tonga branch causing film?

[michelleolds]

I set my tank up end of April with 50 lbs. fiji and 25lbs.tonga branch. In the first week the tonga which was really crusted with coralline turned all white. Now the coralline is growing back nicely but I'm wondering if the dead white stuff is causing a film to be on top of my water. There are also a lot of particles floating around causing my water to look a little cloudy. I have plenty of surface turbulance. Should I take out the tonga and scrub it? I cant think of anything else that might be causing this. I use distilled water from W-mart and Instant Ocean.

 

[tropills]

what kind of filtration do you have, are you running a protein skimmer, what live stock do you have ?

 

[vivioo7]

distilled water has a chance of containg copper so if your planning on having invertebrates i wouldnt use it anymore

 

[kellenr]

Originally Posted by tropills
http:///forum/post/2678203
what kind of filtration do you have, are you running a protein skimmer, what live stock do you have ?
Yeah, what type of filtration do you have?
Also please give your water parameters: Specific gravity, Temperature, Nitrates, Alkalinity, pH, Calcium and Phosphates.
If you don't have these tests, bring a water sample to your LFS and have them test. Please write down exact numbers "all within range" is not a measurement, they like to give that line sometimes. LOL Thanks.

 

[nano12er]

Since your tank is fairly new, the white on the tonga was/is probably a die off from your tank cycling and the rock curing in its new environment. It will, like you said grow back, and not too long from now( a few months) you should have a nice new coating of coraline hopefully. To remove the white(if it is dusty) get a NEW turkey baster from the store and blow the die off away with it, there is no need to scrub the rock(pllus you might do more damage than good). Do you have a protien skimmer? That may help, it should remove the film on the surface for you.
Good Luck!

 

[michelleolds]

I have a protien skimmer, 2 powerheads, and a hob filter that came with the tank that has carbon filtration and "bio pads" It's a 55 and I have a clown a cb angel and a serpent star in it now for about 1 month. My ammonia is at 0 trites and trates are both at .05 The white stuff on the rock cant be blown off with a turkey baster as its hard and crusty. I just thought maybe this was dissolving into the water slowly and making the film. Maybe it was calcium and my water couldnt hold it all.

 

[kellenr]

Originally Posted by michelleolds
http:///forum/post/2678736
I have a protien skimmer, 2 powerheads, and a hob filter that came with the tank that has carbon filtration and "bio pads" It's a 55 and I have a clown a cb angel and a serpent star in it now for about 1 month. My ammonia is at 0 trites and trates are both at .05 The white stuff on the rock cant be blown off with a turkey baster as its hard and crusty. I just thought maybe this was dissolving into the water slowly and making the film. Maybe it was calcium and my water couldnt hold it all.
Since your Nitrite is .05 it leads me to think your tank may still be cycling, this number should usually always be '0' unless your tank is overstocked or a few other special circumstances. There's no way to really say it 'could be calcium' unless you test and see what your dKH, pH and calcium levels are. There ar other conditions that need to be in place, water doesn't simply 'not hold calcium'. If it's hard and crusty and can't be blown off it doesn't sound like a calcium issue.

 

[nano12er]

Again. my guess woulb be die off...