White powder all over tank

Luv2Laff · Apr 30, 2023

Hi,
I've searched around the forum but nothing seems to apply to my tank so I thought I'd create a new post. I've had my tank since January. I have two clowns, two damsels a pj cardinal fish, a chocolate chip starfish and a banded Coral shrimp. The tank has been awesome! No problems. About 2 weeks ago I started noticing this white powdery substance all over the place. I can swish it off with my hand as though it's dust, and then a bunch of particles float around the tank. At first I thought it was salt but it's been 2 weeks since a water change. I don't have any live plants or live rocks in my tank. Everything is fake. What could this white stuff possibly be? I tested the water and everything's fine and the fish seem to be acting fine but this is extremely unsightly and worrisome. I've attached a link to some pictures. Any help would be extremely appreciated!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/J9KM9zE9aq8txdeY9

Mr. Mojo Rising · Apr 30, 2023

looks like there is no flow in your tank at all, you can see the buildup on the water surface. That stuff is detritus, just falling everywhere since there is no flow.

Normally, we have flow in our tanks to keep the detritus suspended in the water so the filters can filter it out.

You want some flow in your tank, and some flow to agitate the water surface to help with gas exchange, which will help put oxygen into the water.

Kapachuka3 · Apr 30, 2023

Imo i would get some live rock for you starfish, they tend not to do well in aquariums, but they eat film off of live rock so maybe that will help it live longer.

ScottB · Apr 30, 2023

Just dust from the gravel I would guess.

Dave1993 · Apr 30, 2023

first of all get rid of all that plastic crap out the tank the salt disintegrates them and contaminates the tank

Luv2Laff · Apr 30, 2023

LordofCinder said:
looks like there is no flow in your tank at all, you can see the buildup on the water surface. That stuff is detritus, just falling everywhere since there is no flow.

Normally, we have flow in our tanks to keep the detritus suspended in the water so the filters can filter it out.

You want some flow in your tank, and some flow to agitate the water surface to help with gas exchange, which will help put oxygen into the water.

That can't be it as there is a high flow at the top of my tank.

Luv2Laff · Apr 30, 2023

Kapachuka3 said:
Imo i would get some live rock for you starfish, they tend not to do well in aquariums, but they eat film off of live rock so maybe that will help it live longer.

Thanks. He's doing great so far. Seems to be anyway.

Luv2Laff · Apr 30, 2023

Dave1993 said:
first of all get rid of all that plastic crap out the tank the salt disintegrates them and contaminates the tank

It's not plastic. It's silk.

Luv2Laff · Apr 30, 2023

ScottB said:
Just dust from the gravel I would guess.

But why would it suddenly appear when nothing is disturbing the gravel?

SpyC · Apr 30, 2023

Luv2Laff said:
That can't be it as there is a high flow at the top of my tank.

Your photos show no surface movement.

AKL1950 · Apr 30, 2023

I suspect those are tiny food particles that are settling on everything. It’s probably all in your sand as well. If it’s not removed, Cyanobacteria will start thriving to eat it all up. Look at whether you might be over feeding and get a Turkey blaster and blow everything off every day for a while. It will make the water cloudy, but it will help clean the tank. Make sure you flirtation filter is not needing a good cleaning.

SpyC · Apr 30, 2023

Can you tell us more about your setup please so we can help? What size tank, what filtration do you have? Powerheads? subtrate used? How often you feed and what you are feeding.

Jesse Sunday · Apr 30, 2023

SpyC said:
Can you tell us more about your setup please so we can help? What size tank, what filtration do you have? Powerheads? subtrate used? How often you feed and what you are feeding.

Yes, this information would help tremendously.

Also, I'm curious, why no live rocks/plants?

Dbichler · Apr 30, 2023

Definitely not enough water flow.

BeanAnimal · Apr 30, 2023

Luv2Laff said:
Thanks. He's doing great so far. Seems to be anyway.

The suggestion was not really optional - the starfish is likely doomed long term if he does not have enough to graze on.

PlumbTuckered · Apr 30, 2023

Luv2Laff said:
Hi,
I've searched around the forum but nothing seems to apply to my tank so I thought I'd create a new post. I've had my tank since January. I have two clowns, two damsels a pj cardinal fish, a chocolate chip starfish and a banded Coral shrimp. The tank has been awesome! No problems. About 2 weeks ago I started noticing this white powdery substance all over the place. I can swish it off with my hand as though it's dust, and then a bunch of particles float around the tank. At first I thought it was salt but it's been 2 weeks since a water change. I don't have any live plants or live rocks in my tank. Everything is fake. What could this white stuff possibly be? I tested the water and everything's fine and the fish seem to be acting fine but this is extremely unsightly and worrisome. I've attached a link to some pictures. Any help would be extremely appreciated!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/J9KM9zE9aq8txdeY9

How are you running a tank without live rock? Live rock is home to the bacteria colony in the tank.

Fake plants and decorations are for fresh water tanks. They serve no purpose in a reef tank.

Are you dosing your tank? It could be precipitate from dosing alkalinity and calcium.

iamacat · Apr 30, 2023

What is this tank and why is it the way it is?

why are you dismissing the valid answers to your wild experiment?

aSaltyKlown · Apr 30, 2023

SpyC said:
Can you tell us more about your setup please so we can help? What size tank, what filtration do you have? Powerheads? subtrate used? How often you feed and what you are feeding.

A full tank shot would also be helpful.

PlumbTuckered said:
How are you running a tank without live rock? Live rock is home to the bacteria colony in the tank.

There looks to be CaribSea Life rock in the tank. That is live now it has been in the tank since Jan. I assume that it is the confusion regarding life/dry live and all the other types of confusing labels that get attached to rock.

BeanAnimal · Apr 30, 2023

PlumbTuckered said:
How are you running a tank without live rock? Live rock is home to the bacteria colony in the tank.

Fake plants and decorations are for fresh water tanks. They serve no purpose in a reef tank.

Are you dosing your tank? It could be precipitate from dosing alkalinity and calcium.

It looks like the rock is real enough and there is substrate - it all becomes "live".

There may be in issue with the silk plants depending on what dyes and materials were used.... but there is nothing inherently wrong with that he has done as long as it is all reef safe (he has an invert).

The issues appear to be low flow and maybe not enough filtration and the environment not being suitable for a chocolate chip star.

PlumbTuckered · Apr 30, 2023

BeanAnimal said:
It looks like the rock is real enough and there is substrate - it all becomes "live".

There may be in issue with the silk plants depending on what dyes and materials were used.... but there is nothing inherently wrong with that he has done as long as it is all reef safe (he has an invert).

The issues appear to be low flow and maybe not enough filtration and the environment not being suitable for a chocolate chip star.

The whole idea behind this hobby is to recreate the ocean environment. Everything in the tank plays a role in the health/ecology of the tank.

Show me a coral reef with silk plants.