoods

[pinballqueen]

Okay, so there is this scaly crud on my aquarium hood at the leading edge where you open it and on the edges....what is it? It's a 10 gallon, sand substrate, coldwater goldfish tank with near-perfect water params. (Haven't tested this week yet, so I don't have exact figs for you)....This has been showing up off and on for about a month, and I keep wiping it off, and it keeps coming back. The first time I got it I thought it was some food that had missed the lip of the tank, but upon inspection, it's not. It is almost like a mineral deposit (but I have city water with no discernable mineral problems...it never happened to my other tanks....)

I'm not too worried or anything, just curious....(or should I worry?)

 

[roper930]

Ya, I get all kinds of that crud, too. White crusty stuff, right? It's a real pain in the butt. I can get most of the big chunks off, but I can never really get rid of it, just keeps coming back....

Beth

Sorry, I don't really have an answer for ya, just keep scrubbin @ each cleaning!

 

[pinballqueen]

Same stuff, different color, though...

The crusty part is right, but mine is pale yellowish-brownish-white (pardon the nasty visual) kind of like eye-boogers or something...

EWWWW.....can't believe I wrote that, but it's true, just the same...

I wonder why it never happened on my big tank, just this one....

Then again, my big tank had protein deposits on the underside of the hood, and this one has never had that problem...(nasty slimy stuff, took forever to clean off...looked like the stuff that gets on contact lenses after a long time....ewww....)

 

[Tyler718]

Just out of curiousity did you treat the tank for Ich with salt recently? I treated one of my tanks with salt for Ich once. I had the same thing happen after words. After a couple of water changes it stopped.

 

[pinballqueen]

Hmmmm....

You know, I have added salt to the tank to help speed up a fungus treatment recently....you might be on to something...
I'll do a partial water change tonight to see if that helps clear it up....
Thanks!

 

[NJ Devils Fan]

Yes, it's mineral deposits. I have it on my hood too. Try Safe and Easy Aquarium Cleaner made by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, it works very well.

 

[Misskiwi67]

Or, if you don't want to spend money.. try vinegar. Don't get it in the tank, but it works wonders on hoods, and filters too!

 

[Erynn]

There is also a product called "Lime Off" that works very very well. It is sold at most pet stores. I have used it for years now. I forget who makes it.... maybe "Jungle".......

 

[125gJoe]

Salt Deposits

Most likely it is salt that has dried there....

 

[pinballqueen]

Maybe this is that "salt creep" that all the sw guys talk about...I did a water change, and it hasn't immediately come back...here's hoping, 'cause that stuff is gross....