Need help identifying dots all over tank

joyfi2 · Jul 16, 2018

Hello, I just started a fishless-cycle with a 30 gallon tank. Im a week into the process at the moment and I've only used live sand, dry rock, fish flakes and the product bio spira so far. Lately however, I've noticed that there are these beige or white colored specs that are showing up all over the panels of my tank as well as the heater.

Are these dots bacterial colonies or something else? Is this something I should worry about and clean off right away? Sorry if the pictures aren't good quality, I only have a camera phone. Thank you for any insight you may have.

Crabs McJones · Jul 16, 2018

Welcome to R2R!

#WelcometoR2R
My guess is small bubbles that have small particulates from your sand or dry rock caught up in them being that both are brand new. Have you tried brushing them away?

joyfi2 · Jul 17, 2018

Hello and thank you for your response!

Ah that's a good thought now that you mention it. I did notice a lot of bubbles all over the sides of the tank the very first day. I haven't touched them yet but once I get one of those cleaning magnets I'll brush it off. Hopefully it's just debris from the sand or rock that got caught there.

Sabellafella · Jul 17, 2018

joyfi2 said:
Hello, I just started a fishless-cycle with a 30 gallon tank. Im a week into the process at the moment and I've only used live sand, dry rock, fish flakes and the product bio spira so far. Lately however, I've noticed that there are these beige or white colored specs that are showing up all over the panels of my tank as well as the heater.

Are these dots bacterial colonies or something else? Is this something I should worry about and clean off right away? Sorry if the pictures aren't good quality, I only have a camera phone. Thank you for any insight you may have.

Welcome! Diatoms? Usually get diatoms following a cycle. Either way I wouldn't worry, your at the point in time where you can buy some snails and inverts. They'll make short work of that =)
After a cycle you'll usually windup with some nasty stuff growing around. A little bit of time might clear that up