Flakes...good or bad?

[jerppyjerp]

To be honest I dont like the look of the pictures. Its builds up on the heater and falls of on to the sand. I hope its not bad if they eat it but then again I havent seen them eat it anyways. I just dont want my new rays to eat it and get sick or something(never kept them and being overprotective).

 

[Dr Joe]

Cute rays...

Deposits usually occur during a drying out period or on objects directly in a high current area. It is possible that the temp changes on the glass of the heater are causing it tho. (inside of heater gusrd should be full too.

If you take a piece out and let it dry, is it crunchy?

Just strange.

Hey...If it is calcium maybe the rays will eat it and grow stronger bones

(I know no bones, just barb)

Dr Joe

.

 

[RadleyMiller]

I have no idea, but just to be on the safe side, I would get a new heater. Visi-therm Stealths are awesome.

Nice Rays BTW

 

[Dr Joe]

I have no idea, but just to be on the safe side, I would get a new heater. Visi-therm Stealths are awesome.

Nice Rays BTW

Dr Joe

.

 

[jerppyjerp]

Thanks guys...I dont know if I mentioned this but I have another tank right below it with some peacock bass and didnt change the PH on that tank(still high thanks to hard water). That tank dosent have the deposits on the heater. Is it cause I lower the ph for the rays? Why would that happen? I treat the ph in a bucket before I introduce the new water from the water change.

 

[Fabio's Dad]

If water evaporates, it leaves deposites. These may be simple calcium, or something in your water, like marine salt for marine tanks. Personally, when I first noticed this kind of build up, I started to wipe the dry parts of the entire tank periodically for cosmetic reasons. Of course, I used no chemicals, but I never have to worry about the build up, whether it's harmfull or not.

 

[blacksmith37]

Most any minerals deposited from your water will eventually redissolve; except gypsum/ Ca SO4. I am not a chemist but I can imagine gyp forming on the heater from very dilute levels of Ca and sulfate in your water. Gyp would be very difficult to solubilize in an aquarium.